decades long record

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "decades long record" is not correct in standard written English; it should be "decades-long record." You can use it when referring to a record or achievement that has been established over a period of several decades.
Example: "The organization has a decades-long record of excellence in community service."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

We have a three-decades long record to prove definitively that Republicans are themselves unserious about deficits.

Huffington Post

She lacks Mr Huckabee's decade-long record of executive experience.

The Economist

Last year, a report by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo recounted a decade-long record of favoritism and inappropriate conduct under three governors.

The New York Times

Ms. Schutz is prolific, and her career has been pushed hard, so inevitably the decade-long record is uneven.

The New York Times

Utterly different works, also treated as blue chips by virtue of their decade-long record of media and museum approval, realized gigantic prices.

The New York Times - Arts

But a morning visit to the state's most influential conservative radio station, WHO-AM, offered a view of the rigors ahead, with every detail from his decade-long record as governor as fair game for a fresh dissection.

The New York Times

TAMPA, Fla .— The Republican presidential candidates aggressively confronted Gov. Rick Perry at a debate here on Monday night, and pressed him to explain his views on Social Security and his decade-long record in Texas, including an effort to require the vaccination of schoolgirls and granting children of illegal immigrants a college tuition break.

The New York Times

In response to request for elaboration, Mr. Gingrey said Wednesday in an e-mail: "I have a proven decade-long record of voting against tax increases, and believe that tax hikes on anyone in the middle of an economic recession is the last thing our country needs.

The New York Times

He said that while he accepted the political reality that a new Security Council measure might be needed to secure allied support for any move against Iraq, Mr. Hussein's decade-long record of violations of existing resolutions fully justified taking action now.

The New York Times

The reference laboratory, NTRL, was selected due to the fact that it had a registered decade-long record of competence in these tests and it is currently a supra-national TB reference laboratory with ISO15189 accreditation [ 14].

Health Research Policy and Systems

Greater Manchester has a decades-long record of working together across local authority and even political boundaries.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a record or history that spans multiple decades, use the hyphenated form "decades-long" as a compound adjective to ensure grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using "decades long" without a hyphen when it modifies a noun. Without the hyphen, it reads as separate adjectives, which is grammatically incorrect. Always use the hyphenated form "decades-long" or rephrase to "record spanning decades".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "decades long record" intends to function as an adjective phrase modifying the noun "record". However, it requires a hyphen to correctly form a compound adjective: "decades-long". As Ludwig AI points out, the unhyphenated form is grammatically incorrect.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "decades long record" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is the hyphenated "decades-long record", which functions as a compound adjective. As Ludwig AI indicates, without the hyphen, the phrase fails to adhere to standard English grammar. Alternatives such as "longstanding record" or "record spanning decades" can be used. Always prefer the hyphenated version or rephrase for clarity and grammatical accuracy in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Decades-long record

Adds a hyphen to form a compound adjective, correcting the grammatical structure.

Longstanding record

Replaces "decades long" with a single word that conveys a similar meaning of duration.

Record spanning decades

Restructures the phrase to emphasize the duration of the record.

Record of several decades

Replaces "decades long" with a more explicit description of the time period.

Years-long history

Substitutes 'history' for 'record,' focusing on the past events.

Extensive history

Uses an adjective to describe the 'history' instead of specifying the exact duration.

Lengthy track record

Replaces "record" with "track record" and "decades long" with lengthy.

Well-established history

Focuses on the establishment of the history over time.

Established record over decades

Reorders the phrase to emphasize the establishment of the record.

Record that lasted for decades

Uses a verb to express the duration of the record.

FAQs

How can I correctly use "decades long record" in a sentence?

The grammatically correct way to express a record spanning multiple decades is to use "decades-long record", with a hyphen to form a compound adjective. For example: "The company has a decades-long record of innovation."

What is a better way to say "decades long record"?

Alternatives to "decades long record" include "longstanding record", "record spanning decades", or "extensive history depending on the specific context.

Is "decades long record" grammatically correct?

No, "decades long record" is not grammatically correct. The correct form is "decades-long record", where "decades-long" functions as a compound adjective.

What is the difference between "decades long record" and "decades-long record"?

The phrase "decades long record" is grammatically incorrect because it uses separate adjectives without a hyphen. The correct phrase is "decades-long record", where the hyphen creates a compound adjective modifying "record".