during three weeks

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "during three weeks" is not correct in standard English; it should be "for three weeks." You can use it when referring to a duration of time in which an action or event takes place.
Example: "I will be traveling for three weeks starting next month."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Immobilized cells were cultured in dynamic conditions and cell metabolic activity increased during three weeks.

Biomaterials

Four years ago, disaffected youths in immigrant suburbs clashed with the police during three weeks of rioting.

The New York Times

The Sysmex SE 9500® evaluation was carried out during three weeks in the Teaching Hospitals in Nice, France.

Revue Française des Laboratoires

The monk was one of the senior Benedictines who gave evidence during three weeks of hearings that ended yesterday at the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse.

The Times

The researchers said they avoided breaking any laws during three weeks of monitoring and extensively experimenting with the system's unprotected software control panel.

The New York Times - Tech

But during three weeks in May and June, the officers revisited the restaurants and identified 51 breaches of the regulations involving 10 schoolchildren aged 15 and 16.

The Guardian

Then, for more than six minutes, Sanders shared more personal details about himself than he'd revealed during three weeks of policy-heavy speeches in Iowa and South Carolina.

The Washington Post

The Goldstone report concluded that Israel and Hamas committed potential war crimes and possible crimes against humanity during three weeks of fighting.

The Guardian

All five publicly listed funds had growth of at least 20percentt during three weeks of the crash in mid-June.

The New York Times - Magazine

Yet their morale was high.Neither are they, nor any of the American forces accompanied during three weeks in Iraq, short of ingenuity.

The Economist

But during three weeks of a trial in which police officers are charged with doing wrong, the proceedings have rarely, if ever, been observed by colleagues in uniform.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While frequently used, prefer the grammatically correct phrase "for three weeks" when describing a duration. Although "during three weeks" is often encountered in various sources, adhering to standard English grammar enhances clarity and credibility.

Common error

Avoid using "during" to specify a length of time; "during" indicates when something happens, not how long it lasts. For specifying duration, use "for". For example, instead of saying "the study occurred during three weeks", say "the study occurred for three weeks".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "during three weeks" functions as a prepositional phrase, modifying a verb or noun to indicate the timeframe within which an action or event takes place. While commonly found, Ludwig AI points out it's grammatically incorrect; the correct form is "for three weeks".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

59%

Science

41%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "during three weeks" is frequently used in both news and scientific contexts, indicating a period of time in which an event occurs. However, Ludwig AI flags it as grammatically incorrect, advising the use of "for three weeks" instead. While the phrase is common, especially in sources like The New York Times and The Guardian, opting for the grammatically correct alternative enhances clarity and professionalism. When writing, remember that while "during" specifies when something happens, "for" is more appropriate for indicating how long it lasts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

for three weeks

Replaces the preposition "during" with "for" to create a grammatically correct phrase.

over three weeks

Uses "over" instead of "during" to indicate a period of time.

spanning three weeks

Replaces the preposition with the verb "spanning" to emphasize the duration.

a three-week period

Rephrases the time frame as a noun phrase.

in a three-week timeframe

Similar to "a three-week period" but uses 'timeframe' instead of 'period'.

throughout three weeks

Uses 'throughout' instead of 'during' to indicate the time frame.

lasting three weeks

Uses the verb 'lasting' to indicate the duration.

for a period of three weeks

More verbose way of saying "for three weeks".

across three weeks

Using "across" to express the time frame.

in the course of three weeks

A longer and more formal way of saying "for three weeks".

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "during three weeks"?

The grammatically correct way to express the same duration is to use the phrase "for three weeks".

Can I use "during three weeks" in a formal context?

Although sometimes encountered, "during three weeks" is not grammatically correct. For formal writing, it's best to use "for three weeks" or a similar alternative.

What can I say instead of "during three weeks"?

Alternatives include "for three weeks", "over three weeks", or "spanning three weeks", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is there a difference between "during three weeks" and "for three weeks"?

Yes, while "during" indicates when something occurs, "for" specifies the length of time. Therefore, "for three weeks" is the correct phrase to use when specifying a duration.