every other element

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "every other element" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to alternating elements in a sequence or list, indicating that you are considering every second item. Example: "In the series of numbers, we will only analyze every other element to simplify our calculations."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

50 human-written examples

Every other element of her luminous singing was most impressive.

The New York Times - Arts

The planned office buildings are deeply entwined with every other element on the 16-acre site.

The New York Times

But every other element in this elusive book is subject to shifting from moment to moment.

The New York Times - Books

It created the challenge of making sure that every other element of the song was up to snuff.

The Guardian - Music

Trujillo also dominated the church hierarchy, educational system, entertainment industry, and virtually every other element of Dominican society.

Britannica

The narration in Auster's novels typically dominates every other element in a ferocious and doomed assertion that the world the book describes is not ruled by happenstance.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

10 human-written examples

Each subset (resp., ) is picked with probability proportional to the sum of the weights of its elements, and each element can appear in (resp., ) subsets (because these are the ways of putting every other elements in the remaining positions).

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

"The thoughts of our ancestors are embedded in every rock and other element in which humans have contact," said Izquierdo, who holds to Arhuaco belief that we exist in a conscious universe where all material things have life and awareness.

BBC

Carbon is extremely overabundant relative to every other measured element.

Nature

Coachella is one place where all facets of dance culture sit side-by-side with every other major element of popular music, and held in comparison, dance is more forward-facing than the rest.

Vice

Boulez adopted Arnold Schoenberg's atonal, 12-tone serial system in composing, but took it much further, devising with other composers systems to also regulate rhythms, accents, the duration of notes and nearly every other musical element.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a pattern or process, use "every other element" to clearly indicate an alternating selection. For example, "To simplify the analysis, consider only "every other element" in the data series."

Common error

Avoid assuming "every other element" applies globally without specifying the relevant set. Clarify the context by stating explicitly what elements you are referring to. For example, specify "every other element in the list" to avoid ambiguity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "every other element" functions as a determiner phrase specifying a non-contiguous selection within a set. Ludwig AI provides examples in diverse contexts like music, software, society or science, confirming its broad applicability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Science

31%

Academia

7%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "every other element" is a versatile and commonly used expression to indicate an alternating selection within a series or set. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, its grammatical function is that of a determiner phrase and is employed to show a pattern of selection across various registers, maintaining a neutral tone suitable for both formal and informal contexts. While alternatives like "every second element" or "alternating element" exist, "every other element" remains the most prevalent choice. Remember to explicitly state which set you are referring to and avoid any ambiguity. This term appears frequently in sources such as the The New York Times, Forbes and BBC.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

every second element

Replaces 'other' with 'second' to specify the position in sequence.

every alternate element

Adds 'alternate' for emphasis, slightly redundant.

alternating element

Highlights the alternating quality using a participial adjective.

alternate element

Focuses on the alternating nature, shortening the phrase.

each alternating element

Uses 'each' to stress individual elements.

skip-every-one element

Describes the pattern more explicitly.

every successive other element

Adds the idea of succession.

elements at intervals of two

Expresses the pattern in terms of intervals.

all remaining elements

Focuses on the collection of the other elements.

each and every other element

Emphasizes inclusivity with 'each and every'.

FAQs

How can I use "every other element" in a sentence?

You can use "every other element" to refer to items in a series or list that are selected in an alternating pattern. For example: "We analyzed "every other element" to find the trend".

What is an alternative to "every other element"?

Alternatives include "every second element", "alternating element", or "skip-every-one element" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to use "every second element" or "every other element"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct and largely interchangeable. "Every other element" is slightly more common and versatile, while "every second element" is more precise when referring to a specific sequence.

Can "every other element" apply to abstract concepts?

Yes, "every other element" can apply to abstract concepts, not just physical items. For instance, you might say, "The policy addresses "every other element" of the problem, leaving some aspects untouched".