every third month

USAGE SUMMARY

"every third month" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It means that something happens or is done every three months. Example: Our team holds a meeting every third month to review our progress and plan for the upcoming quarter.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

51 human-written examples

Every third month I book myself in at The — — — Hotel in — — ton for three days.

The New York Times - Books

The firm has averaged a deal every third month since 1999 and its appetite is growing.

The Economist

Every third month, there is an extra round of tests for lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium.

The New York Times

When agreement was reached, Mr. Ballmer told Mr. Bach and J Allard, the leader of the Xbox development team: "I won't be second-guessing you every third month.

The New York Times

Beatrice sees her reflection only when her hair is cut — the second day of every third month — because she has been born into Abnegation, one of five factions that make up the population.

The New York Times - Books

Furthermore, nucleus herds are tested every third month for classical swine fever.

Preventive Veterinary Medicine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

8 human-written examples

The two latter options "every second month" and "every month" were collapsed (3), which yielded three alternatives in the analyses in this study.

BMC Public Health

EVERY fourth January, when it holds the first presidential primary, New Hampshire becomes the centre of American politics.

The Economist

In my second test, I rebalanced once a year in January; in the third I rebalanced every third January.

Forbes

At a lower level, minor priesthoods were held on a rotating basis by "laymen" who served every fourth month in temples.

Encyclopedia Britannica

It was difficult, of course, her colleague had said, but every second month she left the kids with her mother and flew out for a week.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

For increased clarity, especially in technical contexts, specify the starting month or the specific dates when events occur within the "every third month" cycle.

Common error

Avoid assuming that "every third month" automatically aligns with calendar quarters (Jan-Mar, Apr-Jun, Jul-Sep, Oct-Dec). The starting month determines the actual three-month cycle.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "every third month" functions as an adverbial phrase of frequency, specifying how often an action or event occurs. It modifies a verb or clause to indicate a recurring interval of three months. Ludwig's examples showcase this usage across varied contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

2%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "every third month" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase that specifies an event's occurrence every three months. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and suitable for diverse writing contexts. Its prevalence in scientific literature and news articles demonstrates its versatility and clarity. To ensure accurate communication, remember that the starting month determines the cycle, and consider using concise alternatives like "quarterly" where appropriate. Common errors involve misaligning with calendar quarters, so be precise in your scheduling and descriptions. With a high expert rating, "every third month" stands as a reliable choice for expressing frequency.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

every three months

Rephrases using the numerical value directly.

once every trimester

Replaces "month" with "trimester", providing a more formal synonym for a three-month period.

once per quarter

Another way to express frequency aligned with quarterly periods.

quarterly

Uses a single word to denote an event happening every three months.

at three-month intervals

Emphasizes the spaced repetition of the event.

three times a year

Focuses on the annual frequency of an event that occurs every third month.

on a tri-monthly basis

Uses the prefix "tri-" to explicitly indicate three months.

every 90 days

Provides a more precise duration using the number of days.

at the end of each quarter

Relates the timing to the end of a financial or calendar quarter.

thrice yearly

Uses less common adverb "thrice" to express frequency per year.

FAQs

How can I use "every third month" in a sentence?

You can use "every third month" to describe events that occur every three months. For example, "We conduct performance reviews "every third month" to track employee progress."

What is a more concise alternative to "every third month"?

A more concise alternative is "quarterly". For example, instead of saying "The report is due "every third month"", you can say "The report is due quarterly".

Is it more appropriate to use "every three months" or "every third month"?

Both "every three months" and ""every third month"" are grammatically correct and generally interchangeable. The choice often depends on stylistic preference.

What's the difference between "every second month" and "every third month"?

"Every second month" means every two months, while ""every third month"" means every three months. The difference lies in the frequency of the event.