every two hours

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "every two hours" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to indicate how often something occurs in a given period of time. For example, "I need to take my medication every two hours."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"I was getting hungry every two hours.

The New York Times

Apply more every two hours.

The New York Times

"That's easily every two hours".

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Walk for five minutes every two hours.

Harvard University

Course enrollments are processed every two hours.

Yale University

Every two hours, he does it again.

The New York Times

Other services run every two hours.

The Guardian - Opinion

I was stooling almost every two hours.

The Guardian

That soon became four every two hours.

The Guardian - Sport

Retrievals from Lamont Level D are scheduled every two hours.

Harvard University

And every two hours from then you eat something.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing routines or schedules, use "every two hours" to clearly communicate frequency, ensuring the reader understands the timing of repeated events or actions.

Common error

Avoid confusing "every two hours" with "for two hours". The former indicates frequency, while the latter denotes a continuous period of time. For example, "apply sunscreen every two hours" differs significantly from "apply sunscreen for two hours."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "every two hours" functions as an adverbial of frequency, modifying a verb to indicate how often an action occurs. Ludwig confirms its correct and usable status in English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Science

38%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Academia

9%

Encyclopedias

1%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the adverbial phrase "every two hours" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to denote actions or events occurring at consistent two-hour intervals. Ludwig's analysis confirms its widespread usability. It finds application across diverse contexts, most notably in News & Media and Science, indicating that it is helpful to specify timing information in a variety of settings. When using this phrase, it's important to differentiate it from duration-based expressions like "for two hours" to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives such as "bi-hourly" or "at two-hour intervals" can provide variety while maintaining clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

bi-hourly

Replaces the explicit "every two hours" with a single word denoting the same frequency.

every other hour

Emphasizes the alternating nature of the interval.

every 120 minutes

Expresses the same duration in minutes for greater precision.

at two-hour intervals

Shifts the focus to the intervals themselves, rather than the action occurring.

at intervals of two hours

Similar to "at two-hour intervals" but uses a slightly different structure.

once every couple of hours

Uses a more casual and approximate expression of frequency.

with a two-hour frequency

Highlights frequency using a different phrasing.

each two-hour period

Highlights the duration of the interval rather than its repetition.

on a two-hour schedule

Indicates a structured plan based on two-hour increments.

two hours apart

Focuses on the separation between events.

FAQs

How can I use "every two hours" in a sentence?

You can use "every two hours" to describe how frequently an action should be repeated. For example, "Reapply sunscreen "every two hours" when exposed to the sun".

What are some alternatives to saying "every two hours"?

Alternatives include "bi-hourly", "every other hour", or at "two-hour intervals", depending on the specific context and desired level of formality.

Is it more appropriate to say "every 2 hours" or "every two hours"?

Both "every 2 hours" and "every two hours" are grammatically correct. Using numerals (2) is common in technical or schedule-like contexts, while writing out "two" is more typical in general writing.

What is the difference between "every two hours" and "for two hours"?

"Every two hours" indicates the frequency of an action, meaning it's repeated at two-hour intervals. "For two hours" indicates the duration of an action, meaning it lasts continuously for a period of two hours.