five minutes long

USAGE SUMMARY

It is grammatically correct and usable in written English.
It describes the duration or length of time something lasts for. Example: "The presentation was five minutes long, but it felt like an eternity."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Arts

Music

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

44 human-written examples

It was only about five minutes long.

The Guardian

Our first meeting was maybe five minutes long".

The New York Times

And it's only an hour and five minutes long.

The New York Times

Stanley's "show" was indeed tiny, at just over five minutes long.

The Washington Post

It allows users to make "boos" – digital recordings – up to five minutes long.

The Guardian

"For Marianne," though only five minutes long, was the clear highlight of the evening.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

16 human-written examples

Forty five minutes long.

The Washington Post

It's twenty-five minutes long, but here's a brief clip.

The New Yorker

Each class runs thirty-five to forty-five minutes long, once a week.

Yale University

The album has eight songs, in two general sizes: five between seven and nine minutes long, and three between four and five minutes long.

The New York Times - Arts

Nine shots, each about ten minutes long.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the length of time, ensure the context is clear. For instance, specify what is "five minutes long": "The presentation was "five minutes long".

Common error

Avoid hyphenating "five minutes long" when it follows the noun it modifies. It is correct to say "The meeting was five minutes long", but when used as a compound adjective before a noun, hyphenate it: "a five-minute meeting".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "five minutes long" functions primarily as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun to describe its duration. As Ludwig AI highlights, it accurately describes the length or duration of something. Examples from Ludwig include describing the length of a song, a meeting, or a presentation.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

63%

Arts

12%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Music

6%

Wiki

4%

Science

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "five minutes long" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe the duration of something. As Ludwig AI confirms, it functions as an adjectival phrase and accurately conveys temporal extent. It's used neutrally across various contexts, from news and media to arts and academia. When writing, remember to hyphenate "five-minute" when it precedes the noun as a compound adjective (e.g., "a five-minute break"). Alternatives include phrases like "lasting five minutes" or "a five-minute duration". By considering these nuances, you can effectively communicate the length of time in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lasting five minutes

Focuses on the duration as a continuous action.

a five-minute duration

Emphasizes the length of time as a defined period.

with a five-minute length

Highlights the physical measure of time.

of five minutes in length

Reorders the phrase, placing emphasis on the length.

spanning five minutes

Implies a duration that covers or includes the five minutes.

a period of five minutes

Uses a more formal tone to describe the duration.

five minutes in duration

Similar to 'a five-minute duration' but with reordered phrasing.

taking five minutes

Focuses on the time required for an activity.

for a five-minute period

Highlights that duration is applicable to a specific period of time.

a quick five minutes

Highlights that duration is unusually quick, not common usage of phrase.

FAQs

How do I use "five minutes long" in a sentence?

You can use "five minutes long" to describe the duration of something. For example, "The song is "five minutes long"" or "The interview was "five minutes long"".

What are some alternatives to "five minutes long"?

Some alternatives include "lasting five minutes", "a five-minute duration", or "of five minutes in length", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "five-minute long"?

While "five minutes long" is generally used after the noun, "five-minute" (with a hyphen) is used before the noun as a compound adjective. For instance, "a five-minute break".

What's the difference between "five minutes long" and "five-minute duration"?

"Five minutes long" is a descriptive phrase often used after a noun or verb, while "five-minute duration" is a noun phrase. You might say, "The speech was "five minutes long"," or "The speech had a five-minute duration."