five successive years

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "five successive years" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a period of five consecutive years without interruption. Example: "The company has seen growth for five successive years, indicating a strong market presence."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

Beard led Washington in scoring for five successive years and played in four All-Star Games.

The New York Times - Sports

For five successive years it is the Arab world's bestselling novel.

The Guardian

Repeated surveys in five successive years provided evidence that D. geminata could be nearing a biogeographic equilibrium in the region.

Science of The Total Environment

For five successive years in the 1950s, he was voted Britain's top guitarist by readers of Melody Maker.

The Guardian

The one award he did want, after being shortlisted for five successive years, was the Nobel – he won in 1973.

The Guardian - Books

Under the leadership of headmaster Richard Cairns, the school has made a staggering climb up our league table for five successive years.

The Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

Tristan's sire Hermit won the Epsom Derby in 1867 and became an outstandingly successful stallion, being Champion Sire for seven successive years.

Wikipedia

The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium has had some success in breeding M. alfredi, with one female giving birth in three successive years.

Wikipedia

They did this for three successive years.

The New York Times

A similar experimental design was applied for two successive years.

Veterinary Parasitology

A record has been set in three successive years.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "five successive years" to clearly indicate a period of five consecutive years without any interruptions, especially when describing trends, achievements, or recurring events.

Common error

Avoid using "five successive years" when referring to a period that is not strictly consecutive. If the years are non-consecutive, it's better to specify the years or use a phrase like "over a period of five years".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "five successive years" functions as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun, indicating a period of five consecutive years. Ludwig AI confirms the grammatical correctness and usability of the phrase.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

20%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "five successive years" is a grammatically sound and frequently used way to describe a continuous period of five years, as affirmed by Ludwig AI. Predominantly found in news, scientific, and academic sources, it serves to specify durations and emphasize the continuous nature of the timeframe. For variety, alternatives such as "five consecutive years" or "five straight years" can be used. When using this phrase, ensure the years are indeed consecutive to avoid misinterpretation. The phrase is versatile and appropriate for both formal and neutral contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

five consecutive years

Uses the synonym "consecutive" for "successive", maintaining the same meaning.

five years consecutively

Reorders the words slightly, maintaining the original meaning.

five straight years

Replaces "successive" with "straight", offering a more informal alternative.

five years in a row

Emphasizes the sequential nature using a common idiomatic expression.

during five sequential years

Replaces "successive" with "sequential" and adds a more formal tone.

a five-year streak

Uses "streak" to highlight the continuous sequence over the five-year period.

for five years running

Adds a sense of ongoing continuation to the five-year period.

in five subsequent years

Uses "subsequent" to indicate the following years.

five years on end

Emphasizes the continuous nature of the five-year duration.

over a five-year span

Shifts focus to the duration, emphasizing the period length.

FAQs

What does "five successive years" mean?

The phrase "five successive years" means a period of five consecutive years, one following directly after the other without interruption.

How can I use "five successive years" in a sentence?

You might say, "The company has increased its profits for "five successive years", indicating strong growth".

What are some alternatives to "five successive years"?

Alternatives include "five consecutive years", "five straight years", or "five years in a row".

Is there a difference between "five successive years" and "five years in a row"?

While both phrases convey the idea of a five-year sequence, "five successive years" is slightly more formal, whereas "five years in a row" is more idiomatic and commonly used in everyday language.