for a week and a half

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "for a week and a half" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a period of time that lasts for seven days and twelve hours. For example: "I've been working on this project for a week and a half and I'm nearly done."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

54 human-written examples

For a week and a half, strikers took revenge.

The New Yorker

So far, they have rented the house for a week and a half in September.

The New York Times

I've had high blood pressure for a week and a half".

The New York Times - Sports

He had been carrying the cat everywhere for a week and a half.

The New York Times

I haven't had a drink for a week and a half".

The Guardian

Opportunity probably will not start its drive for a week and a half to two weeks.

The New York Times

When one couple did not show up for a week and a half, Mr. Goetze called them at home.

The New York Times

I called the local Planned Parenthood and made an appointment for an abortion for a week and a half later.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

I was in London for a week-and-a-half right before I designed it, and I spent a lot of time at the Victoria & Albert Museum in the section on Japanese warriors.

The New York Times

The Evergreen Park strike ccame on the heels of the Chicago and Lake Forest teacher strikes, which endured for a week-and-a-half and seven days, respectively.

Huffington Post

"How could the ABC give airtime to this man?" ask the newspapers that have feverishly kept this story alive for a week-and-a-half.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "for a week and a half", ensure the context clearly indicates the starting point. For instance, specify "for a week and a half after the event" rather than just "for a week and a half" to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid confusing "for a week and a half" with durations that are significantly longer or shorter. A week and a half specifically means ten and a half days. If precision is needed, state the duration in days to prevent misunderstanding.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "for a week and a half" primarily functions as an adverbial phrase of duration, modifying a verb to indicate how long an action or state lasts. Ludwig shows examples like "lay exposed for three days" which is a similar usage of time period indicator as an adverbial phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

95%

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

1%

Less common in

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "for a week and a half" is a grammatically correct and very common phrase used to indicate a duration of ten and a half days. According to Ludwig, it primarily functions as an adverbial phrase of duration, providing temporal context and duration to an action or state. Predominantly found in news and media sources, this phrase maintains a neutral register suitable for various communication contexts. When using this phrase, ensure clarity regarding the starting point of the duration to avoid ambiguity. Common alternatives include "for ten days" or "nearly two weeks", which can be used depending on the desired level of precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Around a week and a half

This version introduces a sense of approximation and informality.

For a little over a week

This emphasizes that the duration is slightly longer than a full week.

Over one and a half weeks

This alternative emphasizes the 'more than a week' aspect, adding a degree of extension or continuation to the duration.

Nearly two weeks

This simplifies the timeframe by relating it to the upcoming full week.

Almost two weeks

Similar to 'nearly two weeks', this gives a perspective of approaching two weeks in time.

For ten days

This alternative offers a simpler, more direct way to specify the approximate duration, rounding the time period to the nearest whole day.

About 1.5 weeks

This is a more concise, numerical way to express the duration, common in technical or data-driven contexts.

Spanning roughly 10 days

"Spanning" adds a sense of extension or coverage over the specified period.

In approximately 10 days

Using "approximately" makes the duration less precise, suitable when an exact duration is not known or crucial.

Lasting ten days or so

The "or so" softens the precision, indicating the duration could be a bit more or less.

FAQs

How can I use "for a week and a half" in a sentence?

You can use "for a week and a half" to describe a period of ten and a half days. For example, "The project will take "for a week and a half" to complete."

What's another way to say "for a week and a half"?

Alternatives to "for a week and a half" include "for ten days" or "nearly two weeks", depending on the level of precision required.

Is it correct to say "a week and half"?

No, the correct phrasing is "a week and a half". Omitting the "a" before "half" is grammatically incorrect.

What is the difference between "for a week and a half" and "in a week and a half"?

"For a week and a half" describes a duration, while "in a week and a half" indicates a point in the future. For example, "I studied "for a week and a half"" versus "I will travel "in a week and a half"".