for a year and a half

USAGE SUMMARY

"for a year and a half" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it in a variety of contexts to express that something has been occurring over the course of eighteen months. For example: "I have been living in this city for a year and a half now."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

54 human-written examples

I didn't come back for a year and a half.

The New York Times

"You hope for a year and a half.

The New York Times

We had been together for a year and a half".

The New Yorker

Hugo has been dead for a year and a half.

The New Yorker

I ended up sidelined for a year and a half".

The New York Times - Tech

We haven't worked for a year and a half.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

6 human-written examples

We battled for a year-and- a-half.

The Washington Post

"I've been fit for a year-and-a-half now.

BBC

I saw her for about a year and a half.

Huffington Post

Arpaio continued for nearly a year and a half.

The Guardian

A year and a half ago, it sold for $17,870,000.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "for a year and a half", ensure the context clearly indicates what action or state persisted during that time. This clarifies the sentence and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "for a year and a half" with simple tenses when continuous action is implied. Use continuous tenses instead, such as "I have been working there for a year and a half" instead of "I worked there for a year and a half" if you still work there.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "for a year and a half" primarily functions as an adverbial phrase of duration, modifying verbs or clauses to specify how long an action or state lasted. Ludwig confirms this usage through numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Academia

25%

Science

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "for a year and a half" is a common and grammatically correct adverbial phrase indicating a duration of eighteen months. According to Ludwig AI, its primary function is to specify the timeframe of an action or state, and it is used across various contexts, including news, academic writing, and everyday conversation. While alternatives like "over eighteen months" exist, the original phrase remains a straightforward and widely understood way to express this length of time. It's important to ensure correct tense usage when using this phrase, as highlighted in the writing guidance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

over eighteen months

Rephrases the duration using the equivalent number of months instead of years and a half.

during a year and a half

Changes the preposition to emphasize the period within which something occurs.

spanning a year and a half

Highlights the period as an interval that something covers.

throughout a year and a half

Suggests the action or state is consistent or repeated during the entire duration.

for approximately eighteen months

Adds a qualifier to indicate an estimation of the time period.

in the course of a year and a half

Similar to 'during' but slightly more formal, indicating events happening within that timeframe.

a year and a half period

Focuses on the duration as a specific time frame.

for a period of eighteen months

More formal restatement of the time duration.

over the space of a year and a half

Emphasizes the elapsed time during which events occur.

lasting a year and a half

Highlights the duration as an attribute of something.

FAQs

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

You can use "for a year and a half" to indicate the duration of an action or state. For example, "I lived in Paris "for a year and a half"" or "She studied diligently "for a year and a half" before the exam".

What are some alternatives to saying "for a year and a half"?

Alternatives include "over eighteen months", "during a year and a half", or "spanning a year and a half". The choice depends on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "for a year and a half year"?

No, "for a year and a half year" is redundant. The correct phrase is "for a year and a half". The term "year" is already implied in "a year and a half".

What's the difference between "during a year and a half" and "for a year and a half"?

"For a year and a half" specifies the duration of an action or state, while "during a year and a half" emphasizes that something happened within that timeframe. For example, "I worked on the project "for a year and a half"" indicates the length of my involvement, whereas "Several milestones were achieved "during a year and a half"" highlights when the milestones occurred.