for six years running

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "for six years running" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that something has been happening continuously for six consecutive years. Example: "The company has been recognized as the best employer in the region for six years running."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

22 human-written examples

The economy has grown strongly for six years running.

The Economist

The 'Loughborough Experience' has topped the Best Student Experience ratings in England for six years running, and thoughts are that this development will enhance it further.

Independent

The Egyptian American has worked in Qatar for six years running the solar installation company, Innovations Unlimited, which currently has 20 employees and is growing.

The Guardian

Yet although a fall in real take-home pay for six years running is especially severe, there is nothing new about a squeeze on wages.

The Guardian - Opinion

For six years running, Iraq has been declared the most dangerous place in the world for journalists by the Committee to Protect Journalists.

The New York Times

Onondaga County just cut some programs and raised its property taxes by 4percentt after reducing them for six years running, citing higher Medicaid costs and other state mandates.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

34 human-written examples

The number of nominees, in fact, has been declining two per year for three years running.

The New York Times - Books

Even the post office has been in profit for four years running.

The Economist

High-street prices have been falling for five years running, helping to push profits down.

The Economist

Otherwise, Dolan has been out of sight and off limits for five years running.

The New York Times

For three years running, the House has passed a bill to close the loophole.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "for six years running" to emphasize a recurring event or achievement over a continuous six-year period. It adds a sense of sustained effort or consistency.

Common error

Avoid using "for six years running" if the event occurred intermittently or with significant gaps within the six-year period. Ensure the action was truly continuous.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "for six years running" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to specify the duration and continuity of an action or state. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it indicates something has been happening continuously.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

96%

Formal & Business

2%

Science

1%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "for six years running" is a common and grammatically correct adverbial phrase used to emphasize the continuous occurrence of an event or situation over a six-year period. Ludwig AI confirms its acceptability. It is most frequently found in news and media contexts, indicating a neutral register. While alternatives exist, such as "six consecutive years", the original phrase remains a clear and effective way to convey sustained consistency. Be sure to use it when continuity is meant to be emphasized, as it brings a sense of longevity to any situation being described.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

six consecutive years

Replaces the word "running" with "consecutive", emphasizing the sequential nature of the years.

for six straight years

Substitutes "running" with "straight", offering a more informal and direct tone.

for six years in a row

Emphasizes the uninterrupted sequence using the idiom "in a row".

for the past six years continuously

Adds "continuously" to explicitly state the uninterrupted nature of the period.

in six successive years

Replaces "running" with "successive", providing a more formal alternative.

over six years consecutively

Reorders the phrase while maintaining the emphasis on the consecutive nature of the years.

spanning six years consecutively

Uses spanning to indicate it happened across the years

year after year for six years

Breaks down the continuity into individual years, repeated six times.

each year for six years

Similar to the previous, emphasizes the annual repetition over six years.

a six-year streak

Uses the term "streak" to highlight the continuous achievement or occurrence.

FAQs

How can I use "for six years running" in a sentence?

Use "for six years running" to indicate that something has happened continuously for six consecutive years. For example, "The company has been recognized as the best employer in the region "for six years running"."

What can I say instead of "for six years running"?

You can use alternatives like "six consecutive years", "for six straight years", or "for six years in a row" depending on the context.

Is "for six years running" formal or informal?

The phrase "for six years running" is generally considered neutral in formality and can be used in both professional and informal contexts, although more formal alternatives like "six successive years" exist for academic and business sources.

What's the difference between "for six years running" and "in the last six years"?

"For six years running" implies a continuous sequence of events without interruption. "In the last six years" simply means that something has occurred at least once during that six-year span, without necessarily implying continuity.