from year to year

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'from year to year' is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to refer to repeating something every year, such as an event or tradition. For example, "The town celebrates its founding each year from year to year with a parade and fireworks."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The estimates vary from year to year.

The New York Times

From year to year we forget".

The New York Times

Taxes can change from year to year.

The New York Times

"There's variation from year to year".

The New York Times

Income varies from year to year, though.

The New York Times

Will they differ from year to year?

The New York Times - Food

Precipitation amounts fluctuate widely from year to year.

Encyclopedia Britannica

These migrations follow the same routes from year to year.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Driver moves are typical from year to year.

The New York Times - Sports

"There's no point in comparing them from year to year.

The New York Times - Sports

The scheduled referendum is postponed from year to year.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "from year to year" to emphasize a recurring pattern or change that happens annually. For instance, "The company's revenue fluctuates from year to year depending on market conditions."

Common error

Avoid using "from year to year" in sentences that already contain other indicators of annual repetition, such as "annually" or "each year", to prevent redundancy. Instead of 'The event is held annually from year to year', use 'The event is held annually'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "from year to year" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying verbs to indicate the frequency or manner in which an action or state occurs annually. It specifies that something happens repeatedly across different years or that it varies annually as confirmed by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Science

36%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Huffington Post

5%

Vice

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "from year to year" is a versatile and commonly used adverbial phrase to denote annual recurrence, change, or variation. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and applicable across various contexts, including news, science, and general writing. When using this phrase, it's important to avoid redundancy and to select it over alternatives like "annually" or "over the years" based on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

each year

Replaces "from year to year" with a simpler, more direct expression of annual occurrence.

every year

Simple substitute expressing annual frequency.

year after year

Emphasizes the continuous repetition over successive years.

annually

Single-word adverb replacing the prepositional phrase; more concise.

on a yearly basis

More formal phrasing emphasizing a structured annual assessment.

yearly

Adverbial form, more concise but less emphatic than the original phrase.

from one year to the next

Highlights the transition and potential changes between consecutive years.

with each passing year

Emphasizes the progression of time and the accompanying changes.

per annum

Formal, often used in financial or statistical contexts.

over the years

Suggests a gradual accumulation of changes or trends.

FAQs

How to use "from year to year" in a sentence?

Use "from year to year" to describe something that happens, changes, or varies annually. For example, "The rainfall amount varies "from year to year" depending on the climate."

What can I say instead of "from year to year"?

You can use alternatives like "annually", "each year", or "year after year" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "from year to year" or "year by year"?

Both "from year to year" and "year by year" are correct and convey a similar meaning. However, ""from year to year"" often emphasizes annual change or variation, while "year by year" focuses on a gradual, progressive development.

What's the difference between "from year to year" and "over the years"?

"From year to year" highlights annual fluctuations or changes, whereas "over the years" refers to a longer period and cumulative changes or trends that occur across many years.