in the course of a week

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "in the course of a week" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to events or actions that occur during a week. Example: "We expect to see significant progress in the course of a week as the team implements the new strategy."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

47 human-written examples

He also finds ways to have her strip-searched twice in the course of a week.

The New York Times - Books

In the course of a week, nine global businesses were badly disrupted.

The Guardian

They collect enough tickets in the course of a week to paper over two windshields.

The New York Times

You can go into your local regenerating station and, in the course of a week, pump up 300 kilowatts.

The New York Times

But in the course of a week, I couldn't find anyone who would say they like him.

The Washington Post

In the course of a week, I placed bids on about 20 works that struck me as particularly inspired.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

13 human-written examples

We use two kernels to describe two types of periodicity in our data, over the course of a week as well as over the course of a day.

EPJ Data Science

Fourth, the supply of renewables varies dramatically in the course of a day or week.

Forbes

More on that in the course of the week.

The Economist

The audience ebbed in the course of the week.

The New Yorker

"They'll be presented in the course of this week".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "in the course of a week", ensure the context clearly indicates that the events or actions described are contained within a single, continuous week. This helps avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "in the course of a week" when referring to actions that happen intermittently over several weeks. Instead, use a phrase like "over several weeks" or "periodically throughout the weeks".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "in the course of a week" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause by specifying the time frame within which an action occurs. It indicates the duration of an event or process, as seen in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Science

16%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "in the course of a week" is a common and grammatically correct adverbial phrase used to specify a time frame of seven days. As validated by Ludwig, it functions to provide temporal context across various registers, but is most frequently found in news and media. To ensure clarity, be precise about the actions that happen within this time frame, avoiding ambiguity about its start and end. Consider alternatives like "within a week" or "over a seven-day period" based on the desired level of formality and emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

within a week

Focuses on the completion of something before the week ends.

during the week

Highlights that something happens at some point between Monday and Sunday.

over the week

Emphasizes that something develops or occurs throughout the whole week.

throughout the week

Stresses the continuous nature of something occurring from Monday to Sunday.

in a week's time

Indicates a future event happening one week from now.

inside one week

Focuses on confinement of event duration within one week.

over a seven-day period

More formal and precise way of saying something happens in a week.

during a seven-day span

Highlights a specific duration of seven days.

in seven days

Direct and concise way to express something happening over seven days.

a week from now

Highlights an event in the future, specifically one week from the present.

FAQs

How can I use "in the course of a week" in a sentence?

Use "in the course of a week" to describe events or actions that happen within a seven-day period. For example: "The project advanced significantly "in the course of a week"."

What's a more formal alternative to "in the course of a week"?

A more formal alternative is "over a seven-day period". This phrase is suitable for academic or business contexts.

Is there a difference between "during the week" and "in the course of a week"?

"During the week" generally refers to activities that occur on weekdays (Monday to Friday), while "in the course of a week" encompasses the entire seven-day period.

What can I say instead of "in the course of a week"?

You can use alternatives like "within a week", "during the week", or "over the week" depending on the context.