in two-year increments

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "in two-year increments" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when describing a process or schedule that occurs every two years. For example, "The program will be evaluated in two-year increments." Alternative expressions include "every two years" and "in two-year intervals."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

But that's what the tea leaves say, so start thinking in two-year increments.

Forbes

Because the society's conference meets every other year, memberships are offered in two-year increments and include a two-year subscription to Novel.

Duke University

He could suspend the program and immediately revoke permits, which were granted in two-year increments, or unravel the executive order but still allow the permits for existing recipients to expire.

The Guardian

This year the Legislature passed two bills to end the cycle of late budgets by delaying the start of the fiscal year to May 1, putting an austere contingency budget into effect if the budget is a moment late, and requiring the state to appropriate school aid in two-year increments.

The New York Times

In early October, Fidelity launched 11 new Income Replacement Funds, which are essentially fund-of-funds with horizon dates in two-year increments from 2016 to 2036.

Forbes

Then there's Eric Swalwell, the California congressman who proposed legislation last year that would dish out loan forgiveness to public servants in two-year increments.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

Stevens, and his fellow-optimists, didn't think in four-year increments.

The New Yorker

The test results were questioned by some creativity researchers because of the extraordinarily high scores, so Dr. Land decided to make the study a longitudinal one, studying those five-year-olds in five-year increments until they reached young adulthood.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The countries will also begin a joint programme for scientific monitoring of the 2.8m sq km, and the moratorium can be extended in five-year increments dependent on the results.

The Guardian

Staff with 20 or more years of service, in five-year increments, who are unable to attend the Staff Recognition and Retirement Dinner on June 9 may pick up their service award at the reception for their school or division.

Johns Hopkins University

(Typically, target date funds are offered in five-year increments). The number of funds displayed were largest for this category in 2012, and I have maintained the list to provide comparisons between then and now.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing schedules or evaluations, use "in two-year increments" to clearly convey that the activity occurs every two years. This is particularly useful in formal reports or planning documents.

Common error

Avoid using "in two-year increments" when you mean twice a year (biannually). "In two-year increments" specifically means every other year, not twice within the same year.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "in two-year increments" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to specify the frequency or interval at which something occurs. Ludwig provides examples showing its use in describing schedules, evaluations, and data collection.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Academia

30%

Science

16%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "in two-year increments" is a grammatically sound and versatile way to describe events or processes that recur every two years. Ludwig's analysis indicates it is most commonly found in news media and academic contexts. While synonyms like "every other year" and "in two-year intervals" exist, understanding the specific meaning of "in two-year increments" is crucial to avoid confusion with terms like "biannually". By using the phrase correctly, you can ensure clarity and precision in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in two-year intervals

Replaces "increments" with "intervals", maintaining the two-year period.

in increments of two years

Reorders the words for a slightly different emphasis.

every two years

A more direct way of expressing the same time frame.

every other year

Specifies an event occurring every second year, similar in meaning but different in phrasing.

at two-year periods

Uses "periods" instead of "increments" and "at" to start.

on a biennial basis

Rephrases the concept using "biennial" to indicate every two years.

with a two-year frequency

Emphasizes the frequency of occurrence.

every 24 months

Expresses the timeframe in months instead of years.

two-yearly

Adjectival form expressing the same concept.

biannually

Refers to something happening twice a year, differing from the two-year period.

FAQs

What does "in two-year increments" mean?

The phrase "in two-year increments" means that something happens or is measured every two years. For example, a review might occur in two-year increments.

How can I use "in two-year increments" in a sentence?

You can use "in two-year increments" to describe a schedule or a series of events that occur every two years. For example: "The budget is reviewed "in two-year increments"."

What's a synonym for "in two-year increments"?

A synonym for "in two-year increments" is "every other year". Both phrases indicate the same timeframe.

Is it correct to say "biannually" instead of "in two-year increments"?

While "biannually" refers to something that occurs twice a year, it is not synonymous with "in two-year increments". Use "every other year" or "in two-year intervals" to accurately express events happening every two years.