it lasted 2 hours

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it lasted 2 hours" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe the duration of an event or activity that took place over a period of two hours. Example: "The meeting was quite extensive; it lasted 2 hours, which was longer than we had anticipated."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Mark Pesce, who teaches interactive media at USC, music producer Paul Godwin and Tony Parisi put up $8,000 and eight months of preparation to stage "DJChrist Superstar" here with a cast of 37. It lasted 2 hours, survived a howling sandstorm and was one of the most talked-about events of the week.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Its battery life is its most impressive performance point, and in our test it lasted 3 07 hours.

TechCrunch

It lasted 10 hours.

The New York Times

It lasted 13 hours.

The Guardian

Or that it lasted 4 hours 37 minutes.

The New York Times - Sports

It lasted 3 hours 48 minutes, long even for baseball, but not for these two teams.

The New York Times - Sports

For 24 Hour Psycho, he slowed down Alfred Hitchcock's classic film so that it lasted 24 hours.

The Guardian - Arts

It lasted 24 hours, with no shower and no reapplication, before any sort of unappealing scent appeared.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

It lasted 11 hours and sprawled over three days, overshadowed the sport's most famous tournament and catapulted this giant of a tennis player toward international acclaim.

The New York Times - Sports

When they met for a dinner date, it lasted 20 hours and ended with horrifying accusations of imprisonment, sodomy and torture, though there was little medical evidence to support them.

The New York Times

It lasted 4 hours 32 minutes.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When precision is key, combine the phrase with specific start and end times for more accurate communication (e.g., "The presentation started at 10 AM and it lasted 2 hours, concluding at noon.")

Common error

Avoid using "it lasted 2 hours" without clearly defining what "it" refers to, as this can cause confusion. Always ensure the subject is evident in the preceding context, or rephrase for clarity. For instance, instead of saying "We had a meeting. It lasted 2 hours", write "The meeting lasted 2 hours".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it lasted 2 hours" functions as a declarative statement expressing the duration of an event or activity. Ludwig indicates it is grammatically correct and commonly used to describe time spans.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "it lasted 2 hours" is a grammatically sound and straightforward way to describe the duration of an event or activity. As per Ludwig, its usage is deemed correct and suitable for conveying how long something took. While examples are limited, indicating it is relatively rare, the phrase predominantly appears in News & Media contexts. To ensure clarity, especially in writing, always make sure that the reference of "it" is clearly established in the sentence or surrounding context. Alternatives such as "it had a duration of 2 hours" or "it went on for 2 hours" may be considered to modulate formality or emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it had a duration of 2 hours

Replaces the verb "lasted" with "had a duration", making it slightly more formal.

it spanned 2 hours

Uses "spanned" to indicate the time period covered, which sounds more descriptive.

the duration was 2 hours

Focuses on the "duration" as the subject, slightly shifting the emphasis.

it went on for 2 hours

Uses the phrasal verb "went on" which is slightly more informal.

it extended for 2 hours

Uses "extended" to emphasize the length of the time period.

it occupied 2 hours

Focuses on the time being occupied by the event.

the event was 2 hours long

Rephrases to focus on the event's length rather than its duration.

it took 2 hours

Uses "took" to indicate the time required or consumed by the event.

the time frame was 2 hours

Focuses on the specific time frame allocated.

it ran for 2 hours

Uses "ran" to describe the continuous period of the event.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "it lasted 2 hours" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, you could say "it had a duration of 2 hours" or "the duration was 2 hours". These options replace the verb "lasted" with more formal alternatives and shift the emphasis slightly.

What's a more casual way to say "it lasted 2 hours"?

A more casual way to express this is to say "it went on for 2 hours" or "it took 2 hours". These options use phrasal verbs which are common in informal speech.

Is it grammatically correct to say "it lasted for 2 hours"?

Yes, "it lasted for 2 hours" is grammatically correct, though the "for" is often omitted without changing the meaning. Saying "it lasted 2 hours" is equally correct and slightly more concise.

When should I use "it lasted 2 hours" versus "the event lasted 2 hours"?

Use "it lasted 2 hours" when the subject is already clear from the context. If the subject is not immediately obvious, it's better to use "the event lasted 2 hours" for clarity.