jump forward in time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "jump forward in time" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a situation in which a lot of time passes quickly—so quickly that it can feel like a jump or a sudden leap forward in time. For example, you can say: "After working in my job for 10 years, it felt like one day I woke up and suddenly had jumped forward in time to a completely different stage in my career."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

But I'd like to see a jump forward in time, 90 years, to now.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Theory shows that they are intimately related to ion transport mode: during the ON pulse, ion transport is mainly governed by migration and trajectories jump forward in time; during the OFF pulse, migration ceases, ion transport is governed solely by diffusion and trajectories recede due to buffer attenuation.

Electrochimica Acta

So I'm not coming back, which is a drag". The last film ended with the pair set to unite the survivors of Armageddon in a bid to destroy Skynet and ensure the survival of mankind, so it will be interesting to see how the screenwriters manage to handle the jump forward in time.

The Guardian - Film

The South Pacific island nation of Samoa is to jump forward in time by one day in order to boost its economy.

BBC

The official police version of the story then has a big jump forward in time: "Details are limited, but while Bordeaux was engaged with the suspect, the suspect sustained injuries that later led to his death at a local hospital".

Vice

But every time I think of a jump forward in time, I think about what I am going to miss, and I don't want to let go of anything -- these people or their histories or their experiences.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Part two of "Zama" takes place four years later, in 1794, and prolepsis — the narrative technique of jumping forward in time — has seldom been used to crueller effect.

The New Yorker

In a twist, the new series jumps forward in time to 2013, when many things have changed in Wisteria Lane – new men, grown-up children, careers... even Gabrielle's waistline.

Independent

Someone who looked only at the beginning and end of the experiment would see only a pulse of light that somehow jumped forward in time by moving faster than normal light speed.

The New York Times - Science

Jumping forward in time, we take note of the web-based Wolfram|Alpha (or WolframAlpha) answer engine, developed by Wolfram Research and consisting of 15 million lines of Mathematica code grounded in curated data bases, models, and algorithms for thousands of different domains.

SEP

I keep thinking about the match cut in 2001, where the monkey tosses the bone into the air and the film jumps forward in time millions of years.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "jump forward in time" to describe a narrative technique in storytelling or a situation where there is a sudden shift to a later period.

Common error

Avoid using "jump forward in time" for minor chronological advancements. This phrase implies a significant leap, not a subtle progression. Opt for alternatives like "move ahead" or "progress" for smaller time intervals.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "jump forward in time" functions as a verb phrase indicating a shift in temporal context. It is often used in narratives to describe how the storyline advances, as seen in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "jump forward in time" is a grammatically sound phrase, as confirmed by Ludwig, used to describe a notable shift to a later point in time, frequently within narratives. While not exceptionally common, it's versatile enough for neutral contexts, spanning from news reports to general discussions. Consider related phrases like "advance in time" or "leap ahead in time" for nuanced expression. Avoid using it for minor chronological progressions to maintain clarity. When you need to indicate that some time has passed without necessarily going deep on the specific events from this period, you can confidently use the expression "jump forward in time".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

advance in time

Focuses on movement ahead on the timeline.

progress in time

Emphasizes the ongoing movement through time.

move ahead in time

Highlights the action of proceeding to a later point.

fast forward in time

Implies speeding up the passage of time.

leap ahead in time

Suggests a significant and rapid temporal shift.

skip ahead in time

Indicates omitting a portion of the timeline.

accelerate through time

Emphasizes the increasing speed of temporal progression.

shift forward in time

Highlights a definite movement towards the future

make a time leap

Indicates traveling through time quickly and abruptly

elapse in time

Emphasizes time passing or slipping away.

FAQs

How can I use "jump forward in time" in a sentence?

You can use "jump forward in time" to indicate a significant shift in the narrative's timeline. For example, "The movie decided to "jump forward in time" ten years to show the consequences of their actions".

What are some alternatives to "jump forward in time"?

Alternatives include "advance in time", "fast forward in time", or "leap ahead in time", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it appropriate to use "jump forward in time" in formal writing?

While "jump forward in time" is generally acceptable, consider the tone of your writing. In highly formal contexts, you might prefer more sophisticated alternatives like "progress in time" or "move ahead in time".

What's the difference between "jump forward in time" and "flash forward"?

"Flash forward" typically implies a brief glimpse into the future, whereas "jump forward in time" suggests a more substantial and permanent shift in the narrative timeline.