looping back and forth

USAGE SUMMARY

"looping back and forth" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use this phrase to describe a certain pattern that someone or something is moving in, such as when a bird circles an area repeatedly before eventually flying away. For example, "The hawk wheeled in the sky, looping back and forth as if searching for something."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Books

Travel

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

The non-linear narrative mirrors the movement of memory, looping back and forth through time, swerving over sore points and later returning to prod the painful moments.

The Guardian - Books

Eventually the plot strands twist together and the movie goes completely berserk, looping back and forth through time and space in a flailing attempt at nonlinear poetic frisson.

The New York Times

Writing prose was usually a matter of looping back and forth between screen or paper and mind: writing something down, reading it over, thinking again, writing again.

The New Yorker

We pedaled up one finger of the Taiya Inlet and down another, looping back and forth several times until we reached Dyea.

The New York Times - Travel

The whole is composed according to the Pulp Fiction principle of interlocking lives, all the while looping back and forth in time.

The Guardian

Benjy's hearing, smelling or seeing something in one setting sends him elsewhere, or looping back and forth between two times in the same place, a sensory-driven shuttling that occurs from paragraph to paragraph, sometimes even midsentence.

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

Its most intriguing incarnation is the layered yuba pouch ($12), a ribbon looped back and forth, then compressed into a kind of mille-feuille.

The New York Times - Food

In recounting these developments, Philip's narrative loops back and forth in time, back and forth between events recounted in A. N. Dyer's novels and their real-life antecedents.

The New York Times - Books

The men's race layout, which differed most significantly from the women's in that it was over double its length, saw the riders make seven loops back-and-forth between the Badaling and Juyong Passes.

Wikipedia

So she makes a loop, back and forth between 105th Street and 106th.

The New York Times

The entertainingly footnoted volume loops back and forth in time to chronicle the author's coming of age with becoming earnestness and humor and serves up some charmingly antic set pieces including what must surely stand as the darkest and funniest account of dental surgery ever written.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "looping back and forth" to describe non-linear narratives or processes that revisit earlier points or stages.

Common error

Avoid using "looping back and forth" when describing strictly linear processes or narratives, as it implies a cyclical or repetitive pattern that doesn't exist in those contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "looping back and forth" functions primarily as an adverbial phrase, modifying verbs to describe the manner in which an action is performed. It adds detail about the cyclical or repetitive nature of the movement or process.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

15%

Books

10%

Less common in

Science

10%

Travel

5%

Arts

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "looping back and forth" is a versatile expression used to describe movements, processes, or narratives that involve repetition or cyclical patterns. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and its function as an adverbial phrase. It's commonly found in news and media, books, and travel writing. When writing, ensure its usage accurately reflects a non-linear or repetitive action and that it is not confused with linear progression. Alternatives such as "moving to and fro" or "shuttling back and forth" offer nuanced variations for different contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

going back and forth repeatedly

Directly states the action of moving in opposite directions multiple times.

moving to and fro

Replaces "looping" with a more general term for movement, emphasizing the back-and-forth nature.

shuttling back and forth

Suggests a regular, repeated movement between two points, like a shuttle.

alternating between

Focuses on the change from one state or position to another and back again.

reciprocating

Implies a mutual exchange or response in both directions.

oscillating

Describes a regular swing or movement from one extreme to another.

reversing direction repeatedly

Emphasizes the change in direction and its repetitive nature.

retracing steps

Suggests going back over a path or process that has already been covered.

zigzagging

Describes a path that alternates sharply from side to side.

meandering

Implies a winding or indirect path, often with a lack of clear direction.

FAQs

How can I use "looping back and forth" in a sentence?

You can use "looping back and forth" to describe a non-linear narrative, a repetitive process, or physical movement that reverses direction. For example, "The story kept looping back and forth in time, making it difficult to follow."

What are some alternatives to "looping back and forth"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "moving to and fro", "shuttling back and forth", or "alternating between".

Is "looping back and forth" formal or informal?

"Looping back and forth" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, as demonstrated by its presence in news articles and casual writing.

What does it mean when a narrative is described as "looping back and forth"?

When a narrative is described as "looping back and forth", it means the story does not progress in a linear fashion and revisits earlier events or plot points out of chronological order. This technique can be used to create suspense, reveal character development, or explore themes in a more nuanced way.