mostly a year

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "mostly a year" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something occurs for the majority of a year, but not necessarily the entire year. Example: "The project will take mostly a year to complete, with some additional time for final adjustments."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Could Sullivan--a junior at the U. of Washington--have guessed the significance for her social standing at school of having a regular male correspondent even though she was only 14? Her classmates were mostly a year older, but if any boy wrote them, it was a brother...it was irresistible for writer to pretend that Mark was her fiance.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

"I wrote it mostly in a year.

The Guardian - Books

It was mostly a good year for oceans.

The Guardian

New owner Robert Perra, coming off what has been mostly a transition year, will almost certainly make some changes to fit his own vision for the franchise.

The Guardian - Sport

Fu Jen Medical School is the first school in Taiwan to adopt a near-full PBL approach for the 3rd and 4th year curriculum (the medical education in Taiwan is mostly a 7-year undergraduate program).

The Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences

It was mostly a 25-45 year-old range of good looking people, mostly fit, well off and clean.

Vice

For now he is trying to appreciate having a break — even if it's mostly unpaid — from a year and a half of strenuous labor.

The New York Times

The contracts would mostly be for a year, and then the agents would organise a return to the Philippines and a new contract and transit visa.

The Guardian

In France, an average of 30 mostly small companies a year, from phone repair firms to ice-cream makers, have become workers' co-operatives since 2010.

The Guardian

The company generally publishes 13 books a year, mostly nonfiction, selected from among 3,000 proposals submitted annually.

The New York Times

On average, backover car accidents kill some 230 people a year, mostly children and mostly in accidents in which a parent or other relative is driving.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "mostly a year" when you want to indicate that something lasted for the majority of a year, but with the understanding that it might not have been a full 12 months. For example, "The project took "mostly a year" to complete."

Common error

Avoid using "mostly a year" if the duration was significantly less than a year. In such cases, phrases like "several months" or "the better part of a year" are more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "mostly a year" functions as an adverbial modifier of time, indicating the approximate duration of an event or activity. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is usable in written English and indicates that something occurs for the majority of a year.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "mostly a year" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to indicate that something lasted for the majority of a year. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is suitable for various contexts, particularly in news and media, and serves to provide an approximate duration. While precise alternatives like "approximately one year" exist for more formal settings, "mostly a year" strikes a balance between informality and clarity, making it a versatile choice. Remember to avoid using it when the actual duration deviates significantly from a year to maintain accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost a year

Indicates a period of time that is close to, but not quite, a full year.

nearly a year

Similar to "almost a year", suggesting a duration close to one year.

approximately one year

A more formal way of saying "about a year".

around a year

Indicates an estimated duration of about one year.

roughly a year

Similar to "around a year", implying an approximate duration.

for the better part of a year

Emphasizes that the activity or state occurred during a significant portion of the year.

the majority of a year

Highlights that the activity or state happened during most of the year.

most of the year

Similar to "the majority of a year", but slightly less formal.

a year, for the most part

Adds a slight emphasis on the primary duration being a year.

in the vicinity of a year

A more formal and less common way of saying "about a year".

FAQs

How can I use "mostly a year" in a sentence?

You can use "mostly a year" to indicate that an activity or state lasted for the greater part of a year. For example, "I spent "mostly a year" working on the project."

What's the difference between "mostly a year" and "almost a year"?

"Mostly a year" implies that the main part of the time was a year, even if there were interruptions or slight deviations. "Almost a year" suggests that the duration was very close to a year, but not quite a full year.

Are there any formal alternatives to "mostly a year"?

Yes, you can use "approximately one year" or "the better part of a year" for a more formal tone.

When is it inappropriate to use "mostly a year"?

It's inappropriate to use "mostly a year" if the actual duration was significantly less than a year. If it was closer to half a year, consider using "about six months" or another more accurate description.