on alternate weeks

USAGE SUMMARY

'on alternate weeks' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use this phrase to indicate a pattern of recurring events at regular intervals. For example, "We do yoga on alternate weeks."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

39 human-written examples

My son lives with us both, on alternate weeks.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"Did Liverpool & Everton always play at home on alternate weeks?

The Guardian - Sport

All pens were observed during rearing on alternate weeks.

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

Add these liquid feeds to your watering can and use on alternate weeks to keep plants sprightly.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

On alternate weeks, professors will go to the middle schools to observe how well the lessons are being implemented.

The New York Times

It said the site, in its last incarnation, was staffed by two people "working part time on alternate weeks".

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

21 human-written examples

Tacrolimus trough concentrations were evaluated on alternate week days.

Gut

The official days of instruction are Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 2-6pm, on alternating weeks.

Harvard University

The two were in chemotherapy, sometimes on alternating weeks, sometimes side by side.

The New York Times

Robin and Scott are paid on alternating weeks, so every week the Johnsons sit down and discuss which bills take priority.

The Washington Post

Since the divorce, the two share custody equally, taking Jacob on alternating weeks and frequently discussing his care.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When scheduling events or activities, use "on alternate weeks" to clearly communicate that the activity will occur every other week, not every week.

Common error

Avoid using "alternating weeks" without the preposition "on" when you intend to specify an action that happens every other week. "Alternating weeks" by itself can be vague.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "on alternate weeks" functions as an adverbial phrase of time, specifying when an event or action occurs. It modifies a verb or clause to indicate a recurring frequency of every two weeks, as shown in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Science

52%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "on alternate weeks" is a common and grammatically sound prepositional phrase used to specify that something occurs every other week. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability across various contexts. While synonyms like "every other week" exist, "on alternate weeks" provides a clear and unambiguous way to convey a biweekly schedule. It is mostly found in scientific and news media domains. Be cautious not to confuse it with just "alternating weeks" for maximum clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

every other week

Replaces "on alternate weeks" with a more common and straightforward phrasing.

every second week

Directly specifies the interval between occurrences.

in alternating weeks

Swaps the preposition, maintaining the core meaning with a slight variation in structure.

occurring every other week

Emphasizes the ongoing nature of the alternating pattern.

biweekly

Uses a single word to convey the same meaning, implying occurrence every two weeks.

once every two weeks

Provides a more explicit and less ambiguous explanation of the frequency.

at two-week intervals

Focuses on the specific duration between events.

on a two-weekly schedule

Highlights the established and planned nature of the alternating weeks.

on a fortnightly basis

Employs a more formal and somewhat less common term for 'every two weeks'.

week about

A more concise and informal way to express the alternating schedule.

FAQs

How can I use "on alternate weeks" in a sentence?

You can use "on alternate weeks" to describe events or schedules that occur every other week. For example, "The team meets "on alternate weeks" to discuss project updates".

What is a synonym for "on alternate weeks"?

A synonym for "on alternate weeks" is "every other week". Both phrases indicate that something happens once every two weeks.

Is it correct to say "in alternate weeks" instead of "on alternate weeks"?

While "in alternate weeks" isn't incorrect, ""on alternate weeks"" is the more common and widely accepted phrasing.

What's the difference between "biweekly" and "on alternate weeks"?

"Biweekly" can be ambiguous, sometimes meaning twice a week and sometimes meaning every two weeks. "On alternate weeks" clearly means every two weeks.