order of frequency

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "order of frequency" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the arrangement or ranking of items based on how often they occur or are observed. Example: "In the study, we analyzed the order of frequency of various species in the ecosystem."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The so-called "semantic count," giving senses in order of frequency, has also been used.

Britannica

The other top words are (in order of frequency) creek, valley, lake, park, river, springs and pine.

The New York Times - Sports

These were the top problems reported by owners in the most recent survey, in order of frequency: Brake noise.

The New York Times

Wearing his statistician's hat, John Tozer tells me that the commonest competition word lengths are 8, 7, 9 and 12, in that order of frequency.

The Guardian

Feet and toes lead the list, followed in order of frequency by body fluids (blood, urine, etc), then body size (slim, stout, short, tall, whatever) and head hair.

The Guardian

About two-thirds of recent churchgoers said they had heard clergy members speak about — in order of frequency — religious liberty, abortion, homosexuality, immigration, environmental issues or economic inequality.

The New York Times

The commonest lesions in order of frequency were VSD (34.3%), HLHS (21.9%) and AVSD (20%).

Pregnancy Hypertension: An International Journal of Women's Cardiovascular Health

If you have other questions not answered within the Community FAQ, do let us know either in the comments below or via email and we'll do our best to address them, in order of frequency of asking.

The Guardian

Early tablets consist of "lists, lists and lists," Scott says, and the subjects of that record-keeping are, in order of frequency, "barley (as rations and taxes), war captives, male and female slaves".

The New Yorker

Research by the campaigning group Women in Journalism found boys were referred to variously (in descending order of frequency) as yobs, thugs, sick, feral, hoodies, louts, heartless, evil, frightening, scum, monsters, inhuman and threatening.

The Guardian

Index complications in order of frequency included rotator cuff tearing, postoperative glenohumeral instability, and periprosthetic humeral fracture.

Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When listing items in "order of frequency", ensure that the data supporting the frequency is accurate and clearly referenced. Use precise language to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid confusing descending and ascending "order of frequency". Descending order lists the most frequent items first, while ascending order lists the least frequent items first. Double-check your arrangement to ensure accuracy.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "order of frequency" functions as a prepositional phrase, often used adverbially to modify a verb or adjective. It specifies the criterion used for arranging or listing items, indicating that the arrangement is based on how often each item occurs. As Ludwig AI indicates, the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

39%

News & Media

34%

Academia

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "order of frequency" is a grammatically correct and widely used prepositional phrase that signifies an arrangement based on how often something occurs. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's suitable for various contexts, especially science and news reporting. It’s crucial to maintain accuracy and clarity when using this phrase, ensuring that the data supporting the frequency claims is reliable. Common errors involve confusing ascending and descending order, so always double-check the arrangement. For alternative phrasing, consider "frequency ranking" or "sequence of occurrence" to add variety to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

frequency ranking

This alternative uses a noun to describe the ranking based on frequency, instead of a prepositional phrase.

arrangement by frequency

This directly states that the arrangement is determined by frequency.

sequence of occurrence

This phrase replaces "frequency" with "occurrence" and "order" with "sequence", emphasizing the sequential aspect of the events.

prevalence order

This uses "prevalence" instead of "frequency", focusing on how widespread something is.

distribution by frequency

This alternative focuses on how items are distributed based on their frequency.

relative frequency order

This highlights the comparison of frequencies among different items.

frequency distribution

This condenses the phrase into a noun phrase, implying the arrangement based on frequency.

descending frequency

This focuses on a specific order—from most to least frequent—instead of the general arrangement.

ascending frequency

This focuses on a specific order—from least to most frequent—instead of the general arrangement.

commonness ranking

This alternative utilizes "commonness" to refer to frequency, which is less formal.

FAQs

How can I use "order of frequency" in a sentence?

You can use "order of frequency" to describe how items are arranged based on how often they occur. For example: "The symptoms are listed in "order of frequency", with the most common symptom listed first."

What's the difference between "order of frequency" and "frequency ranking"?

"Order of frequency" is a prepositional phrase that describes the arrangement of items based on their frequency, while "frequency ranking" is a noun phrase that refers to the same concept but is more concise.

What are some alternatives to saying "in order of frequency"?

Alternatives include using "by frequency", "according to frequency", or listing items in "descending frequency" or "ascending frequency".

Is it correct to say "in decreasing order of frequency"?

Yes, "in decreasing order of frequency" is grammatically correct and means the same as "in descending order of frequency". Both phrases indicate that items are listed from most frequent to least frequent.