over a span

USAGE SUMMARY

"over a span" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a period of time, such as a long period of time, or a period of time spread out over a number of short intervals. For example, "She worked as a teacher for over a span of 15 years."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The difference was that Clemens pitched over a span when complete games were harder to come by.

The New York Times - Sports

The fees increase over a span of several years.

The New York Times

Over a span of about 15 years, bed bugs have become endemic in the United States.

Cornell University

Many stress reduction solutions have been suggested over a span of time.

Cornell University

"You've got to win those four tournaments over a span of four months".

The New York Times - Sports

Not over a span of 10 months involving two years as Tiger Woods might do today.

The New York Times - Sports

For comparison, Britain has 75,000 megawatts in operation, built over a span of decades.

The New York Times

They have occurred over a span of some 8 or 10 years to our knowledge.

The New York Times

One such study monitored couples over a span of several nights.

The New Yorker

Morrell, he said, should have offered them gradually over a span of time.

The New York Times

McCarten published three Talk stories over a span of four years about the Lichee Tree.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "over a span" to clearly indicate the duration of an event, process, or trend. For example, "The company's profits increased over a span of five years."

Common error

Avoid using "over a span" when referring to an instantaneous event. This phrase emphasizes a duration or period, not a single point in time.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "over a span" functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb or noun, indicating the duration or extent of an action or state. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

30%

Academia

9%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "over a span" is a versatile prepositional phrase used to denote duration, widely found in news, scientific, and academic contexts. Ludwig AI confirms it's grammatically sound and suitable for indicating the length of time during which an event or process occurs. Alternatives like "during a period" or "throughout a timeframe" offer similar meanings with slightly different nuances. Remember to use it to emphasize a period of time, not an instantaneous moment, for clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

spanning a length of time

This alternative is a more formal and descriptive way of expressing duration.

during a period

This alternative is more general and less specific about the nature of the duration.

for a duration of

This alternative specifically mentions the length of time.

throughout a time frame

This alternative emphasizes the defined limits of the time involved.

within a duration

This alternative focuses on the limits of the time period.

covering a period of

This alternative highlights the extent or scope of the time period.

in the course of

This alternative suggests a process or series of events occurring during the specified time.

in a stretch of time

This alternative emphasizes the continuous nature of the time involved.

across a timeline

This alternative is more visually oriented, suggesting events placed along a line.

through the years

This alternative implies a longer, less defined time period.

FAQs

How can I use "over a span" in a sentence?

"Over a span" is used to indicate a duration of time during which something occurs. For example, "The research was conducted "over a span" of three years.".

What are some alternatives to "over a span"?

Alternatives include phrases like "during a period", "throughout a time frame", or "in the course of", each with slight differences in emphasis.

Is "over a span of time" redundant?

While "over a span" inherently implies time, adding "of time" can provide additional emphasis in certain contexts, although it's often unnecessary.

What's the difference between "during" and "over a span"?

"During" refers to something happening at some point within a period, whereas ""over a span"" emphasizes the entire duration of that period.