over a year ago

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "over a year ago" is grammatically correct and commonly used in written English.
Example: "I moved to this city over a year ago and I have loved it ever since."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Mr. Yones, 53, took over a year ago.

The New York Times

Mr. Mohamad, 34, took over a year ago.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

The romantic comedy Starting Over (1979) followed.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Their ruling runs to over 1,600 pages.

The Economist

Then the Russian soldiers took over last month.

The Economist

Ashes handed over tomorrow?

BBC

Scott McNealy (see) took over 1984.

Forbes

Phyllis took over 2004 following his death.

Forbes

It could be over tomorrow.

WikiHow

We have a little over 7,200 customers.

Forbes

A plane flies over 1941 San Francisco.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "over a year ago", ensure the context clearly indicates the event or time period you are referencing. This avoids ambiguity and ensures the reader understands the timeframe accurately.

Common error

Avoid shifting tenses when describing events that occurred "over a year ago". Use past tenses consistently to maintain clarity and coherence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "over a year ago" functions as an adverbial phrase of time, indicating when an event occurred in relation to the present. It modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to specify a duration exceeding one year prior to the current moment. Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "over a year ago" is a grammatically sound and widely recognized adverbial phrase used to denote a time frame exceeding one year prior to the present. While Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, its usage is relatively rare based on the provided data. This phrase is versatile and applicable in various registers, particularly in news and media, science, and wiki contexts, serving primarily to provide temporal context. For alternative expressions, consider "more than a year past" or "exceeding a year in the past", adjusting based on the desired formality and nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a little over a year ago

Adds "a little" to soften the precision of the timeframe.

more than a year past

Replaces "over" with "more than" and "ago" with "past", emphasizing the time elapsed.

beyond a year since

Uses "beyond" instead of "over" and "since" instead of "ago", altering the sentence structure.

exceeding a year in the past

Replaces "over" with "exceeding" and rephrases "ago" to "in the past" for a more formal tone.

a year and some time ago

Adds "some time" to indicate an indefinite period longer than a year.

in excess of a year ago

Substitutes "over" with "in excess of", making the phrase sound more formal.

at least twelve months ago

Specifies the minimum time passed in months instead of years.

a year or more in the past

Offers a range, suggesting a time period of a year or longer.

longer than a year back

Replaces "ago" with "back", creating a slightly more informal tone.

over twelve months prior

Uses "prior" instead of "ago" and specifies the time in months, increasing formality.

FAQs

How can I use "over a year ago" in a sentence?

Use "over a year ago" to indicate that an event happened more than twelve months in the past. For example, "I moved to this city "over a year ago" and have enjoyed exploring it ever since".

What phrases are similar to "over a year ago"?

Alternatives include "more than a year ago", "a little "over a year ago"", or "longer than a year ago", depending on the desired level of precision.

Is it better to use "more than a year ago" or "over a year ago"?

Both "over a year ago" and "more than a year ago" are acceptable. The choice often depends on personal preference or the desired tone. "More than a year ago" might sound slightly more formal.

Can I say "a year ago over" instead of ""over a year ago""?

No, "a year ago over" is not grammatically correct or idiomatic. The correct phrasing is ""over a year ago"".