question of time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "question of time" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something will happen eventually or that it is a matter of when rather than if. Example: "It's just a question of time before we see the results of our efforts."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

49 human-written examples

"It's a question of time.

The New York Times

Then there's the question of time.

The New York Times - Books

It is a question of time.

The New York Times

It's just a question of time".

The New York Times

It is just a question of time".

The New York Times - Magazine

"It's a question of time," she said.

The New York Times

It's just a question of time now".

The Guardian

It then became a question of time.

The New York Times - Science

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

The administrative reason is a question of time-saving.

EU Parlament

The question of time-related repair of the mechanism involved in chromosome segregation is raised.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Maybe that's just a question of time and demand.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "question of time" when you want to express that an event is inevitable, regardless of when it occurs. It is suitable for situations where the timing is uncertain, but the outcome is not.

Common error

Avoid using "question of time" when the uncertainty lies in if something will happen, not when. If the outcome itself is uncertain, a different phrasing is more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "question of time" functions as an idiomatic expression used to indicate that an event is inevitable, the timing of which is the only uncertainty. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Encyclopedias

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "question of time" is a common idiom used to express that an event is certain to happen, with the timing being the only uncertainty. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and widely used in various contexts, particularly in News & Media. While alternatives like "matter of time" exist, "question of time" effectively conveys the sense of inevitability. Remember to use it when the if is certain, and only the when is unknown.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

matter of time

Replaces "question" with "matter", slightly altering the emphasis but retaining the core meaning of inevitability.

only a matter of time

Adds "only" to emphasize the inevitability and certainty of the event.

just a matter of time

Similar to "only a matter of time", but uses "just" to imply simplicity or lack of complexity.

an inevitability

Replaces the entire phrase with a noun emphasizing the unavoidable nature of the event.

bound to happen

Indicates that something is certain to occur, focusing on the future event itself.

sure to occur

Similar to "bound to happen", highlighting the certainty of the event's occurrence.

certain to happen

Emphasizes the certainty of an event, focusing on the lack of doubt.

will eventually happen

Directly states that the event will occur at some point in the future.

a foregone conclusion

Implies that the outcome is already determined and inevitable.

ultimately unavoidable

Highlights the impossibility of preventing the event from occurring.

FAQs

How can I use "question of time" in a sentence?

You can use "question of time" to indicate that something is certain to happen, although the exact timing is unknown. For example, "It's just a "question of time" before they announce the winner".

What does "question of time" mean?

The phrase "question of time" means that something is inevitable, and it will happen at some point in the future. The main uncertainty is when it will occur, not if it will occur.

What can I say instead of "question of time"?

You can use alternatives like "matter of time", "inevitable", or "bound to happen" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "it's a question of when" instead of "question of time"?

While "it's a question of when" is grammatically correct, "question of time" is an idiomatic expression that implies inevitability. The former simply emphasizes the uncertainty of the timing, without necessarily implying that the event is certain.