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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak quote

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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roughly time

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

'roughly time' is not a correct or usable phrase in written English.
You can use 'approximately' or 'about' to indicate the approximate amount of time something will take. For example, "It will take approximately an hour for me to finish this task."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

It is called "Pora valit", which means roughly "Time to shove off".

News & Media

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

For ICU patients, extra reimbursement is calculated per ICU day, which is increasing from category 1 to category 3 units by a factor of roughly times 1.5.

Carr gave him  two minutes to respond -- roughly the time candidates get during real debates.

News & Media

Los Angeles Times

Without flight the epidemic takes roughly 600 time periods to cross the lattice.

Science

Plosone

The values in Table 7 follow roughly the time complexity predicted in Methods section.

Generally, it is observed that the width of a face is roughly two times of the distance, and the height is roughly three times.

FGFR1 was roughly 3.8 times as prevalent as FGFR3, while FGFR2 was roughly 2.8 times as prevalent as FGFR3.

Today, the price is roughly twenty times as high.

News & Media

The New Yorker

So far, this has happened roughly eight times per day.

News & Media

The New Yorker

Today, California has roughly seventy times more people than Wyoming.

News & Media

The New Yorker

In other words, they were outspent by roughly 33 times.

News & Media

The New York Times
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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When needing to approximate time, use established phrases such as "approximately", "about", or "around" followed by the specific time reference. This ensures clarity and grammatical correctness.

Common error

Do not directly combine "roughly" with "time" as a single phrase. Instead, use "roughly" to modify a time-related measurement (e.g., "roughly three hours") or use alternative phrases like "approximately that "time"".

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

87%

Authority and reliability

1.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "roughly time" is grammatically questionable. Ludwig AI indicates it's not a standard phrase in English. The correct usage involves using "roughly" to modify a unit of time (e.g., "roughly an hour"). The available examples provide context where "roughly" modifies a numerical value associated with time.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "roughly time" is not considered a grammatically correct or standard phrase in English. Ludwig AI confirms this assessment. While the intention might be to express an approximation related to time, it's best to use alternative phrasing, such as "approximate time", "around that time", or using "roughly" to modify a specific time unit (e.g., "roughly an hour"). Using clearer, grammatically sound alternatives enhances communication and avoids confusion. Authoritative sources lean toward using "roughly" to modify quantities of time, rather than using the phrase directly.

FAQs

How can I appropriately use "roughly" in a sentence related to time?

Use "roughly" to modify a time measurement, such as "roughly two hours" or "roughly 30 minutes". This provides an approximation of a specific duration.

What's a more formal way to say "roughly" when referring to time?

For a more formal tone, use "approximately" or "in the vicinity of" before specifying the time. For example, "approximately two hours" or "in the vicinity of two hours".

Is "roughly time" considered grammatically correct?

No, "roughly time" is not a standard or grammatically correct phrase in English. Use alternative phrasing like "approximate time" or "around that time" instead.

What are some alternatives to using "roughly" when talking about duration?

Alternatives include "about", "around", "nearly", or "almost". For instance, "about an hour", "around an hour", "nearly an hour", or "almost an hour".

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Source & Trust

87%

Authority and reliability

1.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: