second half of october

USAGE SUMMARY

"second half of October" is a usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when you are referring to the second part of the month of October. For example, "My family is planning to take a trip in the second half of October."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

"They are going to give a pre-budget statement in the second half of October, that's a month away".

The New York Times

Extravagant themes are in: for example, in the second half of October the shop goes (Lewis Carroll's) Alice mad.

The Guardian - Books

"It's not clear if the government back in business means e-commerce will snap back and have an excellent second half of October," said Jordan Rohan, an analyst at Stifel Nicolaus.

The New York Times

Of course, Windows 8.1 sold units by itself on new PCs in the second half of October, which should not be discounted.

TechCrunch

It fell throughout the month of September and collapsed in the second half of October to reach an intermediate low on Nov. 13.

Forbes

Perhaps, if the terms of the competition had been announced at the beginning of 2014 the situation would not have been so bad, but it was announced in the second half of October when all the financial plans of the company had already been drafted.

Triple Helix

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

July 20-Aug.

The New York Times - Arts

Real Betis in late October, early November.

The Guardian - Sport

since October, 2006.

The New Yorker

In late October, Pres.

The New Yorker

Recommended departures June to October.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When specifying a timeframe within October, "second half of october" offers a clear and generally understood division. Ensure the context requires this level of precision; "late october" may suffice for less specific situations.

Common error

Avoid assuming "second half of october" always refers to the precise last 15 or 16 days. While generally understood, it's less precise than specifying dates (e.g. October 16th to October 31st) if accuracy is critical.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "second half of october" functions as a temporal noun phrase, specifying a period of time. As confirmed by Ludwig, it is grammatically correct. It acts as a modifier when used in sentences like "The budget will be published in the second half of October."

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

56%

Wiki

22%

Science

22%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "second half of october" is a grammatically sound and understandable phrase used to denote a period in time, specifically the latter part of the month. According to Ludwig, it is a usable phrase in written English. While versatile across different contexts, it is most frequently found in News & Media and scientific domains. For increased formality or precision, specifying exact dates might be preferable. Alternatives include phrases like "late october" or "latter part of october". Overall, the phrase effectively communicates a general timeframe within October and should be used with the understanding that it is less precise than specifying dates.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

latter part of october

Replaces "second half" with "latter part", maintaining the meaning.

late october

More concise way of saying "second half of october".

the latter weeks in october

Similar to "latter part", emphasizing the final weeks.

end of october

Slightly less precise, indicating the general conclusion of the month.

toward the end of october

Indicates approaching the end of the month.

the last two weeks of october

Specifies the timeframe as two weeks.

the back end of october

An informal way of saying "second half of october".

from mid-october onwards

Focuses on a starting point and continuation.

after mid-october

Highlights the time after the middle of October.

the period following october 15th

More precise, specifying a date.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "second half of october"?

You can use alternatives like "late october", "end of october", or "latter part of october", depending on the context and desired level of precision.

Is "second half of october" formal or informal?

The phrase "second half of october" is generally considered neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, for very formal writing, specifying exact dates might be preferable.

What does "second half of october" typically include?

Generally, "second half of october" refers to the period from October 16th to October 31st. However, this isn't a strict definition and can sometimes be used more loosely to mean the latter portion of the month.

When is it better to use "late october" instead of "second half of october"?

Use "late october" when you need a general indication of time towards the end of the month. Use "second half of october" when you want to be more specific about the period you're referring to, but don't need to specify an exact date.