series of years

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "series of years" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a continuous or consecutive span of years, often in the context of trends, events, or experiences over time. Example: "The study analyzed the economic growth over a series of years to identify patterns and changes."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

38 human-written examples

To make his point, Mr Abbott rattled off a series of years when Australia had experienced bad bushfires.

The Guardian

Or visit Hulu.com, where thousands more episodes are gathered into a simple, easy-to-use virtual TV, including episodes from series of years gone by.

The New York Times - Tech

Furthermore, as the Chartered Institute of Housing showed in June, the official figures don't give a proper comparison over a series of years.

The Guardian

San Francisco apparently is the only city that has applied the testing strategy in a series of years so as to detect trends, Dr. Katz said.

The New York Times

Moreover, as at a publicly traded company, a record increase one year, or over a series of years, is bound to yield to a loss at some point, especially as colleges' marketing and travel budgets ebb and flow.

The New York Times

The book was originally conceived as a museum compendium of everyday objects —mementos that the narrator purloins from his former mistress over a series of years, from an earring to the charred ends of the cigarettes she smokes.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

22 human-written examples

The seminar project he started fits his goal: to try to build the right military force for five years from now — and not be driven by the budget cycle into a series of year-by-year decisions.

The New York Times

Turner planned a series of year-long "Turner-wide initiatives" to capitalize on old characters and create new franchises.

Wikipedia

After completing a series of year-long presentations centered on the theme of Democracy at The Dia Foundation for Art in New York, Group Material went to Berlin, where they presented AIDS & Democracy at the Neue Gesellschaft fur Bildende Kunst.

Huffington Post

In 1971, the Band's Robbie Robertson enlisted Toussaint to assemble a horn section to accompany the group for a series of year-end shows, from which the group's Top 10 live album, "Rock of Ages," emerged.

Los Angeles Times

A series of year-stamped databases based on BLASTP non-redundant database were made from year 2001 through 2011, in which all archaea that were sequenced after the given year were masked.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "series of years" to indicate a trend or pattern that emerges over a specific time frame. For example, "The company's profits increased over a "series of years", demonstrating strong growth."

Common error

Avoid using "series of years" to describe unrelated or unconnected events that happen to occur within a similar timeframe. Instead, use it to highlight connected trends or developments.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "series of years" functions as a noun phrase, typically used as an adverbial modifier to indicate duration or to describe trends and patterns that emerge over time. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and usable English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

36%

Science

36%

Encyclopedias

8%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "series of years" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe a duration or period over which events or trends occur. As Ludwig AI highlights, it is widely used across news, science, and encyclopedia contexts. When using the phrase, ensure that the years are meaningfully connected, representing a trend or pattern, rather than just a random collection of time. Alternatives like "succession of years" or "span of years" can offer similar meanings with slight nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

succession of years

Replaces "series" with "succession", emphasizing the sequential nature of the years.

successive years

Highlights the consecutive nature of the years

span of years

Synonymous, emphasizing the duration.

string of years

Substitutes "series" with "string", highlighting the connected nature of the years.

period of years

Focuses on the "period" or duration covered by the years.

run of years

Emphasizes uninterrupted sequence.

stretch of years

Emphasizes the continuous span of time the years occupy.

course of years

Replaces series with course, suggesting progress over time

cycle of years

Highlights the cyclical or recurring nature of the years.

cluster of years

Suggests a close grouping of years

FAQs

How can I use "series of years" in a sentence?

You can use "series of years" to describe a trend or pattern that occurs over a specific duration. For example: "The region experienced a drought during a "prolonged series of years"".

What phrases are similar to "series of years"?

Similar phrases include "succession of years", "span of years", or "period of years". The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is there a difference between "series of years" and "number of years"?

"Series of years" suggests a continuous sequence or a period with a particular characteristic, while "number of years" simply refers to a quantity of time. For instance, "The study spanned a "series of years" with declining rainfall", versus "The project took a "number of years" to complete".

What can I say instead of "series of years"?

Depending on the context, you might use "period of time", "span of time", or "years in a row".