serve as a time of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "serve as a time of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that a particular period or event functions as a moment for reflection, celebration, or another specific purpose. Example: "The holiday season serves as a time of joy and togetherness for families."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

"The 90 minutes serve as a time of exploration.

Vice

Nevertheless, while I certainly don't expect a presidential campaign to serve as a time of great national debate and dialogue, 2012 seems to be about as far as you can get from a meaningful, substantive discussion.

Huffington Post

The prolonged hypoxemia in utero may serve as a time of intense 'hypoxic preconditioning' that provides a degree of protection from untoward obstetric catastrophes.

Critical Care

Since everything stops and it's about "making merry" and giving gifts, it can often serve as a time of reflection for such family members, who worry about their losses, lack of money, sadness, etc. while everyone else seems so well off.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

It also serves as a time capsule of electronic music's introduction to what would ultimately become one of the world's techno meccas.

Vice

The eighteenth volume of Indie Top 20, a Melody Maker-sponsored compilation series which serves as a "time capsule of U.K. indie music", features "Today" as its fourth track.

Wikipedia

Some of these countries have a historically complex relationship with the US,and yet these spaces serve as a strange time capsule of an era that was never even theirs.

Vice

The datasets provide a detailed record of morphological changes across the flow field, serving as a time-series digital repository of observations on pāhoehoe behavior.

Journal of Applied Volcanology

At Christie's on May 15 and 16, four works on paper by Robert Rauschenberg serve as a kind of time capsule.

The New York Times - Arts

The approach of Zeng and Hannenhalli (2013) does not work here because they use sequence similarity of paralogs to construct a phylogenetic tree whose branch lengths serve as a surrogate of time since duplication.

G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics

This will serve as a sort of time capsule - one you'll probably always cherish.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "serve as a time of" when you want to emphasize that a particular period functions as a specific opportunity or occasion for something, such as reflection, celebration, or change.

Common error

Avoid using "serve as a time of" when a simpler phrase like "is a time of" would suffice. Overusing the longer phrase can make your writing sound unnecessarily formal or verbose.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "serve as a time of" functions as a linking phrase that establishes a relationship between a subject and a period characterized by a specific activity or purpose. It indicates that something provides the function of a designated time, and it is usable in written English, as Ludwig AI confirms.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "serve as a time of" is used to designate a particular period with a specific function or purpose. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and usable. While the register is generally neutral, you should avoid overusing this phrase in very informal contexts. Alternatives like "function as a period of" or "act as a moment for" can provide similar meanings with subtle differences. The expression is most commonly found in News & Media, Wiki and Science contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

function as a period of

Emphasizes the role or purpose of the time period, similar to "serve as", but with a focus on functionality.

act as a moment for

Highlights the action or event that the time facilitates, focusing on a specific instance rather than a broader period.

represent an opportunity for

Focuses on the potential or chance that the time provides, shifting the emphasis from service to opportunity.

provide a chance for

Stresses the offering of a possibility during that time, differing slightly in tone from "serve as".

offer a window for

Implies a limited or insightful view during the designated time, adding a sense of perspective.

mark an occasion for

Highlights the time as a noteworthy event, focusing on recognition or celebration.

constitute a phase of

Defines the time as a distinct stage or part of a larger process, emphasizing its role in a sequence.

become a period dedicated to

Suggests a specific allocation of time for a particular purpose, emphasizing dedication.

evolve into a moment of

Implies a transformation or progression towards a specific state during that time, highlighting change.

turn into an interval for

Focuses on the transformation into a specific period used for something, especially some regular process.

FAQs

How can I use "serve as a time of" in a sentence?

Use "serve as a time of" to indicate that a period functions as an opportunity or occasion. For example, "The retreat will serve as a time of reflection and renewal."

What can I say instead of "serve as a time of"?

You can use alternatives like "function as a period of", "act as a moment for", or "represent an opportunity for" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "serve as a period of" instead of "serve as a time of"?

Yes, "serve as a period of" is grammatically correct and can be used interchangeably with "serve as a time of", although the nuance might slightly shift the emphasis to a more defined duration.

What's the difference between "serve as a time of" and "is a time for"?

"Serve as a time of" implies that the period fulfills a specific purpose or role, while "is a time for" simply indicates that the period is suitable or designated for something. The former is more functional, and the latter is descriptive.