thirty years of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "thirty years of" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate a duration of time related to an experience, achievement, or event that spans thirty years. Example: "After thirty years of dedicated service, she decided to retire from her position."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Thirty years of box sets.

The New Yorker

"Twenty or thirty years of recriminations.

The New Yorker

Jonathan has thirty years of experience in fund management.

The Guardian

"We have had thirty years of division and conflict.

The Guardian

Thirty years of privatisation have left the cupboard rather bare.

The Economist

Thirty years of being single isn't that much fun".

The New York Times

It's like thirty years of therapy in one hour".

The New Yorker

"Thirty years of my life will be here," he said.

The New Yorker

"Thirty years of service versus 20 of infidelity," he observed.

The New York Times - Magazine

Thirty years of experience, or millions of Instagram followers?

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Chopin appears to be about thirty years of age.

The Guardian - Music

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "thirty years of", ensure the following noun or phrase is logically connected and reflects the scope of the indicated duration. For example, "Thirty years of research led to this discovery."

Common error

Avoid using "thirty years of" when the subsequent phrase does not accurately reflect a span of thirty years. For example, do not use "thirty years of my life" if you are referring to a specific event that did not take the entire thirty years.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "thirty years of" functions primarily as a temporal prepositional phrase, indicating a duration of three decades. Ludwig examples illustrate its use to specify the length of an experience, event, or period of time.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

56%

Academia

26%

Science

11%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "thirty years of" is a versatile temporal prepositional phrase used to specify a three-decade duration. Grammatically sound and very common across diverse contexts like news, academia, and science, it often introduces a noun or gerund describing a sustained activity or condition. As confirmed by Ludwig, it effectively provides context and emphasizes the duration of an event or experience. Remember to align the phrase's scope with the subsequent information and consider alternatives like "three decades of" for variety.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

three decades of

Uses an alternative unit of time (decades) to express the same duration.

a thirty-year period of

Emphasizes the specific length of time as a defined period.

spanning thirty years

Focuses on the action of covering a duration of thirty years.

thirty years in

Highlights involvement or activity within a thirty-year duration.

for thirty years

Indicates a duration of time that something has existed or occurred.

over thirty years

Indicates a duration exceeding thirty years.

almost thirty years of

Indicates a duration nearing thirty years.

approximately thirty years of

Indicates an estimated duration of thirty years.

around thirty years of

Indicates an approximate duration of thirty years.

in the last thirty years

Refers to events or changes occurring during the most recent thirty-year timeframe.

FAQs

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

Use "thirty years of" to indicate a duration of three decades, typically followed by a noun or gerund describing what persisted during that time. For example, "Thirty years of experience made him an expert."

What are some alternatives to "thirty years of"?

You can use alternatives like "three decades of" or "a thirty-year period of" to express the same duration in different words.

Is it correct to say "30 years of" instead of "thirty years of"?

Yes, "30 years of" is a perfectly acceptable and commonly used abbreviation for "thirty years of". Both are grammatically correct and interchangeable in most contexts.

What's the difference between "thirty years of" and "over thirty years"?

"Thirty years of" typically refers to a specific period, while "over thirty years" indicates a duration of more than thirty years, suggesting an approximate or indefinite timeframe.