three successive weeks

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "three successive weeks" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a period of time that spans three consecutive weeks without interruption. Example: "The project deadline was extended by three successive weeks to accommodate additional research."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

By R. T. Levy, Philip Hamburger, and Harold Ross The New Yorker, November 29 , 1941P. 13 Talk story about a football hoax -imaginary teams, whose scores appeared in the Times & the Herald Tribune for three successive weeks in all the Sunday-morning lists of football scores.

The New Yorker

At the start of the first big, transformative war of the 21st century, I spent three successive weeks in three countries against which America fought its big, transformative 20th-century wars: Japan, Vietnam and, if you count the cold war, China.

The New York Times - Magazine

In fact you could argue that the loss of two "normal" campaign days to TV debates between the leaders – in three successive weeks – is a centralising development, one which enhances the presidential character of elections at the expense of the wider party and contest in 650 seats.

The Guardian

In the second experiment, in each of three successive weeks, 24 calves had access to an exercise arena for 45 min daily on three successive days either: (i) the first 3 days, (ii) the third, fourth and fifth day, or (iii) the fourth, fifth and sixth day.

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

Televised leader debates - long a feature of elections in the US - were held for the first time in the UK in 2010, on three successive weeks leading up to polling day.

BBC

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) purchased from Sigma-Aldrich, St Louis, Missouri, USA, in the form of 25-g phials was dissolved in distilled water and given to rats daily by gastric gavages at a dose of 200 mg/Kg body weight/day (Nakagawa, Yokozawa, Kim, & Shibahara, 2005) for three successive weeks.

The Journal of Basic and Applied Zoology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

It posted a slight gain of 0.5 percent on the week after two successive weeks of declines.

The New York Times

One week later, rats received s.c. injections of saline or 20 mg/kg of body weight DMH once weekly for four successive weeks.

Cancer Letters

He points to the fact that his group's flagship title, the Farnham Herald, published one issue in April with 80 pages and has had a run of seven successive weeks with 72 pages.

The Guardian

Grades are e-mailed to students and parents weekly, and if a student falls below a 70 average in any subject for two successive weeks, the student spends the next week in study hall instead of training.

The New York Times - Sports

The spraying was done at the end of each week for five successive weeks.

International Journal of Recycling of Organic Waste in Agriculture

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When precision is key, use "three successive weeks" to clearly indicate a period of exactly three consecutive weeks, avoiding ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "three successive weeks" when you're actually referring to a period longer than three weeks, or to weeks that aren't consecutive. Clarity is crucial in technical writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "three successive weeks" functions as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun (often implied), specifying a duration. It indicates a period of three consecutive weeks. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "three successive weeks" is a grammatically sound and usable expression that specifies a time period of three consecutive weeks. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase is correct and usable. It finds its primary use in the science, news and media contexts, and it maintains a neutral to formal register. When looking for alternatives, consider "three consecutive weeks" or "three weeks in a row" to express the same concept with minor variations in tone or formality. Be mindful to use it when you are actually referring to a period longer than three weeks or the weeks are not consecutive.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

three consecutive weeks

Replaces "successive" with its direct synonym "consecutive".

three weeks in a row

Uses a more informal and common idiom to express the same duration.

three straight weeks

Employs "straight" as a synonym for "successive", adding a slightly more emphatic tone.

three back-to-back weeks

Adds emphasis by using the term "back-to-back".

three sequential weeks

Uses "sequential" as a formal synonym for "successive".

a three-week stretch

Focuses on the period as a continuous "stretch" of time.

three uninterrupted weeks

Highlights the continuous nature of the three-week duration.

three following weeks

Focuses on the weeks that come directly after each other.

three weeks running

Uses the idiom "running" to indicate continuous occurrence.

a three-week period

Simplifies the phrase to a basic description of a time period.

FAQs

How can I use "three successive weeks" in a sentence?

You can use "three successive weeks" to describe a period of three consecutive weeks, like in the sentence, "The experiment was conducted over "three successive weeks" to ensure accurate data collection."

What's the difference between "three successive weeks" and "three consecutive weeks"?

"Three successive weeks" and "three consecutive weeks" are largely interchangeable. Both phrases refer to a period of three weeks that follow each other without interruption. The choice between them often comes down to personal preference.

Are there more formal alternatives to "three successive weeks"?

While "three successive weeks" is already fairly formal, you could opt for phrases like "a three-week period" or "three sequential weeks" in contexts where extreme formality is required.

What are some less formal ways to say "three successive weeks"?

For less formal contexts, you could use phrases like "three weeks in a row" or "three straight weeks". These options are more conversational and easier to understand in casual settings.