three weeks have passed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "three weeks have passed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate the passage of time since a specific event or moment. Example: "Three weeks have passed since we last met, and I can't wait to catch up with you."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

"Three weeks have passed since the adoption of the Council's statement, with little change to report".

The New York Times

LOS ANGELES — Not three weeks have passed since Pope Francis said the church had grown "obsessed" with abortion, declaring, "We have to find a new balance".

The New York Times

— More than three weeks have passed, but Daryl Johnson still begins his emergency room shift at the University of Colorado Hospital here with a sense of foreboding.

The New York Times

" Three weeks have passed since the Mets chose Einhorn in a process that was veiled in secrecy from the January day the Mets announced they had to sell part of the team to address financial pressures.

The New York Times - Sports

A little more than three weeks have passed since the 20-year-old left-back's fine start to the season was brought to an abrupt halt in Manchester United's Champions League clash against PSV Eindhoven.

Independent

His apology to legislators was one of several he has made since Dec. 12, but although more than three weeks have passed, Mr. Farr said the aura of "shock and sadness" among legislators still lingered.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

Over three weeks had passed since the sinking.

The New Yorker

Three weeks had passed since he'd last seen her, so he wanted to make up for lost time.

The New York Times

Manuel Ramirez, her roommate, said, "She saw me and smiled and said something like 'I hope they release me soon, because I have to set up my classroom.' She clearly didn't get that three weeks had passed".

The New Yorker

More than three weeks had passed from the time that Comey and his top deputies had been alerted to the initial discovery of Clinton e-mails on Weiner's laptop.

The New Yorker

Others complained of being ignored — one, who called herself A.P., wrote on the blog that three weeks had passed without her boyfriend "asking a single question" about her life.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "three weeks have passed", ensure the context clearly indicates what event the time is being measured from. For instance, "Three weeks have passed since the deadline, and the project is still unfinished."

Common error

Avoid ambiguity by explicitly stating the event from which the three weeks are counted. Don't assume the reader knows; for example, instead of "Three weeks have passed, and nothing has changed", specify, "Three weeks have passed since the announcement, and nothing has changed."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "three weeks have passed" functions as an indicator of elapsed time. It's commonly used to provide a temporal reference point, showing that a period of three weeks has concluded since a specific event or point in time. Ludwig AI confirms the correctness of this phrase.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Wiki

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "three weeks have passed" is a grammatically correct and understandable phrase used to indicate the completion of a three-week period. It appears most frequently in News & Media contexts. Ludwig AI confirms the correctness of the phrase. When using this phrase, be clear about the starting point from which the time is being measured to avoid ambiguity. While "three weeks have passed" is a useful phrase, related alternatives such as "three weeks have elapsed" or "three weeks have gone by" can add variety to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

three weeks have elapsed

Replaces "passed" with "elapsed", a more formal synonym.

three weeks have gone by

Uses the phrasal verb "gone by" for a slightly more informal tone.

it has been three weeks since

Restructures the sentence to emphasize the starting point.

a period of three weeks has passed

Adds "a period of" for emphasis, making it slightly more formal.

three weeks have transpired

Substitutes "passed" with "transpired", suggesting a more significant passage of time.

the last three weeks have passed

Adds "the last" to specify a recent duration of time.

three weeks have slipped away

Uses "slipped away" to imply that the time passed quickly or unnoticed.

we are three weeks past

Changes the sentence structure to focus on the current time relative to the event.

three weeks are now over

Simplifies the phrase to state that the three-week period is complete.

three weeks have concluded

Replaces "passed" with "concluded", implying a definitive end to the period.

FAQs

How can I use "three weeks have passed" in a sentence?

You can use "three weeks have passed" to indicate the duration since a particular event. For example, "Three weeks have passed since the conference, and we are still implementing the strategies we discussed."

What's a more formal way to say "three weeks have passed"?

For a more formal tone, consider using alternatives like "three weeks have elapsed" or "a period of three weeks has passed".

Is it correct to say "three weeks are passed" instead of "three weeks have passed"?

No, "three weeks are passed" is not grammatically correct. The correct phrasing is "three weeks have passed", which uses the present perfect tense to indicate a completed period of time.

What can I say instead of "three weeks have passed" to imply the time went by quickly?

To suggest that the time passed quickly, you could say "three weeks have slipped away". This phrasing implies that the time passed almost unnoticed.