time spent by

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "time spent by" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to the amount of time someone has spent doing something. For example: "I was amazed by the amount of time spent by the students studying for their exams."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It pays publishers in proportion to time spent by users on their sites.

The Economist

Nowhere did the time spent by men exceed 37% of that of women.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The total does not include time spent by council staff.

BBC

The time spent by working caregivers was valued with national estimates and the time spent by working caregivers was valued with the own caregivers salaries.

Health Economics Review

The mean time spent by each pathologist was 45 minutes per week.

Annales de Pathologie

The computation time spent by using MoM is approximately 10 100 times smaller than using FDTD.

Physics Letters A

The time spent by the designer using our second approach is largely reduced.

European Journal of Control

The computing times are normalized w.r.t. the time spent by MH Table 10 (Ex-Sect-9.6.1).

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

This information was used to calculate the time spent by nurses caring for the study participants.

Health Economics Review

The mean time spent by passenger on walkway E[T] increases with increase in arrival rate.

Urban Rail Transit

Considering the repetitive mobility pattern, represents the time spent by Tram-R to complete a trip.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing research methodologies, use "time spent by" to clearly quantify resource allocation, ensuring transparency and reproducibility in your findings.

Common error

Avoid using "time spent by" when the subject is not actively spending the time. For example, instead of "the time spent by the project" say "the time spent on the project".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "time spent by" functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a noun, often indicating the amount of time dedicated or allocated to a specific task or activity by a particular person or entity. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

58%

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

7%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "time spent by" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression across diverse contexts. Ludwig AI affirms its validity for referring the amount of time that has passed while someone was doing something. Predominantly found in scientific and news-related domains, this phrase serves to quantify time allocation, emphasizing who or what is expending the time. Remember to check for misattribution and ensure the agent actively spends the time for best usage. Consider alternatives like "duration allocated by" for more formal settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Time invested by

Suggests that time is being used as an investment with expected returns by someone.

Time dedicated to by

Indicates commitment of time to a specific activity by someone.

Period devoted by

Highlights dedication of time towards a particular purpose by someone.

Time utilized by

Focuses on the efficient use of time by someone.

Amount of time employed by

Focuses on the quantity of time used or employed by someone.

Time allocated to by

Highlights that time has been specifically set aside for a particular task by someone.

Duration of time allocated by

Emphasizes the length of time specifically assigned or allocated by someone.

Time given to by

Focuses on the act of providing time for something by someone.

Interval consumed by

Indicates time elapsed or consumed by an activity or person.

Time apportioned by

Implies that time is divided and distributed for different uses by someone.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "time spent by" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "duration allocated by", "period devoted by", or "amount of time employed by". These options often suit academic or professional contexts better.

Is it always necessary to include "by" after "time spent"?

No, the inclusion of "by" depends on the sentence structure. If you're specifying who or what is spending the time, "by" is essential (e.g., "time spent by researchers"). If not, it's unnecessary (e.g., "time spent researching").

What's the difference between "time spent on" and "time spent by"?

"Time spent on" refers to the activity or object receiving the time (e.g., "time spent on the project"), while "time spent by" indicates who or what is doing the spending (e.g., "time spent by the team").

How to determine if I should use "time spent by" or another phrase?

Choose "time spent by" when you need to emphasize the agent or entity allocating the time. If the focus is on the task itself, consider using phrases like "time dedicated to" or "time invested in".