which spans from

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'which spans from' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when you want to connect two items or ideas that cover a wide period of time. For example: The Great Depression which spans from 1929 to 1939 had a devastating impact on the global economy.

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Tom Campbell, the director, believes people will see how the Met's jewellery collection, which spans 2,000 years, has influenced Mr Rosenthal.

The Economist

Richard Linklater, the director of Boyhood, works 18-hour days and shot the whole of his film, which spans 12 years, in just over a month.

The Guardian - Opinion

Along with major works by Monet and Georgia O'Keeffe, it is a prize of the Museum of Fine Arts's collection, which spans 4,500 years.

The New York Times

The series, which spans 1967 to 2002, features pairs of images presented side by side, each diptych showing a structure or a landscape once in the summer months and again in the winter.

The New Yorker

The team from her institute, together with Chinese geologists, recently generated a map of China's coal fires that showed a constellation of glowing orange spots spread across the country's northern coal belt, which spans 3,000 miles and is 400 miles wide.

The New York Times - Science

What researchers do know is that during breeding season, which spans winter and spring, up to 20 males jostle to get close to a single female.

Science Magazine

Ryan can celebrate his recent Grammy wins with the rest of the Shark Face Gang in his new abode, which spans 7,610 square feet with four bedrooms and 3.75 bathrooms.

Huffington Post

The 4.8 magnitude earthquake that struck early Sunday near the Norris Geyser Basin in the northwest section of Yellowstone, which spans 3,472 square miles of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, caused no injuries or damages and did not make any noticeable alterations to the landscape, geologists said.

Huffington Post

At least 20 clones were analyzed for each of the four regions, which spans 2,005 nucleotides per clone, and thus represents 480,144 nucleotides.

Plosone

However, based on the deletion endpoints found in strain HS-2-5-6, (which spans GBAA0832 and GBAA0833) we speculate that it is the expression of GBAA0835 that is responsible for high-level ciprofloxacin resistance while the other two genes are not involved in this phenotype.

Plosone

19 (D05), which spans 227.2 cM with 132 loci, and the shortest chromosome was Chr.

G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "which spans from", ensure the sentence clearly defines both the starting and ending points of the range. Be precise about the units of measurement (e.g., years, miles, pages).

Common error

Avoid using "which spans from" without specifying the end point of the range. This can lead to ambiguity. Instead of "the project, which spans from last year", specify "the project, which spans from last year to the present".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "which spans from" introduces a relative clause, modifying a noun by specifying a range or duration. As Ludwig AI confirms, this is grammatically sound, and it serves to provide additional detail about the noun in question.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "which spans from" is a grammatically correct relative clause used to define the extent or duration of something. As indicated by Ludwig AI, its use is appropriate for providing additional, non-essential details. Due to the limited number of examples, determining specific usage patterns and common contexts is challenging. However, based on its function, it is likely to be found in neutral to formal writing. When using this phrase, ensure clarity by specifying both the start and end points of the range to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

that extends from

Replaces "spans" with "extends", emphasizing the reach or scope.

that ranges from

Uses "ranges" to highlight the variation between two points, instead of a simple duration.

that covers from

Emphasizes the coverage or inclusion of something within a specific scope.

that runs from

Suggests a temporal or spatial progression from a starting point.

that stretches from

Implies a more significant distance or duration.

that includes from

Focuses on the inclusion of items starting from a certain origin.

that goes from

Casual alternative, indicating a transition or movement from a point.

that originates from

Highlights the origin or starting point of something.

whose duration ranges from

More formal alternative emphasizing duration.

whose timeline extends from

Specifically refers to a timeline or chronological scope.

FAQs

How can I use "which spans from" in a sentence?

Use "which spans from" to define the range or duration of something. For example: "The exhibition, "which spans from" 1920 to 1950, showcases artwork from the interwar period."

What is a good alternative to "which spans from"?

Alternatives include phrases like "that extends from", "that ranges from", or "that covers from", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "that spans from" instead of "which spans from"?

Yes, "that spans from" can be used if the clause is essential to the meaning of the sentence. "Which spans from" is used for nonessential, additional information.

What's the difference between "which spans from" and "spanning from"?

"Which spans from" is a relative clause, while "spanning from" introduces a participial phrase, often used to reduce a relative clause. For instance, "a period, "which spans from" 1900 to 1950" versus "a period, "spanning from" 1900 to 1950".