year

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "year" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it to indicate a period of time. For example: "This past year has been a challenging one for many people."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

26 human-written examples

They married the following year.

The Guardian - Business

"EE's decision on Friday is surprising in the context of a contract that has more than a year to run and leaves the board with no alternative but to seek the administrator's protection in the interests of all its stakeholders".

The Guardian - Business

For patients with concession cards and children aged under 16 the fee will apply for only the first 10 services in each year.

The Guardian

The proposal does not go as far as banning EU migrants access to income-related benefits entirely for the first year in the UK, as had previously been suggested.

The Guardian

For every year that's pushed out that's a year longer that it will take to make a real difference for people across the world".

The Guardian

Many more whales and dolphins die each year through pollution, bycatch, ship-strike: who is going to legislate for them?

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

34 human-written examples

According to the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT), the cost of a Milton Keynes season ticket has risen 23.5%, or £930, since January 2010 and is one of a number of fares that have increased around four times more than average wages over this five-year period.

The Guardian

An increase in free childcare for three- and four-year-olds, to 30 hours a week.

The Guardian

"Best practice from the independence referendum must be followed – and that includes extending the vote in an EU referendum to 16- and 17-year-olds across the UK.

The Guardian

Eleven-year-old Haley Joel Osment's nomination for The Sixth Sense showed that the academy's weakness for child actors is alive and kicking, though he is far from the youngest ever.

The Guardian - Film

He stood for another six-year term in the number one position on the NSW Senate ticket, but announced his resignation a few weeks after the election.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When specifying a range of years, use an en dash (–) instead of a hyphen (-). For example, use 2020–2025 instead of 2020-2025.

Common error

Avoid using "year" without specifying whether you mean a calendar year, a fiscal year, or another specific period. Lack of clarity can lead to confusion, especially in financial contexts.

Linguistic Context

The word "year" primarily functions as a noun, denoting a unit of time. As Ludwig confirms, it is grammatically sound and widely used. Examples from Ludwig show it indicating specific timeframes or periods.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

30%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "year" is a very common and grammatically correct noun used to denote a period of time, typically 365 or 366 days. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, the word is suitable for use in written English across various contexts. It's most frequently found in news and media, formal business settings, and scientific writing. When using "year", be mindful of specifying the type of year (calendar, fiscal, etc.) to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives include "annual period" or "twelve-month period", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

twelve-month period

Replaces "year" with a more descriptive phrase emphasizing the duration.

calendar year

Specifies a period from January 1st to December 31st.

period of 12 months

More verbose way of expressing the duration.

a twelvemonth

Uses a less common synonym for year.

annual period

Emphasizes the recurring nature of a yearly cycle.

yearly cycle

Highlights the cyclical nature of the year.

365 days

Quantifies the length of a typical year.

one revolution around the sun

Describes the astronomical basis of a year.

the past 365 days

Uses the last 365 days rather than referring to a "year"

one Earth rotation

Emphasizes Earth's movement

FAQs

How to use "year" in a sentence?

The word "year" is used to denote a period of 365 days (or 366 in a leap year). For example, "I graduated last year", or "The company's fiscal year ends in December".

What are common synonyms for "year"?

Common synonyms include "annual period", "calendar year", and "twelve-month period", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "in the year of 2020"?

While grammatically correct, it's more common and concise to say "in 2020". The phrase "in the year of 2020" can sound slightly formal or archaic.

What's the difference between a calendar year and a fiscal year?

A calendar year runs from January 1 to December 31, while a fiscal year is a 12-month period that a company or government uses for accounting purposes. The fiscal year can start on any date.