over a few years vs during a few years

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Over a few years' is used to indicate a period of time that extends beyond a few years, while 'during a few years' is used to specify a time frame within a few years.

Last updated: March 30, 2024 • 1037 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate a period of time that extends beyond a few years.

"over a few years"

This phrase is used to describe events or changes that happen continuously or gradually throughout a period of more than a few years.

Examples:

The company grew steadily over a few years.
She saved up enough money to travel the world over a few years.
The project evolved over a few years of development.
Their relationship deepened over a few years of friendship.
The city transformed over a few years of urban planning.

Show examples from the web [+]

If you are going to open up the possibility to maybe multiple conjunctions of planets with stars, then you can finally have a phenomenon, or rather a series of phenomena, that stretch out over a few years' time.
Hold you over for a few years.
Jesus and Moses, they put it together over lunch a few years back now, I think it was.
As a result, the national money and bond markets in particular developed very quickly over a period of a few years.
Usually an Environmental Monitoring Programme has a long term perspective over at least a few years.
I've added a few over the years.
Our manufacturing base was destroyed, literally over the course of a few years.
I know that the problems cannot be solved over the space of a few years.
I feel that, over a period of a few years, we have all been able to gauge the progress made in this area and to emphasise that the initial choices which we made were valid ones.
And I bet they've had a few over the past few years.
Mining is concentrated in only a few regions which will have to completely restructure their economies over the next few years.
I understand Daniel got into a few scrapes over the last few years.
Meanwhile, Dr Dean Deville and his wife and business partner Dana have gained quite a few pounds over the last few years.
Mr President, over the last few years scientific progress has transformed human organ transplants into a routine medical procedure with over a 99% success rate in western Europe.
Over the last few years, actually more than a few, Ethiopia has been growing much more rapidly.
Because if we've learned anything over these few years It's that you really can't do it without me.
Because if we've learned anything over these few years, it's that you really can't do without me.
Furthermore, the number of people succumbing to these illnesses is likely to continue to rise over the next few years, as this product was still being used up until a few years ago.
On its own, it barely indicates what activities the Commission intends to fund over the next few years.
Pay rises over the last few years have been very modest.

Alternatives:

over the course of a few years
throughout a few years
across a few years

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to specify a time frame within a few years.

"during a few years"

This phrase is used to indicate events or actions that occur within a specific period of a few years.

Examples:

He completed his studies during a few years at university.
The company faced many challenges during a few years of economic downturn.
She traveled extensively during a few years of her youth.
The artist produced several masterpieces during a few years of intense creativity.
The team achieved great success during a few years of hard work.

Show examples from the web [+]

She was killed during a robbery a few years ago.
A detective in your unit connected with a crew member during a UC assignment a few years back.
'Cause l remember during the riot a few years ago,
whereas the foundations for lifelong mental health are laid during a person's first few years of life and whereas mental illness is common among young people, in whom early diagnosis and treatment is of the utmost importance,
They smoked pot for a few years during high school...
It is a country which has made significant economic progress during the last few years.
Incidence has been stable during the past few years.
Eating habits and patterns are developed during the first few years of life.
We can be satisfied with the work we have done during the last few years.
New forms of packaging for foodstuffs have been developed during the last few years.
I believe that we need more reforms within the agricultural area during the next few years.
You are aware that during the last few years the Commission has initiated several activities in this connection.
This is the line with what COBU has proposed during the past few years.
Others focus on tax relief for single-income families and benefits for parents who remain at home during the first few years of their children's lives.
The EU has, during the last few years, entered several actions with the aim of securing its external energy supply.
During the past few years, it has become apparent that non-renewable sources of energy cannot alone meet our future needs in a satisfactory manner.
There are a lot of the cyclones and strong winds during the last few years.
Regulated access to transport infrastructures should be considered as a sensible option for operators during the first few years of the commercial development of CCS.
China has been criticised repeatedly during the past few years, sometimes strongly, for violations of the rights laid in Conventions 87 and 98.
As regards airborne particles, a substantial body of new scientific evidence on the sources and the health effects has become available during the last few years.

Alternatives:

for a few years
within a few years
through a few years

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over a few years vs during a few years

"over a few years"

"during a few years"

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