ENGLISH
REFERENCE

over time

prep. phr..
B1 Intermediate Oxford

prep. phr.. when something happens or changes slowly as the weeks, months, or years pass.

prep. phr.. denoting a gradual progression or cumulative change occurring throughout a period of duration.


SIMPLE

Your English will improve over time.

CONTEXTUAL

The old stone steps have worn down over time because so many people walked on them.

COMPLEX

While the initial results were modest, the compound interest allowed the investment to grow significantly over time.

Usage

usually placed at the end of a sentence or clause to describe a slow process.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'in time' (which means 'eventually' or 'before a deadline'); 'over time' emphasizes the steady, gradual nature of the change.

Pitfall

The weather changed over the time.The weather changed over time.the phrase is a fixed expression and does not use the definite article 'the' when referring to general duration.

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