over the course of

IELTS use

Useful for describing changes over time in Task 1 line graphs or processes, and for discussing long-term trends or developments in Task 2 and Speaking.

Examples

1. The temperature increased steadily over the course of the 20th century.
2. Over the course of the experiment, the researchers observed significant changes in behaviour.
3. The city's population has grown by 20% over the course of the last decade.

Collocations

over the course of a year

Sales figures improved gradually over the course of a year.

over the course of the study

Over the course of the study, participants reported reduced anxiety levels.

over the course of several weeks

The plants were watered regularly over the course of several weeks.

over the course of history

Over the course of history, trade routes have shaped cultural exchange.

Paraphrases

• during the period of: More formal; used when specifying exact dates.
• throughout: Implies continuous action over the whole period.
• over the span of: Emphasizes the length of the time period.

Common mistakes

• Over the course in the project, we collected data. to Over the course of the project, we collected data.. Use 'of' after 'course'.
• Over the course of three months, the number of visitors increased. to Over the course of three months, the number of visitors increased.. This sentence is correct; ensure that 'course of' is used properly. A common error is to write 'over the course three months' missing 'of'.
• Over the course of, the temperature went up. to Over the course of the day, the temperature went up.. The phrase needs a noun after 'course of' to specify the period.