(number) noun + AT A TIME – English Grammar Profiler

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The phrase “at a time” means during any one period or in each instance. Here are some examples and explanations:

  • I can only do one thing at a time. This means I cannot multitask or focus on more than one task in each moment.
  • She reads two books at a time. This means she reads two books simultaneously or alternately in each period.
  • He travels for six months at a time. This means he travels for six months in each instance or cycle.

Here are the results of a search in the iWeb corpus for plural time nouns + at a time:

_NNT2 at a time

1 HOURS AT A TIME 9547 2 MONTHS AT A TIME 6812 3 MINUTES AT A TIME 6687 4 WEEKS AT A TIME 5982 5 DAYS AT A TIME 5428 6 SECONDS AT A TIME 2272 7 YEARS AT A TIME 2007 8 MINS AT A TIME 168 9 DECADES AT A TIME 116

10 NIGHTS AT A TIME 111

_MC _N at a time

1 ONE STEP AT A TIME 8277

The idiom “take it one step at a time” means to break down a task or goal into smaller, more manageable steps. It is a reminder to not get overwhelmed by the big picture, but to focus on the next immediate step. This can be helpful when facing a difficult or challenging situation, or when simply trying to get something done.  For example:

Well, why don’t we take it one step at a time 

and see where it leads us?

listen

2 ONE DAY AT A TIME 7083 3 ONE THING AT A TIME 4660 4 ONE PERSON AT A TIME 2584 5 ONE PIECE AT A TIME 1475 6 ONE GAME AT A TIME 1326 7 ONE SIDE AT A TIME 962 8 ONE TASK AT A TIME 914 9 ONE ITEM AT A TIME 864 10 ONE LEG AT A TIME 844 11 ONE LINE AT A TIME 802 12 ONE SECTION AT A TIME 792 13 ONE PAGE AT A TIME 749 14 ONE ROOM AT A TIME 746 15 20 MINUTES AT A TIME 687 16 1 TABLESPOON AT A TIME 685 17 ONE PROJECT AT A TIME 641 18 ONE CUP AT A TIME 624 19 10 MINUTES AT A TIME 573 20 30 MINUTES AT A TIME 569 21 ONE LAYER AT A TIME 564 22 ONE COURSE AT A TIME 562 23 ONE DEVICE AT A TIME 559

24 15 MINUTES AT A TIME 558

It says in your contract, 

four toilet breaks in a day,

 up to fifteen minutes at a time.

listen

25 ONE WORD AT A TIME 533 26 ONE BITE AT A TIME 529 27 ONE YEAR AT A TIME 520 28 ONE TABLESPOON AT A TIME 498 29 ONE WEEK AT A TIME 479 30 ONE FILE AT A TIME 477 31 ONE CARD AT A TIME 466 32 30 SECONDS AT A TIME 462 33 ONE CHARACTER AT A TIME 459 34 ONE LETTER AT A TIME 457 35 ONE MONTH AT A TIME 453 36 ONE NOTE AT A TIME 453 37 TWO WEEKS AT A TIME 447 38 ONE ROW AT A TIME 440 39 ONE STUDENT AT A TIME 433 40 ONE CHILD AT A TIME 432 41 ONE CLASS AT A TIME 413 42 ONE AREA AT A TIME 397 43 ONE FRAME AT A TIME 385 44 ONE ARM AT A TIME 363 45 ONE VARIABLE AT A TIME 356 46 TWO HOURS AT A TIME 347 47 ONE DROP AT A TIME 344 48 ONE QUESTION AT A TIME 338 49 SIX MONTHS AT A TIME 329 50 1 CUP AT A TIME 321 51 ONE BOOK AT A TIME 308 52 THREE MONTHS AT A TIME 306 53 ONE COLOR AT A TIME 305 54 ONE PART AT A TIME 304 55 ONE CUSTOMER AT A TIME 296 56 ONE ELEMENT AT A TIME 295 57 ONE BLOCK AT A TIME 294 58 ONE FOOT AT A TIME 287 59 ONE PATIENT AT A TIME 285 60 ONE EGG AT A TIME 284 61 ONE PROBLEM AT A TIME 284 62 FIVE MINUTES AT A TIME 267 63 ONE CLIENT AT A TIME 266 64 ONE USER AT A TIME 264 65 ONE PLACE AT A TIME 257 66 ONE SONG AT A TIME 257 67 ONE SHEET AT A TIME 254 68 ONE IMAGE AT A TIME 250 69 5 MINUTES AT A TIME 245 70 FOUR HOURS AT A TIME 239 71 THREE HOURS AT A TIME 237 72 ONE MEAL AT A TIME 236 73 ONE GROUP AT A TIME 233 74 10 SECONDS AT A TIME 231 75 ONE JOB AT A TIME 229 76 ONE TRACK AT A TIME 229 77 12 HOURS AT A TIME 225 78 ONE BYTE AT A TIME 225 79 THREE WEEKS AT A TIME 225 80 ONE COMPUTER AT A TIME 224 81 4 HOURS AT A TIME 222 82 ONE COMMUNITY AT A TIME 222 83 ONE ISSUE AT A TIME 221 84 ONE HOUR AT A TIME 220 85 2 HOURS AT A TIME 218 86 ONE HAND AT A TIME 216 87 ONE CHANGE AT A TIME 213 88 24 HOURS AT A TIME 210 89 ONE CHAPTER AT A TIME 210 90 ONE PRODUCT AT A TIME 209 91 ONE LEVEL AT A TIME 207 92 ONE FAMILY AT A TIME 205 93 6 MONTHS AT A TIME 203 94 ONE DIRECTION AT A TIME 202 95 ONE EYE AT A TIME 200 96 ONE PIXEL AT A TIME 198 97 THREE DAYS AT A TIME 196 98 ONE BRICK AT A TIME 193 99 2 WEEKS AT A TIME 191

100 ONE MOMENT AT A TIME 189