interval
B2Formal to neutral
Definition
Meaning
A period of time between two events or states.
A space or gap between two points, objects, or values; a pause or break in activity; a difference in pitch between two musical notes.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word is polysemous, with primary meanings in time, space, and music. In British English, it has a specific, high-frequency meaning related to theatre/entertainment breaks.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'interval' is the standard term for a break in the middle of a play, concert, or film (US: 'intermission'). In US English, 'interval' is less common in this context and sounds more formal or technical.
Connotations
In UK, strongly associated with theatre/cinema. In both, carries connotations of measurement, regularity, and structure.
Frequency
Higher frequency in UK English due to the specific entertainment context. In US, more common in technical, academic, or medical contexts (e.g., confidence interval, time interval).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
at [adjective] intervalsan interval of [time period]an interval between X and Ywith an interval ofafter an intervalVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “at regular intervals”
- “after a decent interval”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in scheduling, project management, and reporting (e.g., 'reporting intervals', 'maintenance intervals').
Academic
Common in mathematics (confidence interval), statistics, music theory, and history (e.g., 'measured at five-year intervals').
Everyday
Used for breaks in activities, waiting times, and spacing of events (e.g., 'trains run at 20-minute intervals').
Technical
Precise term in medicine (QT interval), computing (polling interval), engineering, and science.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The concert was intervaled with short speeches.
- (Note: 'interval' as a verb is archaic/rare in modern English.)
American English
- (The verb form 'to interval' is virtually unused in modern American English.)
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverb form.)
American English
- (No standard adverb form.)
adjective
British English
- (No standard adjective form. 'Intervalic' exists in music theory but is highly technical.)
American English
- (No standard adjective form. 'Intervalic' exists in music theory but is highly technical.)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- There is a short interval between classes.
- The bus comes at regular intervals.
- We had a fifteen-minute interval in the middle of the play.
- Plant the trees at intervals of two metres.
- After a considerable interval, she finally replied to my email.
- The data was collected at predetermined intervals.
- The confidence interval for the survey results was quite narrow.
- A perfect fifth is a musical interval with a specific frequency ratio.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of INTERVAL as INTERrupting the normal VALue or flow—it's a break in time, space, or sound.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME/SPACE IS A MEASURABLE DISTANCE (e.g., 'a long interval', 'the interval between posts').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate as 'интервал' for a theatre break in UK English—use 'interval'. In Russian, 'интервал' can imply a more technical or precise gap, while English 'interval' is broader.
- The phrase 'at intervals' is often translated as 'периодически' or 'через промежутки', not word-for-word.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'interval' as a countable noun without an article (e.g., 'There was interval of ten minutes'). Correct: 'There was an interval...'
- Confusing 'interval' with 'interim' (which is more about a provisional period).
- In US English, using 'interval' for a theatre break sounds unnatural; 'intermission' is preferred.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'interval' MOST likely to be replaced by 'intermission' in American English?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Interval' often implies a structured or measured pause between parts of a larger event (e.g., a play, a concert, a repeating process). 'Break' is more general and can be any pause in activity, often less formal or structured.
Yes. While its primary meaning is temporal, it can refer to a physical gap or space between objects (e.g., 'the interval between fence posts'), though 'gap' or 'space' is often more common in everyday speech for physical distance.
They are similar, but 'at intervals' suggests a more regular or measurable recurrence, while 'from time to time' is vaguer and implies occasional, irregular occurrence.
It is a common, polysemous word used in formal and technical contexts. Learners at B2 need to understand its different meanings (time, space, music) and its common collocations (e.g., 'at regular intervals', 'time interval') across various domains.
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