Time of year/ time of the year

[ratóncolorao]

Hello,

What is the difference between these two expressions?

Time of year

Time of the year

Thank you very much

[5jj]

What is the difference between these two expressions?

Time of year

Time of the year

The second contains the definite article.

[ratóncolorao]

The second contains the definite article.

We can easily see it , but what does it convey in terms of meaning?

Thank you.

[Rover_KE]

You need to give us some context in which you want to use these phrases for us to give you a useful answer.

Rover

[Bennevis]

After having genned up on this on the Internet, I can say that there seems to be no stark difference between the two, except, indeed, for the article. Personally, if a student asked me about this, I'd say that "the year" implies a certain year, whereas "time of just year" would hold for any year in general. Please let me know how this really works.

[ratóncolorao]

After having genned up on this on the Internet, I can say that there seems to be no stark difference between the two, except, indeed, for the article. Personally, if a student asked me about this, I'd say that "the year" implies a certain year, whereas "time of just year" would hold for any year in general. Please let me know how this really works.

Sorry, yes I should have given you the context in which I found this expression, so there it goes:

"Eid al-Fitr is a very important Islamic celebration. It is my favourite time of year. It happens at the end of Ramadan"

I have been searching on the Internet too and this is what I have found:

Time of year = a certain time in the year.

Thank you

[5jj]

If you had given context, I would not have been tempted to make my facetious response.

I feel a slight difference, but this may be personal to me. For me, 'time of year' has the idea of being rather more fixed, similar in a way to 'season'. 'Time of the year' is more flexible.

I have just re-read that, and it sounds pathetic! I am leaving it in case anybody else has a similar feeling and can express it better than I.

[emsr2d2]

I'm with you, 5jj. I know there's a difference but for the life of me I can't work out what it is.

I think I use "time of year" more often than "time of the year".

I love this time of year.
It's that time of year again.
What time of year is your favourite?

In fact, I'm having trouble thinking of a situation where I would use the article. Just maybe...

- I'd like to hold the exhibition this year.
- OK, and what time of the year would you like to hold it?