5.135 Indicating the whole of a period

If you want to emphasize that something lasts for the whole of a period of time, you can use 'all' as a determiner with many general time words.

• 'I've been wanting to do this all day,' she said.
• I've been here all night.
• They said you were out all afternoon.
• We've not seen them all summer.

You can also use 'whole' as a modifier in front of a general time word.

• They forecast a fall in profits for the whole of 1989.
• ...scientists who are monitoring food safety the whole time.
• ...women who have stopped menstruating for a whole year

You can also use 'all through', 'right through', and 'throughout' with 'the' and many general time words, or with a specific decade, year, month, or special period.

• Discussions and arguments continued all through the day.
• Right through the summer months they are rarely out of sight.
• Throughout the Sixties, man's first voyage to other worlds came closer.

Words referring to events can be used instead of the time words, to emphasize that something happened for the entire duration of the event.

• He wore an expression of angry contempt throughout the interrogation.
• A patient reported a dream that had recurred throughout her life.
• All through the cruelly long journey home, he lay utterly motionless.

5.136

If you want to emphasize that something happens all the time, you can list periods of the day or seasons of the year, or mention contrasting ones.

• ...people coming in morning, noon, and night.
• I've worn the same suit summer, winter, autumn and spring, for five years.
• Thousands of slave labourers worked night and day to build the fortifications.
• Ten gardeners used to work this land, winter and summer.