| No | Pattern | Freq | Relations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | a number of years [prep] | 60 |
|
| 2 | a couple of years [prep] | 47 |
|
| 3 | a [noun sg] of years in | 21 |
|
| 4 | a [noun sg] of years of | 19 |
|
| 5 | a [noun sg] of years after | 14 |
|
| 6 | a [noun sg] of years before | 12 |
|
| 7 | a period of years [prep] | 11 |
|
| 8 | a [noun sg] of years by | 9 |
|
| 9 | a [noun sg] of years to | 8 |
|
| 10 | a [noun sg] of years on | 8 |
|
| 11 | a [noun sg] of years for | 6 |
|
| 12 | a [noun sg] of years without | 5 |
|
| 13 | a [noun sg] of years with | 5 |
|
