progression
progression — noun
1. the process of growing, changing, or moving forward step by step toward a more a
the process of growing, changing, or moving forward step by step toward a more advanced or complete state
Pedro's progression from beginner to fluent French speaker took three years.
progression from [X] to [Y] — shows the transition pattern
The doctor was pleased with the patient's steady progression after the surgery.
collocation: steady progression
Each level of the course marks a natural progression in difficulty and skill.
Career progression in that company depends on completing several training programmes.
The report tracks the progression of the disease over a twelve-month period.
- progress
more general term for forward movement; 'progression' emphasises distinct stages, while 'progress' can be more continuous
- advancement
more formal, often used for careers, technology, or social change
- development
broader term covering growth and maturation, not limited to forward motion
- regression
movement backward to an earlier, less advanced state
- decline
gradual loss of strength, quality, or importance
文法句型
progression + from + [noun] + to + [noun]
用法筆記
Frequently used with prepositions such as 'from…to…' or 'toward' to indicate the direction of change. Also commonly followed by 'of' + noun to specify what is progressing (e.g., progression of the disease, progression of technology).
常見錯誤
2. the way chords (= groups of notes played together) move from one to the next wit
the way chords (= groups of notes played together) move from one to the next within a musical composition, forming the harmonic backbone of the piece
Mizuki learned a basic blues chord progression on the guitar in her first lesson.
chord progression — a sequence of chords in music
That jazz progression sounds complicated, but the pattern repeats every four bars.
Hamza wrote a new chord progression for the chorus of his band's latest song.
The song opens with a simple four-chord progression that many beginners recognise.
- chord sequence
less formal alternative, common in teaching contexts
- harmonic progression
more technical term used in music theory and analysis
文法句型
chord progression + [preposition]
用法筆記
Nearly always paired with the word 'chord' — 'chord progression' is the standard term. The music sense is a countable noun and often modified by genre names (blues progression, jazz progression).
3. a number of related things that follow one after another in a particular order,
a number of related things that follow one after another in a particular order, often showing a pattern or development
The museum displayed a progression of paintings showing the artist's changing style.
a progression of [things] — a series in order
A progression of strange events led the detective to finally solve the case.
The textbook presents a logical progression of mathematical ideas from simple to complex.
Over the centuries, a slow progression of legal reforms improved rights for ordinary people.
文法句型
a progression + of + [plural noun]
用法筆記
Often followed by 'of' + noun phrase. Unlike sense 1 (DEVELOPMENT), this sense does not imply improvement or forward movement — it simply notes an ordered arrangement. The items in the series may be neutral or even negative (a progression of setbacks).