Not until recently

USAGE SUMMARY

"Not until recently" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase to express an action or event that did not happen until a specified point in time. For example: "I had never tasted sushi before, not until recently."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

"Not until recently".

The Guardian - Film

"Not until recently," Cooley said, "have we started to look at demand".

The New Yorker

Not until recently did Mr. Hanley get documentation of the conflicting personnel records.

The New York Times

Not until recently (c. 2003 2004), with the advent of x86-64 archavectures, have 64-bit processors become commonplace.

Wikipedia

At least, not until recently.

The New York Times

Not in Taiwan at least, not until recently.

The Economist

It was not until recently, however, that Altidore broke out.

The New York Times - Sports

"I don't get recognised much – well not until recently".

Independent

But not until recently did I feel it.

The New York Times - Magazine

"Well, at least not until recently," he adds.

The Guardian - Music

It was not until recently, though, that the county had a way of abolishing a city.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "Not until recently" to highlight a shift or change in a situation, emphasizing that the situation was different before a certain point in time. It's useful when contrasting past and present states.

Common error

Avoid using "Not until recently" with future tenses. It's best suited for describing past or present changes, not anticipated future ones.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "Not until recently" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate a time frame. As evidenced by Ludwig, it introduces a condition that something did not occur before a specific point in the recent past.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

43%

Formal & Business

9%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "Not until recently" is a grammatically correct and commonly used adverbial phrase that highlights a change or realization occurring in the near past. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage in written English. It is versatile and suitable for various contexts, including news, science, and formal business communications. When using this phrase, ensure you're indicating a past or present change rather than a future anticipation. Consider alternatives like "only in recent times" or "just lately" for nuanced meaning. It's important to use the correct sentence structure (inversion) after the phrase for grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Only in recent times

Emphasizes the newness of the situation.

Just lately

Highlights the short duration since the change occurred.

In recent years

Focuses on the period of time when the change happened.

Not before now

Stresses the present moment as the point of change.

Up until now

Implies a continuation to the present, where a change is introduced.

In the past few years

Specifies a timeframe of change.

Newly

Indicates something is fresh or current.

Of late

A more formal way of saying lately.

In recent memory

Refers to events within a person's recollection.

Just now

Refers to a time immediately before the present.

FAQs

How can I use "Not until recently" in a sentence?

Use "Not until recently" to indicate that something has only started or become true in the near past. For example, "Not until recently did I understand the importance of regular exercise."

What are some alternatives to "Not until recently"?

You can use alternatives like "only in recent times", "just lately", or "in recent years" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "Not until recently I realized" or "Not until recently did I realize"?

"Not until recently did I realize" is the grammatically correct structure. It uses inversion, which is standard after negative adverbials like "not until".

What's the difference between "Not until recently" and "Until recently"?

"Not until recently" emphasizes that something didn't happen before a certain point, whereas "Until recently" simply states that something was true up to a certain point. They have slightly different nuances.