at five minutes

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "at five minutes" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate a specific time duration or point in time, often in contexts related to scheduling or timing events. Example: "The meeting will start at five minutes past the hour."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

At five minutes to noon, her phone rang.

The Washington Post

At five minutes of eight, the little man fell exhausted.

The New Yorker

Her Apgar score was eight at one minute and nine at five minutes — nearly perfect.

The New Yorker

At five minutes to ten, an armed man entered and started shooting.

The New Yorker

Count Tolstoy passed away at five minutes past six this morning without having regained consciousness.

The Guardian - Books

"The kitchen just closed," the maître d' said when we arrived at five minutes to one.

The New Yorker

But at five minutes and 44 seconds into the video, he states: "I think I'm OK.

The Guardian

"Perhaps there's a bid of grandstanding at five minutes to midnight so people notice you".

The Guardian

The first train left Dalston Junction at five minutes after midday.

The Guardian - Books

Infants who have a score of 7 or above at five minutes will continue to do well.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The most common complaint about the broadcast is that at five minutes, it is far too brief.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "at five minutes" to clearly specify a point in time relative to another event or deadline. For example, "The presentation will begin at five minutes past the hour."

Common error

Avoid using "at five minutes" to describe the length of an activity. Use "for five minutes" instead. For example, say "The microwave needs to run for five minutes", not "at five minutes".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at five minutes" functions primarily as an adverbial phrase of time. Ludwig examples show it modifying verbs to specify when an action occurs, aligning with Ludwig AI's assessment of its usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

33%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

7%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "at five minutes" serves as an adverbial phrase of time, used to specify a precise point in time. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and frequent use across various contexts. As highlighted by Ludwig's examples, this phrase appears commonly in News & Media and Scientific articles as well. When writing, remember to use "at five minutes" for specifying when something occurs, and "for five minutes" when indicating a duration.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in five minutes

Changes the preposition to indicate a time frame.

five minutes from now

Specifies a duration from the present moment.

five minutes later

Indicates a point in time after a previous event.

after five minutes

Highlights the time elapsed before something happens.

within five minutes

Implies that something will occur before the five-minute mark.

five-minute mark

Refers to a specific point in time during an event or process.

at the five-minute point

Similar to "five-minute mark", but with slightly different wording.

precisely five minutes

Emphasizes the exactness of the time duration.

exactly five minutes

Similar to "precisely five minutes", stressing accuracy.

for five minutes

Indicates the duration of an action or event.

FAQs

How can I use "at five minutes" in a sentence?

Use "at five minutes" to indicate a specific point in time. For example, "The train is scheduled to depart "at five minutes" after the hour".

What is a good alternative to using "at five minutes"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "in five minutes", "five minutes later", or "after five minutes".

Is it correct to say "at five minutes" or "in five minutes"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but they have slightly different meanings. "At five minutes" specifies a point in time, while "in five minutes" indicates a duration or timeframe.

What's the difference between "at five minutes" and "for five minutes"?

"At five minutes" refers to a specific time, whereas "for five minutes" indicates the length of time something lasts. So, you'd say "The meeting starts "at five minutes" past 10" but "The presentation will last "for five minutes"".