at five years old

USAGE SUMMARY

"at five years old" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is a prepositional phrase that gives additional information about a noun or pronoun in the sentence. Example: My niece is very smart at five years old.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

At five years old, his actor's ego was fully formed.

The New Yorker

This is the island's largest Vietnamese restaurant, and, at five years old, the youngest.

The New York Times - Food

At five years old, I could not ask the follow-up question".

The Guardian - Arts

He grew up in the same part of Brussels as Kompany and began training with Anderlecht at five years old.

The Guardian - Sport

When I started school at five years old I didn't quite understand how I had come to be.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

At five years old, playing in the waves with her big sister, Ursula slips in the undertow and drowns.

The Guardian - Books

At five years old and covering a city block, the incubator, known as TechTown, describes itself as an "entrepreneurial school" that provides space for emerging businesses to grow.

The New York Times

Raped by his father at five years old, and neglected by his alcoholic mother, Patrick Melrose grew up to become a cocaine and heroin addict.

The Guardian - Books

"I remember being taken down to Maidenhead RFC at five years old and not wanting to get wet, muddy and kicked in the face.

The Guardian - Sport

When the children have missed starting school at five years old, it is a race against time to prevent them from growing up without an education.

The Guardian

Given Dunham's longstanding messy candor – at five years old, she fibs to a woman at an art gallery, saying her father stuck a fork in her vagina – we know that a willingness to shock comes easily to her.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing events that occurred at a specific age, use "at five years old" to clearly indicate the age at which the events took place. For instance, "At five years old, he started learning to play the piano."

Common error

Avoid using a possessive form like "at five year's old". The correct phrasing is "at five years old", without the possessive.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at five years old" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb or clause by indicating when something occurred or was the case. Ludwig's examples demonstrate its use in specifying a particular age.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

92%

Wiki

5%

Science

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "at five years old" is a grammatically correct and very common prepositional phrase used to specify a particular age when describing an event or characteristic. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's suitable for various contexts. It is primarily used in News & Media sources. To avoid errors, ensure the phrase is not used in the possessive form. Alternatives like "at the age of five" or "aged five" can add variety to your writing. Using "at five years old" correctly will help to provide clear and contextual information in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

at the age of five

This alternative replaces "five years old" with "the age of five", providing a slightly more formal tone.

as a five-year-old

This alternative phrase rephrases the original and slightly emphasizes the perspective of a five-year-old.

aged five

This alternative is a more concise and slightly more literary way to express the age.

when they were five

This option shifts the focus to a specific point in the past when someone was five years old.

being five years old

This alternative emphasizes the state of being a certain age.

at five

This is a shortened version of the original phrase, suitable when the context makes the age clear.

at the tender age of five

This option adds an emotional tone, highlighting the vulnerability and innocence of youth.

in their fifth year

This phrase uses ordinal numbers to specify the year of life.

during their fifth year of life

This alternative highlights the duration of life, providing context.

at that young age

This is a more general phrase, emphasizing youth, suitable when the precise age isn't crucial.

FAQs

How can I use "at five years old" in a sentence?

Use "at five years old" to specify the age when describing an event or characteristic. For example, "At five years old, she could already read."

What are some alternatives to saying "at five years old"?

You can use phrases like "at the age of five", "when they were five", or "aged five" depending on the desired level of formality and context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "at five year's old"?

No, the correct phrasing is "at five years old", without the possessive. The phrase describes a state or condition at a specific age, not possession.

What is the difference between "at five years old" and "as a five-year-old"?

"At five years old" specifies a point in time, while "as a five-year-old" describes the perspective or characteristics of someone of that age. For example, "At five years old, he moved to a new city" versus "As a five-year-old, his world was full of wonder."