be delivered until

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "be delivered until" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used incorrectly as it suggests a timeframe that is not logically coherent. Example: "The package will be delivered until Friday, but it should arrive by Wednesday."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

50 human-written examples

The 450GL promise is vague and would not be delivered until 2024.

The Guardian

In May, I was told it would not be delivered until September.

The Guardian - Money

However Francis recently announced that the report would not now be delivered until early 2013.

The Guardian

In 2014 it bought eight Black Hawk helicopters from the US, but those won't be delivered until 2017.

Independent

The plane maker said the first Dreamliner would not be delivered until the middle of the first quarter of 2011.

The New York Times

Consoles won't be delivered until December 21st, which means that those on eBay are actualy selling their successful pre-orders.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

9 human-written examples

He obviously did not know exactly what speech he would be delivering until events in Libya reached a (semi) conclusion last month.

The Guardian

In fact, neither ENIAC nor the Bell Model 5 were delivered until after the war ended.

Columbia University

The ships could not have been delivered until the end of the decade.

The Economist

It also noted that outside the U.S., Model 3 orders won't begin being delivered until "late 2018," with right-hand drive markets not receiving shipments until 2019.

TechCrunch

The 19 737-200s were gradually handed to their owners, while seven 737-400s and seventeen 737-500s were delivered until 1994.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When specifying a deadline or latest possible time for delivery, use "by" or "before" instead of "until". For example, say "The package will be delivered by Friday" instead of "The package will be delivered until Friday".

Common error

Avoid using "until" to define a delivery deadline; "until" indicates a continuous action up to a point, not a final delivery time. Incorrect: "The service will be available until the end of the month." Correct: "The service will be available by the end of the month."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be delivered until" functions as a connector indicating a point in time up to which something is expected, however, it's typically used incorrectly, as pointed out by Ludwig. It struggles to define a clear endpoint for the delivery.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

29%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Academia

3%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "be delivered until" appears frequently across varied sources, Ludwig flags it as grammatically incorrect. The core issue lies in its implication of a continuous delivery process leading up to a certain point, which is illogical. For clarity and grammatical precision, using alternatives like "be delivered by" or "be delivered before" is recommended. While the phrase might be understood, especially in informal contexts, opting for grammatically sound alternatives will ensure clearer communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be delivered by

Specifies the latest acceptable time for delivery, focusing on a deadline rather than a duration.

be delivered before

Indicates delivery should occur at any point prior to a specific time.

not be delivered after

Emphasizes that delivery shouldn't occur past a particular time.

be scheduled for delivery by

Focuses on the scheduling aspect, ensuring delivery is planned before a given date.

be expected to be delivered by

Highlights an anticipated delivery time that acts as an upper bound.

be arranged for delivery by

Highlights the planning that guarantees delivery at an upper bound.

be completed no later than

Shifts the focus to completion instead of delivery, but still implies a deadline.

be finalized before

Focuses on finalization of a task rather than delivery and uses a upper bound.

be available no later than

Refers to availability instead of delivery and implies a similar upper bound

be provided before

Replaces delivery with providing, with a similar deadline implication.

FAQs

How can I properly use "be delivered" with a time reference?

Instead of saying "be delivered until", which is grammatically awkward, use "be delivered by" or "be delivered before" to indicate the latest possible delivery time. For example, "The package should be delivered by Friday."

What's wrong with saying "be delivered until"?

The phrase "be delivered until" suggests the delivery process will continue up to a certain time, which doesn't make logical sense. It's better to use "be delivered by" to define the delivery deadline.

What are some alternatives to "be delivered until" that sound more natural?

Better alternatives include "be delivered by", "be delivered before", or specifying a delivery timeframe like "be delivered between Monday and Wednesday".

Is "be delivered until" grammatically correct?

No, "be delivered until" isn't considered grammatically correct in standard English. The correct way to express a delivery deadline is to use "be delivered by" or "be delivered before".