but up until now

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "but up until now" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate a contrast or change in a situation that has persisted until the present moment. Example: "I have been working on this project for months, but up until now, I haven't received any feedback."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

"But up until now, they have had a lot of trouble".

The New York Times

"But up until now, there's been no competitive pressure for them to really get crazy and do transformational things".

The New York Times

But up until now, marine mammals were considered largely unaffected by such events.

Yale University

But up until now, there is still a lack in transfer of this large amount of knowledge created by research activities on to industrial application and commercialization.

Surface and Coatings Technology

But up until now the degradation of magnesium inside the human body is too fast and therefore the structural stability is lost too early.

Procedia CIRP

But up until now he is the last person one would describe as hip or cool.

The Guardian - Music

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

5 human-written examples

But almost all, up until now, have been intractable.

HuffPost

"But the internet has up until now remained 'partially free.'" .

Vice

Tourist went on to sell 3m copies worldwide, but Navarre never followed it up until now.

The Guardian - Music

But it did not​ quite show up until now.

The Guardian

It sounds pretty basic and it is but up until now Instagram has been a fleeting slideshow.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "but up until now" to clearly indicate a change or contrast from a previous state. It's effective for highlighting shifts in situations, perspectives, or actions.

Common error

Avoid using "but up until now" with other phrases that already indicate a time frame (e.g., "but up until now, previously..."). This can create redundancy and weaken the sentence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "but up until now" functions as a transitional phrase, connecting a previous state or action with a new, contrasting one. It emphasizes the shift or change that has occurred. Ludwig AI confirms its wide usability across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

71%

Science

18%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "but up until now" is a commonly used transitional phrase to introduce a contrast or change from a previously existing state. Ludwig AI affirms its grammatical correctness and applicability across diverse contexts. It appears most frequently in news and media, but is also relevant in scientific and academic writing. When employing the phrase, be mindful of avoiding redundancy with other time-related expressions to maintain clarity and conciseness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

however until now

Replaces 'but' with 'however', maintaining the contrastive meaning.

yet until now

Substitutes 'but' with 'yet', keeping the contrastive sense.

up to the present but

Similar meaning but uses "present" instead of "now".

until recently though

Reorders the phrase and uses 'though' instead of 'but'.

before now however

Highlights the temporal shift, then introduces the contrast.

until this point but

Specifies 'this point' as the turning point, then introduces the contrast.

prior to this moment but

Similar meaning with a slightly more formal tone.

previously however

Focuses on the previous state with 'previously' and uses 'however' for contrast.

formerly but

Highlights the former state using 'formerly', then introduces the contrast.

in the past but

Emphasizes the past condition, then introduces the contrast.

FAQs

How can I use "but up until now" in a sentence?

You can use "but up until now" to introduce a contrasting situation or outcome that has recently changed. For example, "They had trouble, "but up until now", things are different".

What are some alternatives to "but up until now"?

Alternatives include "however until now", "yet until now", or "until recently though", depending on the nuance you wish to convey.

Is it redundant to use "but" with "up until now"?

While "up until now" implies a shift, adding "but" emphasizes the contrast more strongly. The redundancy is stylistic and often acceptable for clarity.

What's the difference between "but up until now" and "until now"?

"Until now" simply indicates a situation has persisted. "But up until now" introduces a direct contrast to that situation, highlighting a change or different outcome.