during my teens

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "during my teens" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to refer to one's teenage years, which can generally be defined as the years between the ages of 13 and 19. For example, you could say "During my teens, I learned how to drive and got my first job."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

She had twice attempted suicide during my teens.

The New York Times

In the mid-70s, during my teens, he went into a prolonged depression.

The Guardian - Arts

For me it began when I was a kid in the 1950s and '60s, before and during my teens.

The New York Times - Arts

If you had any sense of what was right you had a problem and, during my teens, I turned to food for comfort and for safety.

Independent

But I've been pretty close to the edge several times, and pretty much constantly during my teens, when I didn't feel I could talk to anyone about it.

The Guardian

I felt no happier with the labels of "transvestite" or "transsexual" than I had during my teens and I'd never seen this sensation of discomfort expressed other than in phrases such as "trapped in the wrong body", which had never quite spoken to me.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

I don't recall exactly when I started taking an interest in what I like to call "word mosaics," but it was probably during my teen years.

The New York Times

Yet the one downside to the 1975 is that Matt Healy still insists on swigging from a bottle of wine on stage, which is something I used to do during my teen slam-poetry days.

The Guardian - Music

Here are seven pointers I share with parents and students pointers I wish someone had mentioned during my teen years.

Forbes

Exploitative employment during my teen years furthered my isolation.

Vice

I read metric tons of Harry Potter fan fiction during my teen years and still sometimes indulge.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "during my teens", ensure the context clearly refers to the period between ages 13 and 19. Be specific if you mean early, mid, or late teens for better clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "during my teens" if you're referring to experiences outside the 13-19 age range. If you mean ages 10-12, use "in my pre-teen years" or something similar.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "during my teens" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb by specifying when an action or state occurred. It provides a temporal context, indicating that something happened within the period of the speaker's teenage years, according to Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

3%

Academia

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "during my teens" is a grammatically correct and commonly used prepositional phrase to indicate events occurring between the ages of 13 and 19. As Ludwig AI pointed out, this is a standard, readily understood phrase and context is important. While grammatically sound and considered correct English, it's essential to use it accurately and be mindful of potential ambiguity by clarifying which part of the teenage years is being referenced (early, mid, or late). It appears most frequently in news and media contexts but also sees use in more formal writing. Consider using alternative phrases like "in my teenage years" or "throughout my adolescence" to introduce nuance or formality to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in my teenage years

Replaces "during" with "in" and uses the plural form of "teenage year", emphasizing the period.

throughout my adolescence

Substitutes "teens" with the more formal "adolescence", indicating the entire developmental phase.

in my adolescent period

Replaces "teens" with "adolescent period", offering a more descriptive alternative.

when I was a teenager

Shifts the structure to a clause, specifying the time when the speaker was a teenager.

during my high school years

Specifies the time frame as high school, which typically overlaps with teenage years.

in my youth

Uses a broader term, "youth", to refer to the time of being young, which includes teenage years.

back when I was a teen

Adds a nostalgic tone with "back when", referring to the time the speaker was a teen.

in my early adulthood

Refers to the beginning of adulthood, which can overlap with the later teenage years.

in my formative years

Emphasizes the developmental aspect of the teenage years.

when I was coming of age

Focuses on the transitional aspect of becoming an adult during the teenage years.

FAQs

What does "during my teens" mean?

The phrase "during my teens" refers to the period of someone's life between the ages of 13 and 19, also known as adolescence or teenage years.

What's a more formal way to say "during my teens"?

A more formal way to express the same idea is "throughout my adolescence".

Can I use "in my teens" instead of "during my teens"?

Yes, "in my teens" is a perfectly acceptable and often interchangeable alternative to "during my teens".

Is it correct to say "during my teenager years"?

No, the correct phrase is "during my teens" or "during my teenage years". "Teenager years" is grammatically incorrect.