for ages now

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "for ages now" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that something has been happening for a long time and continues to the present. Example: "I've been waiting for a response from them for ages now, and I'm starting to lose hope."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

43 human-written examples

We've talked about collaborating on something for ages now.

Independent

Pretty and ugly have been the poles of contemporary figure painting for ages now.

The New York Times

Pretty and ugly have been the twin poles of contemporary figure painting for ages now.

The New York Times - Arts

Apple's iOS has had a magnifying glass for text selection for ages – now Android does too.

The Guardian - Tech

The company seems to have been in some sort of transition from one spelling to the other for ages now.

The Economist

We'd lived on top of the national grid for ages, now someone had switched off the plant for refurbishment...".

The Guardian - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

17 human-written examples

Omega: What wish do you have for women coming of age now, who are just beginning their careers and lives?

Huffington Post

I had secretly felt the need to write words for ages, and now was my chance.

The Guardian - Music

Ukraine has been in trouble for ages, but now it is really struggling.

The Economist

He'd been after her job for ages, and now – as she'd long predicted – he'd finally stolen it.

The Guardian

"I've wanted to swim under 15 minutes for ages and now I've finally done it.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "for ages now", ensure it logically connects to a present-tense or present-perfect verb to maintain grammatical consistency and clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "for ages now" with a past simple verb. This phrase indicates an ongoing situation that started in the past and continues to the present, requiring a present perfect or present tense construction, not past simple.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "for ages now" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb to indicate the duration of an action or state. It specifies how long something has been happening, emphasizing its prolonged nature and current relevance, as demonstrated by examples in Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Science

5%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "for ages now" is a commonly used adverbial phrase indicating that something has been happening for a considerable time and continues to the present. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and frequent usage, especially in news and media contexts. While alternatives like "for a long time now" and "for years now" exist, the key is to maintain consistency in tense and context to ensure clarity in writing. Avoid using it with past simple verbs to prevent grammatical errors.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

for a long time now

Replaces "ages" with "a long time", offering a more general and slightly less emphatic sense of duration.

for years now

Specifies the duration using "years", making it more concrete but potentially less flexible if the time frame isn't actually years.

for quite some time now

Adds a degree of emphasis with "quite some", suggesting the duration is significant.

for a considerable time now

Replaces "ages" with "a considerable time", increasing the formality and highlighting the substantial duration.

for what seems like forever

Emphasizes the perceived length of time, often used hyperbolically to express frustration or impatience.

for an eternity now

Uses hyperbole to stress the extensive duration, implying the period feels extremely long.

since forever

This alternative is shorter and more colloquial.

for donkey's years

This is an informal British idiom that expresses a long period of time.

since time immemorial

Implies the duration extends back to a point beyond memory or record, adding a sense of historical depth.

for a coon's age

This is an informal American idiom that expresses a long period of time.

FAQs

How can I use "for ages now" in a sentence?

Use "for ages now" to indicate that something has been happening for a long time and is still happening. For example, "I've been waiting "for ages now" for the package to arrive".

What can I say instead of "for ages now"?

You can use alternatives like "for a long time now", "for years now", or "for quite some time now" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "for ages" without the "now"?

Yes, saying "for ages" is grammatically correct and means essentially the same thing, though it may not emphasize the continuing relevance to the present moment as strongly as ""for ages now"".

What's the difference between ""for ages now"" and "for decades now"?

"For decades now" specifies a period of multiple decades, while ""for ages now"" is more general and doesn't specify a precise length of time. The former implies a much longer duration.