less than age

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less than age" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be an incomplete expression and lacks clarity without additional context. Example: "Children less than age 12 are eligible for the discount."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

50 human-written examples

"At less than age 7, parents should be cautious," said Dr. Kevin D. Plancher, an orthopedic surgeon who teaches at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx.

The New York Times - Health

Nearly one-half of the population is less than age 15, with some three-fourths under age 30; on the other hand, only a small fraction of the population is 60 or older.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The general finding of such investigations was that the expectation of life of sons of long-lived parents (i.e., those living to age 70 years or older) was greater than that of sons of shorter-lived parents (i.e., those having attained less than age 50 at the time of death).

Encyclopedia Britannica

Higher prevalence rates of most mental disorders were found among younger people (less than age 45 years), with the exception of severe cognitive impairments.

Duke University

It took the biggest sequel-to-sequel plunge as well (Transformers: The Last Knight made $499m less than Age of Extinction), but unless The Last Jedi ended up outgrossing The Avengers that too was inevitable.

Forbes

The purpose of this systematic review is to describe and summarize the results of intervention studies of distraction arthroplasty used to treat post-traumatic arthritis in patients less than age 50 years of age compared to intervention studies on tibio-talar microfracture, allograft, and autograft for ankle joint preservation.

Strategies in Trauma and Limb Reconstruction

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

10 human-written examples

On average, patients with cerebellar ataxia modified stiffness differentially for the two perturbation conditions, although significantly less than age-matched control subjects.

Stanford University

Surprisingly, the patients' intact ability to generally alter their limb stiffness during the postural task (albeit less than age-matched control subjects) improved their movement performance in a subsequent tracing task.

Stanford University

Indeed, data confirmed that Rip-Cre;Vhl f/f mice weighed significantly less than age-matched littermates at all time points analyzed (Figure 2A).

Plosone

All animals showed below-average weight, with one representative cohort of ∼14 15 week-old double mutant males (n = 5) having an average weight 26% less than age-matched littermate control males (n = 10) (Fig. 2D).

Plosone

BMI<25 kg/m, or BMI less than age-specific cut-offs if under 18 years.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Replace "less than age" with more standard phrases like "younger than", "under the age of", or "below the age of" for improved clarity and grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using "less than age" in formal writing. While common, it's not grammatically sound. Use "younger than" or "under the age of" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less than age" functions as a comparative determiner specifying an age range or limit. While frequently used, Ludwig AI indicates that it's grammatically incorrect, but often used to specify a group of people that have not reached a determined age.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

68%

News & Media

20%

Encyclopedias

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "less than age" is frequently encountered across various domains like science, news, and encyclopedias for specifying age-based criteria. Despite its common usage, Ludwig AI flags it as grammatically incorrect. Therefore, for enhanced clarity and formality, substituting it with alternatives like "younger than" or "under the age of" is advisable. While prevalent, the grammatical concerns suggest careful consideration in formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

younger than

Directly compares age, indicating a lower age.

under the age of

Specifies being below a certain age threshold.

below the age of

Similar to 'under the age of', emphasizing a limit.

before reaching age

Shorter version of the previous.

prior to reaching the age of

More formal and emphasizes the point before attaining a specific age.

not yet of age

Specifically indicates not having reached adulthood or a legally defined age.

in their younger years

Refers to a period in the past when someone was younger.

in their youth

Refers to a general period of being young.

of a tender age

Implies a very young and delicate age.

at an early stage of life

Broader, referring to the beginning phases of existence.

FAQs

What are the correct ways to say "less than age"?

Instead of "less than age", use phrases like "younger than", "under the age of", or "below the age of". For example, say "children "under the age of" 10" instead of "children less than age 10".

Is "less than age" grammatically correct?

No, "less than age" is not considered grammatically correct. It's better to use phrases like "younger than", "under the age of", or "below the age of" for clarity and grammatical accuracy.

When is it appropriate to use "less than age"?

While "less than age" is used in some contexts, especially in scientific papers, it's generally safer to use more formal and grammatically correct alternatives like "younger than", "under the age of", or "below the age of".

What's the difference between "less than age" and "younger than"?

"Less than age" is considered grammatically awkward. "Younger than" is a direct and clear comparison of age, making it a better choice. For example, "people "younger than" 30" is clearer than "people less than age 30".