since primary school

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "since primary school" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to an activity or experience that has been happening since the time someone was in primary school. For example, "He has been studying music since primary school."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

35 human-written examples

Maskell had wanted to be an actor since primary school.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Gemma Ellis, 28, a children's charity worker, has been "passionate about women's rights" since primary school.

The Guardian

He says that he hasn't read a novel for pleasure since primary school.

The Guardian - Books

Lila, who has had no education since primary school, grasps a third language, that of coding.

The Guardian - Books

I have friends on Facebook I haven't seen since primary school.

The Guardian

A decent chunk of every day would be like this, and would have been like this since primary school.

The Guardian - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

24 human-written examples

Ever since primary schools were supposedly "local" and secondary schools "comprehensive", parents at least in city centres struggled to get their children out of unpopular schools.

The Guardian - Opinion

We have accordingly not included studies based on selected populations (clinic based, in workplaces, among university students, etc).. Since the primary school is obligatory in all European countries, studies on headache in children and youth based on schools have been included.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

Since 1994, primary school in Malawi has been free for all students (Stasavage 2005); however, the costs of uniforms and supplies remain, and are considerable for a majority of families (Grant 2008).

Demographic Research

Seaton and Devereux [ 24], using a cohort followed up since a primary school study in 1964, found membership of a large family reduced risks of hayfever and eczema, but offered no significant protection against asthma.

Clinical and Experimental Allergy

The colon cancer patients and population controls received a short introduction letter stating that they were selected as controls for a study of rare diseases and a self-administered questionnaire asking for a chronological description of all jobs held for more than 6 months since leaving primary school.

BMC Cancer

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "since primary school" to clearly indicate that an activity, belief, or relationship has persisted from the time someone attended primary school to the present. For example, "They have been best friends since primary school."

Common error

Ensure the context clearly establishes who attended primary school and when. Ambiguity can arise if the timeframe isn't explicitly linked to a specific person or group. For instance, instead of just saying "attending primary school is important", be specific, for example "since attending primary school, I learned many valuable skills."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "since primary school" functions as a prepositional phrase modifying a verb or clause, indicating the starting point of an action, state, or condition. Ludwig examples show it specifies a duration from the time someone attended primary school.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

19%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "since primary school" is a grammatically sound and commonly used prepositional phrase to indicate that something has been true or happening continuously from the time someone was in primary school until the present. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage. It functions to establish a temporal relationship, providing context to a statement by linking it to a past period. While its register is generally neutral, it is used across diverse contexts like news, science and business writing. The phrase is a valuable and effective tool for expressing duration and continuity, provided that the context clearly identifies who is being referred to.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

from primary school onwards

Emphasizes the continuation from that point forward.

since elementary school

Uses a synonym for "primary school", common in some regions.

since starting primary school

Focuses on the act of beginning primary education.

from a young age

A more general phrase indicating an early start.

since childhood

Broader term encompassing the entire period of being a child.

from my early years

Personalizes the timeframe, referring to one's own early life.

since I was a child

Explicitly states the speaker's childhood as the starting point.

since my youth

Refers to the period of youth as the beginning.

since my school days

Highlights the school-related aspect of the timeframe.

for as long as I can remember

Indicates a very long duration, possibly starting in early childhood.

FAQs

How can I use "since primary school" in a sentence?

Use "since primary school" to indicate that something has been true or has been happening continuously from the time someone was in primary school until the present. For example, "She has been passionate about women's rights "since primary school"".

What are some alternatives to saying "since primary school"?

You can use alternatives such as "since elementary school", "from a young age", or "since childhood" depending on the specific context and the nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "from primary school" instead of "since primary school"?

While "from primary school" can be used, it typically requires additional context. "Since primary school" clearly establishes a continuous timeline from that point to the present. "From primary school onwards" is a good alternative.

What's the difference between "since primary school" and "since elementary school"?

The difference is primarily regional. "Primary school" is commonly used in the UK and some other countries, while "elementary school" is more common in the US. They both refer to the same stage of education, so the phrases are largely interchangeable, but consider your audience.