under three months

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "under three months" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate a time frame that is less than three months, often in contexts related to deadlines or durations. Example: "The project is expected to be completed in under three months, which is ahead of schedule."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

They have two children, Rhys, five, and Jack, born just under three months ago.

The Guardian

Production was fast – the picture was written, cast and shot in under three months – and the budget low.

The Guardian - Film

The highest rates of the disease occur in babies under three months who have not yet been fully immunised.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The tennis player Lindsay Davenport returned to the tour just under three months after giving birth to her first child.

The New York Times - Sports

Their own war is only just starting: he has been in Coastal Command, and she at her English hospital, for under three months.

The Guardian - Books

With just under three months until heads of state meet in New York to sign the agreement, much of this has already been achieved.

The Guardian

"Both figures include a large proportion of visits under three months and a large proportion of visits to see family or friends and holidays," he said.

The Guardian

Doctors, nurses, midwives and health visitors should "take a more definite stand against bed sharing, especially for babies under three months".

The Guardian

In under three months its membership has grown from 25,000 to over 85,000 (almost one in 50 Scottish adults is now in the party).

The Economist

They conclude that 81% of cot deaths among babies under three months, and whose parents do not exhibit the normal risk factors, could be avoided if parents always ensured their child slept separately.

The Guardian

"Now is the time to discuss things like elective ventilation, the possibility of retrieving hearts from newborns aged under three months and restarting hearts from people who have experienced circulatory death," Holt says.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "under three months" to describe a time frame, ensure the context clearly indicates the starting point or reference point for the duration. For example, "The project was completed in under three months from the initial planning stage."

Common error

Avoid interpreting "under three months" as precisely three months. It indicates a period less than three months. If you mean exactly three months, state "three months".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "under three months" functions primarily as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb or verb phrase, specifying the duration of an action or state. As confirmed by Ludwig, this is a grammatically correct and usable phrase in English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

20%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Reference

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "under three months" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to denote a period shorter than three months. Ludwig provides a wide range of examples showcasing its usage across diverse contexts like news, science, and business. While alternatives like "less than three months" exist, "under three months" maintains a neutral register suitable for both formal and informal communication. It's important to remember that "under" signifies less than, not equal to, three months. Ludwig AI confirms the accuracy and usability of this phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

less than three months

Replaces "under" with "less than", offering a more direct and common alternative.

fewer than three months

Similar to "less than three months", but emphasizes a countable aspect.

shorter than three months

Directly states that the time is shorter than three months.

within a three-month period

Focuses on the timeframe being inside a specific duration.

in less than a quarter of a year

Uses a less common, more descriptive way of referring to the period.

prior to three months

Emphasizes that the event occurred before the three-month mark.

before the third month

Similar to "prior to three months", but less formal.

not exceeding three months

Highlights the maximum duration of the period.

within three months

Indicates something is done or happens no later than three months from a certain point.

up to three months

Suggests that the period could be shorter but not longer than three months.

FAQs

How can I use "under three months" in a sentence?

You can use "under three months" to specify a duration that is shorter than three months. For example, "The study was conducted in "less than three months"." or "The product development took "fewer than three months"".

What is a good substitute for "under three months"?

Alternatives to "under three months" include "less than three months", "fewer than three months", or "within a three-month period". The best choice depends on the specific context and desired emphasis.

Is it more appropriate to use "less than three months" or "under three months"?

Both "under three months" and ""less than three months"" are grammatically correct and generally interchangeable. "Less than three months" is slightly more formal, while "under three months" is more common in everyday language.

What's the difference between "within three months" and "under three months"?

"Within three months" indicates that something will occur no later than three months from a specific point. "Under three months" simply states that something took "shorter than three months" from start to finish.