until having

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "until having" is not correct in written English.
You should use the phrase "until have" instead. For example: "I'll wait until I have finished my homework before going out to play."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

43 human-written examples

Until having kids I had never really thought about mortality so much".

The New York Times - Arts

It won't happen until having an openly gay justice is fairly uncontroversial.

The New York Times

Worldly young Hanoians said that one could not truly consider oneself Vietnamese until having been there.

The New York Times - Travel

He was at it for 81 years, until having a stroke.

The New York Times

It continued for three years until, having acquired UK residency, her husband left.

The Guardian

Moreover, 1,3-PDO induced an increase of Tg and a decrease of the crystallization rate until having an amorphous behavior for high 1,3-PDO content.

European Polymer Journal

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

17 human-written examples

Continue this process until has been defined.

Stanford University

In the wake of his accident, Shipp kept returning to the game until -- having slid from top-ranked Seton Hall to second-rate C.W. Post to third-rate semi-pro ball in Kansas -- he finally abandoned the sport altogether.

The New York Times - Magazine

Until it had to.

The Guardian - Music

Wait until we have a deal.

The New York Times

Wait until we have to play Japan".

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When expressing a condition that lasts until something is possessed, consider alternatives like "before acquiring" or "prior to owning" for improved clarity and correctness.

Common error

A common mistake is using the gerund form "having" after "until" when the base form "have" is grammatically correct. Always use "until I/you/we/they have" or "until he/she/it has".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "until having" functions as a temporal conjunction, attempting to link a continuing action or state to a point in time when possession or experience occurs. However, as noted by Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically incorrect.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Science

35%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

4%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "until having" appears frequently across various sources, it is grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI suggests using "until have" instead. The phrase attempts to function as a temporal conjunction, indicating a condition lasting until possession or experience occurs. Although commonly found in news, media, and scientific contexts, its incorrectness means it should be avoided in formal writing. Consider alternatives like "before acquiring" or "prior to owning" for greater clarity and grammatical accuracy. Its presence across diverse sources indicates a common, yet incorrect, usage pattern.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prior to acquiring

Using "prior to" instead of "until" and "acquiring" for "having" shifts the focus to the act of obtaining something before a certain point.

before gaining possession of

This phrase stresses the act of gaining possession, making it more active than simply "having".

before possessing

This alternative replaces "until" with "before" and "having" with "possessing", altering the temporal aspect to a state of ownership.

before the time of holding

Changing "until" to "before the time of" and "having" to "holding" introduces a more formal and temporal distinction.

leading up to owning

This phrase uses "leading up to" to emphasize the process before ownership, differing from the directness of "until having".

pending acquisition of

This alternative uses a more formal tone, focusing on the expectation of obtaining something.

prior to securing ownership of

This phrase is more specific about the type of possession (ownership) and uses "prior to" for a more formal tone.

up to the point of keeping

This variation focuses on the duration leading to the state of keeping something, which is a more sustained form of "having".

in advance of securing

This variation uses "in advance of" to denote preparation and "securing" to emphasize the effort in obtaining.

in anticipation of owning

This phrase highlights the expectation of ownership rather than the duration until ownership.

FAQs

How to correctly use "until have" in a sentence?

Use "until have" (or "until has" for third-person singular) to indicate the termination point of a continuing action or state. For example, "I will wait "until I have" enough money to buy a car".

What are some alternatives to "until having" that are grammatically correct?

Consider using phrases like "before acquiring", "prior to owning", or simply rephrasing with ""until I have"" depending on the context.

Why is "until having" considered grammatically incorrect?

The word "until" typically precedes a clause with a finite verb. The gerund "having" doesn't fit this structure, making ""until I have"" the correct form.

Is there a difference in meaning between "until having" and "until have"?

While "until having" is often used, it's not grammatically standard. ""until I have"" is the grammatically correct way to express a duration up to the point of possession or experience.