until they pay the

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "until they pay the" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where a condition or requirement is being set, typically related to payment or financial obligations. Example: "The service will not be activated until they pay the required fees."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

During his leadership campaign last year, Corbyn argued for a £10 minimum wage and has also floated the idea of barring companies from paying dividends until they pay the real living wage.

The Guardian

"Someone who has that infection is fucked until they pay the ransom," de Mello says.

TechCrunch

They have been suspended from downloading music and games until they pay the company for its losses, but they are still able to send and receive emails.

BBC

A few pages later, this earliest biography of Muhammad's life explains why Muslims are told to "Fight the People of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)... until they pay the ransom tax and feel subdued".

Huffington Post

There, they obtain civil debt collection judgments, and ask the court to declare the debtor in civil contempt for failure to pay or to appear in collection proceedings, resulting in the jailing of debtors until they pay the unpaid debt.

Huffington Post

9 29 - Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Two seizure orders stopping employees from disposing of certain assets had been issued and the charges registered against their houses meant they could not dispose of them until they paid the debt.

The Guardian

Smugglers often torture their so-called customers until they pay for the cost of the boat trip – and female migrants are treated worst of all.

The Guardian

"At the end of the day, those Air India jets could conceivably end up in another operators hands – ownership of those airplanes already built are not Air India's until they pay off the majority of the outstanding balance, usually done on delivery," Mr. Ahmad said.

The New York Times

Student-athletes who are found to be profiting from textbook purchases would be deemed ineligible by the NCAA until they pay back the benefit they received.

The Washington Post

"We were warning them for several months that we won't send them a single ton of coal until they pay," Anatoly Vasyanovich, the general director, said in an interview.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use this phrase to clearly establish a condition that must be met before a certain action or event can occur. For example: "The data will remain encrypted until they pay the ransom."

Common error

Avoid using incorrect verb tenses after "until". The phrase "until they will pay the..." is grammatically incorrect; always use the present simple ("until they pay the...") to express a future condition.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "until they pay the" functions as an adverbial clause of time, modifying the main clause by specifying when an action or state will cease. As Ludwig AI explains, it sets a clear condition that must be met before the main clause's event can occur.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Wiki

15%

Science

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

9%

Reference

9%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "until they pay the" is a grammatically correct and usable adverbial clause that sets a condition of payment before a certain action can occur. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and common usage. It's most frequently found in news and media contexts, and while versatile, care should be taken to use the correct verb tense. Consider alternatives like "until payment is made" or "only after they settle the account" for stylistic variation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

until payment is made

Rephrases the original using a passive voice construction focusing on the action of payment.

only after they settle the account

Specifies a particular type of payment ('settle the account') and uses 'only after' for emphasis.

not until they remit the funds

Uses a more formal term ('remit') for payment and 'not until' for stronger conditionality.

once they have cleared the debt

Focuses on the completion of debt clearance as the condition.

prior to their financial settlement

Replaces the original with a more formal and concise expression.

before they discharge the obligation

Substitutes "pay" with "discharge the obligation", indicating fulfillment of a duty to pay.

until all dues are cleared

Uses a general term "dues" indicating a condition is until all payments are made.

upon their monetary contribution

Uses a more formal term, "monetary contribution," specifying that the action is after payment

following their financial transaction

Indicates the action comes following a financial transaction.

pending their remittance

Expresses a state of waiting for their remittance to occur.

FAQs

What does "until they pay the" mean?

The phrase "until they pay the" sets a condition that must be met (payment) before something else can happen. It indicates that an action or state will continue up to the point when the payment is made.

Is it correct to say "until they will pay the"?

No, it is not correct. The correct form is "until they pay the". Using "will" after "until" is grammatically incorrect when expressing a future condition.

What are some alternatives to "until they pay the"?

You can use alternatives like "until payment is made", "only after they settle the account", or "not until they remit the funds" depending on the context.

How do I use "until they pay the" in a sentence?

You can use "until they pay the" to set a condition related to payment. For example: "They will not receive the goods "until they pay the" invoice."