up until the age

USAGE SUMMARY

"up until the age" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to talk about something that happened, is happening or will happen until a certain age. For example: "She studied ballet up until the age of 18, when she decided to pursue a different career path."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Up until the age of 18 I was very religious.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Childhood, up until the age of seven, when my sister died.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Up until the age of four, I had a weird little princess look about me.

The Guardian - Arts

To me, though, you are vulnerable up until the age of 21".

The Guardian - Music

In Kilis, the children are free to attend school up until the age of 16.

Independent

I had two childhoods – one up until the age of nine and then my formative years after.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Up until the age of three or four, children have an enviable ability to stop eating when they are full.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"Nevertheless, society should set forth the standard that children should be protected up until the age of 18.

The New York Times

The school takes children up until the age of 14 in the hope of preparing them to prosper in a regular high school.

The Guardian

"Up until the age of about 20, I probably did think if I got rich I would buy a baseball team," he said.

The New York Times

Up until the age of 22, Orhan dreamed of being a painter, and studied architecture, but he dropped out to go to journalism school.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing developmental stages or legal limitations, using "up until the age" can provide a clear temporal boundary. For instance, "Children are typically dependent on their parents up until the age of 18".

Common error

Avoid using "up until the age of X" when the intent is to express events occurring at that age. "He played soccer up until the age of 10" implies he stopped playing before turning 10, not including his tenth year.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "up until the age" functions as a prepositional phrase specifying a temporal boundary. It indicates a duration that extends to a particular age, marking the endpoint of a period. According to Ludwig, this phrase is commonly used to describe stages of life or periods of time.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Science

41%

Formal & Business

16%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "up until the age" is a grammatically correct and very common prepositional phrase used to define a temporal boundary ending at a specific age. Ludwig AI confirms its usability and provides numerous examples demonstrating its application across various contexts, particularly in News & Media and Science. While appropriate in most settings, writers should note that the usage implies the period stops before that exact age, and avoid this pattern to mention events occurring at that specific age. Alternatives such as "until reaching the age of" or "prior to the age of" can offer nuanced variations in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

until reaching the age of

Replaces "up until" with "until reaching", adding a slight emphasis on the act of attaining a certain age.

prior to the age of

Uses "prior to" instead of "up until", focusing on the time before a specific age.

leading up to the age of

Emphasizes the process or events occurring before reaching a certain age.

before turning

More concise and informal, emphasizing the transition of reaching an age.

in the period preceding

A more formal way to indicate the time before a certain age.

in the years before

Focuses on the period preceding a specific age, using a more descriptive structure.

before hitting the age of

Uses "hitting" to emphasize the attainment of a particular age.

until the milestone of

Highlights the age as a significant event or accomplishment.

throughout childhood until

Specifies the duration as childhood, ending at a certain age.

until becoming

Focuses on the transition into a new age or stage of life.

FAQs

How can I use "up until the age" in a sentence?

Use "up until the age" to indicate a period extending to, but not necessarily including, a specific age. For example, "She lived in France "up until the age" of 25." This implies she may have moved at 25 or shortly before.

What are some alternatives to "up until the age"?

Alternatives include "until reaching the age of", "prior to the age of", or simply "before turning", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "up to the age" instead of "up until the age"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but ""up until the age"" is generally considered more emphatic and slightly more common in contemporary usage. "Up to the age" is also perfectly acceptable and can be used interchangeably in many contexts.

What's the difference between "up until the age of" and "after the age of"?

"Up until the age of" describes a period ending at a certain age, while "after the age of" describes a period beginning at that age. They define opposite temporal boundaries.