years old

USAGE SUMMARY

"years old" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to indicate someone's age by placing it after their name or a pronoun. For example, "My brother, John, is 25 years old."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"You're six years old".

The New Yorker

You're 23 years old.

The New York Times

Five years old.

The New York Times

And 12 years old.

The New York Times - Sports

At 20 years old".

The New York Times - Science

89 years old.

The New York Times

Girl: 15 years old.

The New York Times - Books

"We're 21 years old".

The New York Times - Sports

"Even at 42 years old.

The New York Times - Sports

Bryant was 9 years old.

The New York Times

SIEGEL--Harvey, 73 years old.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing for international audiences remember that some countries switch the order of day and month. It's common and good practice to write out the month, instead of just writing the numbers.

Common error

Avoid using hyphens incorrectly when describing age. Use a hyphen when the age acts as an adjective before a noun (e.g., "a 10-year-old boy"), but not when it follows a verb (e.g., "the boy is 10 years old").

Linguistic Context

The phrase "years old" functions as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun or pronoun indicating age. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and common usage. It usually follows a number specifying the age.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

12%

Formal & Business

7%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "years old" is a grammatically correct and very common way to specify age, as validated by Ludwig AI. It functions primarily as an adjectival phrase. Usage spans from news reporting to scientific articles, reflecting its neutral register. When using the phrase, remember to use it with the numerical value, and avoid using hyphens, unless it is used as an adjective before a noun. Common alternatives include "of age" for more formal contexts. Be attentive to placement within a sentence and ensure clarity regarding the unit of measurement.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

at the age of

Highlights a specific point in someone's life, often used when discussing accomplishments or events.

age is

Directly states someone's age, useful for clarity in questions or declarative statements.

old

Simplest form to indicate age, often used when the number is already clear from context.

aged

A more concise and slightly formal way of stating age.

of age

More formal way to indicate someone's age, often used in legal or official contexts.

in age

Emphasizes a person's position within an age range or comparison.

in his/her [age]s

Expresses an approximate age, less precise than stating the exact number of years.

turning [age]

Indicates an upcoming birthday, focusing on the transition to a new age.

born in [year]

Indicates the year of birth, focusing on the historical context of someone's origin.

date of birth

Refers to the specific day someone was born, focusing on the exact moment of origin.

FAQs

How do I correctly use "years old" in a sentence?

Use "years old" after stating a person's age to indicate their age in years. For instance, "She is 25 "years old"" or "My son is 8 "years old"".

What's a more formal way to say "years old"?

While "years old" is suitable for most contexts, a more formal alternative is "of age". For example, "She is 25 "years old"" can be rephrased as "She is 25 "years old" and of legal age".

Is it correct to say "year old" instead of "years old"?

No, it is grammatically incorrect to say "year old" when referring to ages greater than one. The correct plural form, ""years old"", should always be used, unless you are using the age as an adjective, such as in "a one-year-old child".

What are some common mistakes when using ""years old""?

A frequent mistake is hyphenating when it's not needed. Use a hyphen when the age is an adjective before a noun (e.g., "a five-year-old car"), but not when it follows a verb (e.g., "the car is five "years old"").