Until or up to?

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ESL forum > Message board > Until or up to?

Until or up to?

Miss_Alel�

Until or up to?

Hi there! Can anybody kindly explain the difference between until and up to?

Thanks in advance!!

Miss Alel�.

21 Apr 2009

eng789

See if this helps.

The word "until" is normally used with time. For example, we can say:

*We were at home until three in the afternoon.

It is possible to use "till" in the above sentences. As far as the meaning is concerned, there is no difference between "till" and "until". The former is much more frequently used in speech and in informal styles of writing.

"Up to" is normally used to refer to distance, and not time.

*The children ran up to the beach house and looked at the boats.

It would be wrong to use "until" or "till" in the above sentences.

"Up to", unlike "until", can also be used to talk about quantity - up to 4 hours

*Vinata �s new car can hold up to twelve people.

21 Apr 2009