Until is a preposition and conjunction meaning up to the point in time when something happens, or before a certain time. It marks the end boundary of a continuing action or state.
What Does Until Mean?
Until is one of the most frequently used time words in English, appearing at all levels from A2 upwards. As a preposition, it is followed directly by a noun or noun phrase: until midnight, until next week, until the end of the lesson. As a conjunction, it introduces a subordinate time clause with a subject and verb: until she arrives, until the work is done.
The core idea is a time boundary. When you say "I worked until six o'clock", you are describing an action that continued right up to — but not beyond — six o'clock. The moment "until" points to is when the described situation stops, changes, or begins.
Until is closely related to till, which has the same meaning and is slightly more informal. Both are standard in British English. The spelling 'til (with an apostrophe) is sometimes seen in informal writing but is not recommended in academic or professional contexts.
Etymology
Until is a compound of two ancient Germanic words: Old Norse und (meaning "as far as" or "up to") and Old English til (meaning "to" or "until"). The compound form until emerged in Middle English around the 12th–13th centuries, primarily in northern English dialects where Norse influence was strongest. Interestingly, the shorter form till is actually the older of the two — until was formed from it, not the other way round. The prefix un- here is not the negative prefix (as in unhappy) but a now-obsolete intensifying or directional prefix from Norse.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Level & usage note |
|---|---|
| The shop is open until eight o'clock. | A2 — preposition + time noun; everyday statement |
| We stayed at the beach until the sun went down. | B1 — conjunction introducing a time clause; past simple |
| She practised every day until her pronunciation was confident. | B1 — conjunction showing a goal achieved over time |
| He did not realise the extent of the damage until the report was published. | B2 — "not … until" pattern; past passive in the subordinate clause |
| The legislation will remain in force until Parliament votes to repeal it. | C1 — formal/academic register; future reference with present simple in the until-clause |
Common Collocations
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| wait until | Can you wait until I finish? |
| not … until | She did not arrive until midnight. |
| up until | Up until recently, the service was free. |
| until further notice | The office is closed until further notice. |
| until then | I had never tried sushi until then. |
| until now | Until now, no solution has been found. |
| until recently | Until recently, the law had not changed. |
| until the last minute | He always works until the last minute. |
| keep / carry on until | Keep going until you reach the junction. |
| hold on until | Hold on until help arrives. |
Usage Notes
Key Points to Remember
- Future clauses — no "will": After until when referring to the future, use the present simple, not will. Say "I'll wait until she arrives", not "until she will arrive".
- Until vs. by: Use until for a duration ("I will be here until five"). Use by for a deadline ("Please send it by five"). The difference is whether the action continues up to the point or must be completed before it.
- Until vs. before: Until focuses on the end point of a continuing state. Before focuses on the sequence of events. Compare: "She waited until he left" (she was there right to the moment he left) vs. "She left before he arrived" (she departed first).
- Position in a sentence: Until can appear mid-sentence ("She worked until midnight") or at the start of a sentence followed by a comma ("Until the results come in, we cannot proceed").
- Until with negatives: The pattern not … until is very common and emphasises that something is delayed: "It was not until 2010 that the law changed." This is a rhetorical inversion frequently used in formal writing.
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
I will call you until she will arrive.
I will call you until she arrives. (present simple, not will, in the until-clause)
Submit your work until Friday.
Submit your work by Friday. (deadline = by; duration = until)
She was studying until to midnight.
She was studying until midnight. (until is not followed by "to")
'Til next time, goodbye!
Till next time, goodbye! (till is the standard short form; 'til is non-standard)