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Adjective + preposition

How to use young with prepositions

Young usually appears without a following preposition, but prepositions may appear in expressions about age, suitability, or fields of activity.

Quick answer

Young usually does not need a preposition

Young commonly describes age directly: a young child, very young, too young to drive. Prepositions such as for or in belong to the wider meaning of the sentence. Young of is not standard in modern English.

She is too young to vote.
He is still young for a professor.
Many people become interested young in life.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
too young to + verb

Showing lack of age or maturity

Use too young to before an action that someone cannot yet do.

The child is too young to stay home alone.
She was too young to remember the event.
2
young for + age/role

Comparing with expectations

Use young for when someone seems younger than expected for a role, age, or achievement.

He looks young for his age.
She became a manager while still young for the position.
3
young in + field/stage

Limited experience in an area

Young in describes being new or inexperienced in a field or stage of development.

The company is still young in international markets.
The discipline remains young in scientific terms.
4
young at + age

Describing age at a time

Young at is used when referring to someone's age at a particular moment.

She started performing while still young at sixteen.
He became famous young at an early age.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
young of
Young of is not standard in modern English for age descriptions.
Use young for, young in, or no preposition depending on the meaning.
young in
The organisation is young in political experience.
Standard for limited development or experience.
young for
She is young for a department head.
Standard for comparison with expectations.
young at
He retired young at forty-five.
Possible when referring to a specific age or time.
young to
The child is too young to travel alone.
Standard after too young before an action.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using young of for age comparison

Modern English does not normally use young of in this meaning.

✕ She is young of her class. ✓ She is young for her class.

Omitting too before an infinitive

Use too young to for inability because of age.

✕ He is young to drive. ✓ He is too young to drive.

Using at instead of for in comparisons

Young for compares someone with expectations.

✕ She is young at a professor. ✓ She is young for a professor.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. He is too young ___ stay out that late.
2. She looks young ___ her age.
3. The company is still young ___ international trade.

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Frequently asked questions

Is young of correct English?

Not in standard modern English for ordinary age descriptions. Other structures are usually needed.

What does young for mean?

It means younger than expected for a role, age, or situation.

Can I say young in business?

Yes. Young in business means new or inexperienced in that area.

year, on, year, in, year, on, year, to yellow in, for, with, on or to?

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