Get older means to become older; depending on someone's age, that can mean growing up or ageing. The expression is neutral: you can use it about a child, your parents or yourself. It most often appears in as I get older and getting older.
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get older; as + person + get(s) older; the older you get, the + comparative
- As I get older, I need more time to recover after a late night.
- My parents are getting older, so we visit them every weekend now.
- Many people find it harder to learn a new language as they get older.
What changed
First versionWhen I will get older, I want to live somewhere quieter.
RevisionWhen I get older, I want to live somewhere quieter.
In a sentence with when about the future, English does not use will: when I get older, not when I will get older. It may feel logical to mark the future in both halves of the sentence, but there is no need. The meaning and the other half of the sentence already make it clear that you are talking about the future.
Get old sounds harsher: it really means becoming elderly. People often say I'm getting old as a joke when they feel tired or forget something. Get older compares someone with how they were before and works for any age: As kids get older, they need more privacy.
Your turn
My daughter is only nine, but she's ___ and wants to walk to school alone.
Show the answer
getting older — A nine-year-old is growing up, not ageing, so the answer is getting older. Getting old is used about old age or jokingly about yourself; you would not say it about a child.
Write about one habit of yours that has changed with age. Start with as I get older and explain the reason.
As I get older, I drink less coffee in the evening because it keeps me awake at night.
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