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I have a question about the use of the word to as a time proposition. Is to inclusive in the following sentence?

I worked at company X from April 2012 to April 2013.

RegDwigнt
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Is7aq
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    I read it as from April 1st to April 1st. Add the days or "end of " or "inclusive" – mplungjan Apr 22 '13 at 13:00
  • Strongly related to, and almost certainly a duplicate of one or more of the following: http://english.stackexchange.com/q/43926 http://english.stackexchange.com/q/38169 http://english.stackexchange.com/q/56335 http://english.stackexchange.com/q/111057 http://english.stackexchange.com/q/16017 http://english.stackexchange.com/q/56335 http://english.stackexchange.com/q/96097 http://english.stackexchange.com/q/38169 http://english.stackexchange.com/q/80000 http://english.stackexchange.com/q/30927 http://english.stackexchange.com/q/83897 – tchrist Apr 22 '13 at 13:25
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    I would guess it means you stopped working there sometime after 12:01AM on April 1, but before (or at) 12:00PM on April 30. – GEdgar Apr 22 '13 at 13:56

1 Answers1

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It's ambiguous.

Some may read it as including April 2013, others may not. I'd probably read it as inclusive.

American English uses the inclusive word through:

  • I worked at company X from April 2012 through April 2013.

For unambiguous British English, add extra wording:

  • I worked at company X from April 2012 to April 2013, inclusive.

  • I worked at company X from April 2012 through to April 2013.

  • I worked at company X from April 2012 up to and including April 2013.

Community
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Hugo
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  • What about the to in "through to" ? – mplungjan Apr 22 '13 at 13:35
  • @mplungjan: American uses "through". British uses "to" but it's ambiguous so "through to" is a British compromise that doesn't sound too weird and American. – Hugo Apr 22 '13 at 13:44
  • From a British perspective, it's not really necessary to add those extra wordings. They come across as unnecessarily formal and long-winded. It would be much simpler and more natural as I worked at company X from April 2012 to April 2013 or I worked at company X from April 2012 until April 2013. – Tristan Apr 22 '13 at 15:20