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Meaning & use

range from ... to ...

phrase·Everyday

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UK/ˌreɪndʒ frəm ˈtuː/
US/ˌreɪndʒ frəm ˈtuː/

Meanings

  1. phrasefixed phrase

    Used to say that things of one kind go from one end of a scale or set to the other.

    Grammar: Follows a plural or group subject and names the two limits, as in 'Prices range from $5 to $50.'

    Patterns

    • something ranges from A to B
    • something ranges from A through B
    • prices/temperatures/ages range from ... to ...

    Ticket prices range from ten dollars to eighty dollars, depending on the seat.

    Their ages range from eighteen to sixty-five.

    The weather here ranges from mild in spring to very hot in August.

  2. phrasefixed phrase

    Used to say that a group contains many different kinds of things, with the named items as examples at each end.

    Grammar: Often used with people or things that differ in type, not just in size or amount.

    Patterns

    • something ranges from A to B
    • something ranges from A through B

    The menu ranges from simple sandwiches to full three-course dinners.

    Her reading ranges from crime novels to books on physics.

    The course covers topics ranging from basic grammar to academic writing.

  3. phrasefixed phrasetechnical

    Used to give the lowest and highest figures in a set of measurements or results.

    Grammar: Common in reports and technical writing; the numbers usually come after 'from' and 'to'.

    Patterns

    • results range from X to Y
    • readings range from X to Y

    Test scores ranged from 40 to 98 out of 100.

    Rainfall in the region ranges from 20 to 200 centimeters a year.

    Prices ranged from about $12 to over $300.

Common combinations

range from A to B
The hotel rooms range from small singles to large family suites.
prices range from ... to ...
Prices range from $15 to $90 for the same tour.
ages range from ... to ...
The students' ages range from sixteen to twenty-two.
temperatures range from ... to ...
Summer temperatures here range from 25 to 40 degrees.
range from ... through ...
The museum's collection ranges from ancient coins through modern paintings.
topics range from ... to ...
The talks ranged from healthy eating to saving money.

Synonyms and how they differ

vary from ... to ...
Very close in meaning, but 'vary' stresses change or difference over time, while 'range from ... to ...' stresses the two limits of a whole set.
go from ... to ...
More informal and general; it can describe movement or change, not only a scale of amounts or types.
span from ... to ...
More formal and often used for time periods or wide gaps, as in 'The story spans from 1900 to 1950.'

Word family

range noun
The set of different things or the limits within which something varies.
range verb
To vary between two limits, or to move over a wide area.
ranging verb
The -ing form, often used after 'from' in phrases like 'topics ranging from A to B'.

Commonly confused: range from ... to ... or range from ... through ...? range from ... to ... or reach from ... to ...?

range from ... to ... vs range from ... through ...

'Through' suggests the middle items are included as a continuous set, while 'to' simply names the two ends.

range from ... to ... vs reach from ... to ...

'Reach' is about distance or getting to a place; 'range' is about the spread of amounts, types, or levels.

Practice

The ages of the children in the class ______ five to eleven.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “range from ... to ...”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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