ENGLISH
REFERENCE

the young

grammar point
Meaning

Young people considered as a group. Another "the" + adjective phrase for a whole class of people; it takes a plural verb: "The young are…". Its opposite is "the old".


Examples
SIMPLE

The young often learn new technology quickly.

CONTEXTUAL

The festival was aimed at the young, with music and stalls that older visitors mostly walked straight past.

COMPLEX

Every generation complains that the young no longer respect tradition, forgetting that it once heard exactly the same complaint about itself.

Last updated July 27, 2026