ENGLISH
REFERENCE

these days

fixed phr..
A2 Elementary Oxford

fixed phr.. at the present time, especially when you compare it to the past.

fixed phr.. a temporal adverbial phrase used to denote the current period or era, typically in contrast with a previous state of affairs.


SIMPLE

Everything is so expensive these days.

CONTEXTUAL

People rarely write letters these days because they prefer sending quick text messages.

COMPLEX

While traditional manufacturing once dominated the local economy, most residents find employment in the service sector these days.

Usage

usually appears at the very beginning or the very end of a sentence.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'nowadays' (more formal) and 'currently' (more neutral); 'these days' is the most common choice for informal comparison with the past.

Pitfall

in these daysthese daysthe phrase functions as an adverbial on its own and does not require a preposition like 'in'.

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