Until Now, So Far: What’s the Difference?

“Until now” and “so far” are common English expressions used to talk about time and experiences related to the present moment. Although they may seem similar, they have distinct uses and meanings. Understanding the difference will make your English more natural and precise.

What Does “Until Now” Mean?

“Until now” refers to something that has been true or has happened continuously up to the present moment, often suggesting that the situation may change after this point. It often emphasizes a limit or boundary in time.

Examples with “Until Now”:

• Until now, I hadn’t thought about changing jobs.

• She has lived in Paris until now, but she’s moving next month.

• Until now, the project was on schedule.

• No one has complained until now.

• Until now, I didn’t realize how important this decision was.

• The store was closed until now; it just opened.

What Does “So Far” Mean?

“So far” means up to this point in time and is used to describe progress, achievements, or experiences that have continued from the past to the present. It often implies that more is expected in the future and is commonly used with the present perfect tense.

Examples with “So Far”:

• So far, we have sold 500 tickets for the concert.

• The trip has been amazing so far.

• So far, I haven’t found any errors in the report.

• So far, she has learned three new languages.

• The weather has been perfect so far this week.

• So far, the team has won every game this season.

Key Differences Between “Until Now” and “So Far”

When to Use “Until Now” vs “So Far”

• Use “until now” when you want to emphasize that something was true up to the present moment but may change soon or to stress a time limit.

• Use “so far” when you want to talk about the progress or experience that has happened up to this moment and will likely continue.

Practice: Choose the Right Phrase

1. _________, I haven’t missed a single class this semester.

2. The team had no losses _________.

3. _________, the plan has worked perfectly.

4. I didn’t realize how hard this job was _________.

5. _________, we’ve raised $10,000 for charity.

Answers:

1. So far

2. Until now

3. So far

4. Until now

5. So far

Final Tips

• Remember that “until now” often suggests a change might happen soon or marks an endpoint in time.

• “So far” usually shows ongoing activity or progress and expects more to come.

Try creating your own sentences with both expressions to practice their differences!