at the age of (Murphy Additional Exercises, Prepositions)
Pattern
Section titled “Pattern”at + age — age is a point in time, so it takes at.
- Mozart died at the age of 35. ✓
- She got married at 25.
- He retired at 60.
The age preposition table
Section titled “The age preposition table”| Form | Example | When |
|---|---|---|
| at the age of 35 | died at the age of 35 | specific age (point) |
| at 35 | died at 35 | specific age (point) |
| in his 30s | died in his 30s | decade/period of life |
| by 35 | had composed much by 35 | deadline/achievement |
Why not the others?
- on ✗ — on is for days/dates (on Monday)
- in ✗ — in is for months/years/periods (in 2020, in his 30s)
- to ✗ — to is for direction
Indonesian trap
Section titled “Indonesian trap”Indonesian pada usia 35 → at (correct match). But umur 35 might tempt “in” — no, a specific age is a point, not a period:
- pada usia 35 → at the age of 35 ✓
- pada umur 35 → at 35 ✓
- di usia 30-an → in his 30s ✓ (period → in)
Test application
Section titled “Test application”Mozart died ___ the age of 35.
Answer: at — at the age of 35 (fixed phrase, age = point in time).
Source
Section titled “Source”Raymond Murphy, English Grammar in Use (4th ed.), Additional Exercises — Prepositions (Units 12, 119-136). Ebot lesson 2026-08-29: “Mozart died ___ the age of 35” → at.