Can I use the expression "or below" as the opposite of "and above"?

[mrwroc]

Can I use the expression "or below" as the opposite of "and above"?

I wonder if I can use the expression "or below" as the opposite of "and above". Because, I found in the dictionary:


above

greater in number, level or age

• increases of 5% and above
• A score of 70 or above will get you an ‘A’.
• children aged 12 and above

https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/above_2

But, I didn't find a similar definition for "below".
Can I write:

Getting 85% or below on this test will make you fail this course.
increase of 5% or below
A score of 70 or below will get you an 'C'
children aged 12 or below

??

 

[jutfrank]

Re: Can I use the expression "or below" as the opposite of "and above"?

Can I write:

Getting 85% or below on this test will make you fail this course.
increase of 5% or below
A score of 70 or below will get you an 'C'

Yes, those are possible. It might be better to use lower, however, as it would be to use higher in the dictionary examples.

children aged 12 or below

This isn't very good. Say:

children aged 12 and under
children aged 12 and over

 

[emsr2d2]

Re: Can I use the expression "or below" as the opposite of "and above"?

I wonder if I can use the expression "or below" as the opposite of "and above" no full stop here because no comma here I found the following in [STRIKE]the[/STRIKE] a dictionary:

above

greater in number, level or age

• increases of 5% and above
• A score of 70 or above will get you an ‘A’.
• children aged 12 and above

https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/above_2

[STRIKE]But[/STRIKE] However, I didn't find a similar definition for "below".
Can I write the following?

Getting 85% or below on this test will make you fail this course. :tick:
increase of 5% or [STRIKE]below[/STRIKE] less
A score of 70 or below will get you [STRIKE]an[/STRIKE] a 'C'
children aged 12 or [STRIKE]below[/STRIKE] under

[STRIKE]??[/STRIKE]

See above.

Until your English is of a higher level, don't try to start sentences with "but" or "because". Also, try not to break up a question by writing half of it before example sentences and then ending it after them.