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In the Library Of Congress web page there is this section:

How to Pre-Register Online
It is possible to pre-register online by completing a simple Web form (this can be done up to two weeks prior to visiting the Library of Congress in person). You will still need to report to the Reader Registration Station and present your valid identification. Once your ID has been verified, Library staff will take an identification photo, have you provide a digitized signature, and give you your card.

In this example, what does "up to two weeks prior to visiting the library" mean?

Does it mean that, if I am heading to the library on the 15th of March, should I do the pre-registration between 1st to 15th of March, or does that means that I need to do it before 1st of March?

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    It means not more than two weeks before you go.
    – fev
    Aug 19, 2022 at 18:38
  • Thanks a lot for your response! @fev Aug 19, 2022 at 19:09

3 Answers 3

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I see the reason for your confusion.

It is potentially ambiguous; but I think any native English speaker would read it as [up to two weeks] prior rather than up to [two weeks prior].

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It means you need to do it before March 1st. You can do it in any time in February or perhaps in January.

It does not specify how far in advance you can do it.

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The way the sentence is written, it could have either meaning. The ambiguity hinges on how the starting point of "up to" is understood.

The structure [ "up to" + object ] implies a continuous span from some understood point to the object. The object here is "two weeks prior to visiting...", but the starting point, the "from" isn't specified. The reader of the website is expected to understand that there's only one possible "from" time, but that's not the case.

It could mean, "(From zero days) up to two weeks prior to visiting...", where the "up to" span is a length of time of two weeks. In this case, March 1st is the first day you can register online.

But it could also mean, "(From now) up to two weeks prior to visiting...", where the "up to" span is a period of time from now until two weeks before you visit. In this case March 1st is the last day you can register online.

I couldn't venture a guess which the correct meaning is because I don't know the nature of the building and how many visitors it accepts. Bottom line: phone or email them more than two weeks before you visit and ask them.

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