A1adjective1K

Early

UK /["/ˈɜːli/"]/US /["/ˈɜːrli/"]/

Definition

near the beginning of a period of time, an event etc.

In simple words: before the usual time

Examples

  • I like to wake up early in the morning.
  • The early bird gets the worm.
  • She arrived early to the meeting to prepare.
  • It's too early to go to bed.
  • The flowers bloom early in the spring.

Usage notes

Use 'early' to describe time, such as arriving before expected. It's appropriate in both casual and formal contexts, but avoid using it in very strict timings.

Grammar pattern

early + adverb or adjective

Memory hint

Think of 'early bird' — birds wake up early in the morning.

Collocations

  • be
  • feel
  • seem
  • extremely
  • fairly
  • very
  • for
  • in
  • be
  • feel
  • seem
  • extremely
  • fairly
  • very
  • for
  • in

Synonyms

  • premature
  • prompt
  • ahead of time
  • preceding
  • advancing

Antonyms

  • late
  • tardy

Common mistakes

  • Confusing 'early' with 'earlier' which is comparative.
  • Using 'early' in the wrong context, like describing something that is not time-related.