Cool MateAs soon as possible vs Immediately
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
As soon as possible
Top 2,000 (common)
Immediately
Top 1,000 (very common)A2adverb
Most common: Immediately
| As soon as possible | Immediately | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //æz suːn æz ˈpɒsəbl//🇺🇸 //æz suːn æz ˈpɑːsəbl// | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪˈmiːdiətli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪˈmiːdiətli/"]/ |
| Meaning | Do something quickly or without delay. | right away, without waiting |
| Example | Please submit your report as soon as possible so we can review it. | He answered the question immediately after it was asked. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | A2 |
| Part of speech | adverb | |
| Collocations | send information as soon as possible, complete the task as soon as possible, respond as soon as possible | respond immediately, act immediately, notify immediately |
| Antonyms | - | eventually, later |
| Common mistakes | Omitting 'as' and saying 'soon possible'., Using in overly casual situations., Translating directly into other languages leading to awkward phrasing. | Using 'immediate' instead of 'immediately'., Confusing with 'eventually', which means later., Incorrectly placing 'immediately' at the end of a sentence. |
| Usage notes | Commonly used in both spoken and written English to indicate urgency; appropriate in both formal and informal contexts. | Use 'immediately' to emphasize urgency or promptness. It's appropriate in both spoken and written English, but avoid in very casual contexts. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: As soon as possible vs Immediately
What's the difference between As soon as possible and Immediately?
As soon as possible: Do something quickly or without delay. Immediately: right away, without waiting
Which is more common: As soon as possible and Immediately?
Immediately is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
As soon as possible: Please submit your report as soon as possible so we can review it. Immediately: He answered the question immediately after it was asked.
Can I use As soon as possible and Immediately interchangeably?
Not always. As soon as possible and Immediately are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.