"little early" vs "a little bit early"

Question

"little early" vs "a little bit early"

Both phrases are correct, but they have slightly different meanings. 'A little bit early' implies a small amount of earliness, while 'little early' suggests a lack of earliness. The choice between them depends on the specific context and the intended meaning.

Last Updated: March 27, 2024

This phrase is used to convey that something is not as early as expected or desired.

Examples:

He was a little early for the appointment.
The bus arrived a little early, catching us off guard.
She tends to be a little early for social events.
The project deadline is a little early for us to meet.
The store opening hours are a little early for me to shop.

Alternatives:

not quite early
not very early
a bit late
a touch late
a tad late

This phrase is used to describe a situation where something is slightly ahead of schedule or before the expected time.

Examples:

I arrived a little bit early for the meeting.
The cake needs to bake a little bit early to be ready on time.
She finished her homework a little bit early today.
Can we leave a little bit early to avoid traffic?
The train arrived a little bit early at the station.

Alternatives:

slightly early
a bit early
a tad early
a touch early
a smidgen early

Answer 1

little early

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate a lack of earliness.

Answer 2

a little bit early

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate a small amount of earliness.

"little early" vs "a little bit early"

little early

a little bit early

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