Come late and leave early vs Come late only to leave early

Both phrases are correct, but they convey slightly different meanings. 'Come late and leave early' suggests a general instruction to arrive after the expected time and depart before the usual time. On the other hand, 'come late only to leave early' emphasizes the sequence of events, indicating that someone arrives late specifically to leave early.

Last updated: March 17, 2024 • 191 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used to advise someone to arrive after the expected time and depart before the usual time.

"Come late and leave early "

This phrase is used to give advice or instructions about timing, suggesting that one should not be present for the entire duration of an event or activity.

Examples:

In order to avoid the long meeting, he decided to come late and leave early.
The best way to handle the party is to come late and leave early.
She always follows the rule to come late and leave early at social gatherings.
The conference attendees were encouraged to come late and leave early to manage their schedules better.
The professor's advice was to come late and leave early to make the most of the seminar.

Show examples from the web [+]

Jan 30, 2013 ... Do you have scenes where you can come late and leave early to enhance the reader experience? Take a look at your manuscript with this in ...
Aug 30, 2012 ... As I see it -- and I've been seeing the evidence around me for over 25 years -- many Dodger fans come late and leave early because willfully or ...
Others could come late and leave early (and they ALWAYS did) and no one noticed or cared. I would get peeved at times, but it was the fate of ...
If the doors are in the back of the room, it is easy for students to come late and leave early with minimal disruption. When the only doors are at the front of the ...

Alternatives:

arrive late and depart early
arrive late and leave early
come in late and go out early
arrive after the start and leave before the end
arrive after the beginning and depart before the conclusion

This phrase is correct and emphasizes the sequence of events, indicating that someone arrives late specifically to leave early.

"Come late only to leave early "

This phrase highlights the intention behind arriving late, which is to depart early. It suggests a deliberate choice to attend for a short period of time.

Examples:

He decided to come late only to leave early because he had other commitments.
She always comes late only to leave early at work events.
The students arrived late only to leave early from the lecture.
The guests came late only to leave early from the party.
The team members came late only to leave early from the meeting.

Alternatives:

arrive late specifically to depart early
arrive late with the intention of leaving early
come in late with the purpose of going out early
arrive after the expected time to depart before the usual time
arrive late in order to leave early

How TextRanch works

Fast and reliable proofreading, editing, and language advice tailored to your needs.

1. Choose Your Service

Quick Text Editing

Emails and short texts
Proofreading & editing
Ready in 5-10 minutes

SUBMIT YOUR TEXT NOW

Document Editing

Documents of any type (*.docx)
Advanced & Premium editing
Ready in as little as 4 hours

UPLOAD YOUR DOCUMENT

Humanize AI Content

AI-generated texts or documents (*.docx)
Check for errors and appropriateness
Rephrase to improve flow and style

SUBMIT YOUR AI CONTENT

Upload your document or paste your text directly into our platform. Your text is reviewed and refined by our expert editors (real people, not machines) who understand the nuances of English. Expect corrections, improvements, and insightful suggestions that enhance the clarity, tone, and professionalism of your writing.

3. Receive Your Polished Text

In just a few minutes (or hours for longer documents), you'll receive your corrected text. Review the changes, make any final adjustments, and confidently share your polished English with the world.
You can count on a personalized, friendly service every time you use TextRanch. We're committed to helping you make a great impression with every word you write.

We proofread and edit these types of texts and documents:

Short texts Business Emails Personal Emails Social media posts Resume and Curriculum Vitae Business documents Sales proposal Research and academic papers Thesis Dissertation Essays Articles Blog posts and much more....

Why choose TextRanch?

Complete Privacy

Your texts are safe and secure with us. We never share your information with third parties.

Affordable Pricing

No subscription fees and rates up to 50% cheaper than other online editing services.

100% Satisfaction

We guarantee that you'll be satisfied with the quality of our service or your money back.

Top Customer Service

Our team is here to help you with any questions you may have. Contact us anytime.

Our Customers Love Us!

We have an average rating of 4.8 stars based on 301'733 votes.

"7 years without any disappointment. Always 100% satisfied. You guys are the best in the world at what you do. Thank you so much :)"

Zubair
from Bangladesh

"I wasn't aware of this service, it's fascinating and more reliable than standard IA tools available on the internet"

Arturo
from Mexico

"In a world of text messages and online communication, this is great to have as a live tool. Thank you."

Selena
from USA

"Wow, it's just so excellent. I never would have believed I could have a sure and excellent English companion. Thanks, TextRanch."

Ifiok
from Nigeria

"This is my first time using TextRanch, and I like how the editors take time to correct my text. To everyone who has never used TextRanch before, I highly recommend trying it."

Wilson
from France

"It is an amazing source of feedback because, as a non-native speaker, I really need to have a reliable helper correct my text."

Susan
from Germany

Come late and leave early vs Come late only to leave early