I was late to work vs I was late for work

Both phrases are correct. However, they're used in slightly different contexts. 'I was late to work' implies you arrived at work after the expected time, while 'I was late for work' suggests you were delayed in leaving for work. The choice between 'to' and 'for' depends on if you're referring to the arrival time or the departure time.

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Editor at TextRanch

Last updated: September 12, 2024 • 19908 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"I was late to work"

This phrase is used to indicate that you arrived at work after the expected time.

Examples:

I was late to work this morning because of traffic.
She was late to work due to oversleeping.
They were late to work because of a subway delay.

Show examples from the web [+]
Last updated: November 06, 2024

Jul 6, 2021 ... I was late to work but found this. Worth it. ... Archived post. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast.
Feb 26, 2018 ... Can my employer fire me because I was late to work because I was being falsely accused of stealing by the police on my way to work? All ...
Sep 27, 2024 ... Made the mistake of giving UberEATS another shot because I was late to work. UberEATS scammed me again. Learn from my mistakes.
Mar 11, 2024 ... By the time we figured out what we were doing, I was late to work and got laid off! I thought, I have to have a job! We won't make it! My ...
Feb 5, 2024 ... I was late to work because I overslept, and now my co-worker is mad at me. All related (36).
Jan 30, 2023 ... I was late to work this morning because my daughter asked me to play dollies. I pretended it was our last time. I high fived my son like it was our last time.
Aug 8, 2017 ... "I've been" is the wrong tense to use with "today" here. You can say "I've been late (to work) several time this week" but "I was late (to work) today/this ...
Oct 8, 2014 ... Reader 1 could say: “Although I did good work, I was late to work too often. Since then, I have developed better time management skills so ...
Dec 18, 2015 ... ... I was late to work a few times trying to get there, I lost my apartment because I couldn't afford to live there without a job and I couldn't ...

Alternatives:

I arrived late at work.
I got to work late.
I was tardy for work.

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"I was late for work"

This phrase is used to indicate that you were delayed in leaving for work.

Examples:

I missed the bus, so I was late for work.
She had to drop her kids off at school, so she was late for work.
He got caught in a meeting, so he was late for work.

Show examples from the web [+]
Last updated: November 06, 2024

Mar 14, 2019 ... Why I Was Late for Work Today ... People on the NYC subway. ... 8:15 A.M.: Woke up right on schedule, with plenty of time to make it to the office ...
Jun 28, 2017 ... You can find all the Summer Writing Contest stories here. I was late for work and thought, “Oh, come on, as the group manager is here today.” ...
Jul 29, 2020 ... I was late for work for the first time today and now I feel like it's the end of the world. I'm sitting at work typing this (I'm alone plus ...
Dec 14, 2017 ... The car wouldn't start this morning, so I was late for work. The word in bold was actually missing in the original task. The four answers were: ...
Sep 21, 2012 ... I was five minutes late two weeks ago, and it really wasn't a big deal. But for some reason my alarm didn't go off today and I was late for work
Oct 2, 2019 ... I was late for work one day due to road conditions during a winter storm. Even though I left really early, the bad weather caused me to be ...
Dec 21, 2023 ... I was late for work this morning. My son was late for school. Not because we overslept. Not because there was traffic.
May 25, 2016 ... I was late for work today and got fired now I'm depressed, scared, and feel hopeless. What should I do? All related (40). Recommended.
At almost the same time in New Jersey, I was late for work at the Rutgers Writing Program, and did not stop to watch CNN when my housemate pointed to the ...
Jun 25, 2019 ... During the 90 day probation period I was late for work twice, once for alarm clock problem, (I was a newly wed) and then a flat tire. Real ...

Alternatives:

I was delayed getting to work.
I was behind schedule for work.
I was running late for work.

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I was late to work vs I was late for work

"I was late to work"

"I was late for work"

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