it is important that you be on time vs it is important that you are on time

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'It is important that you be on time' is more formal and is often used in written English or workplace speech. 'It is important that you are on time' is more commonly used in everyday spoken English.

Explained by Jennifer
Editor at TextRanch

Last updated: March 17, 2025 • 5321 views

This phrase is correct but more formal and often used in written English or formal speech.

"it is important that you be on time"

This phrase is used to emphasize the importance of being punctual. It is commonly found in formal contexts.

Examples:

It is important that you be on time for the meeting.
It is crucial that you be on time for the interview.

Show examples from the web [+]

It is important that you be on time. However, I find that native English speakers often don't use a subjunctive, and prefer: The football coach insists that each ...
It is important that you be on time. We demand that the company do something about its toxic waste. The syllabus requires that each student write a research ...
It is important that you be on time to make use of it. Your first appointment will be 75-90 minutes long; subsequent appointments are usually scheduled for 30 or ...
It is important that you be on time for the ceremony because there are many celebrations in our church. If you are scheduled to have a 1:00 pm ceremony, ...

Alternatives:

It is important for you to be on time.
Being on time is important.
It is crucial that you arrive on time.
It is essential that you are punctual.
You must be on time.

This phrase is correct and more commonly used in everyday spoken English.

"it is important that you are on time"

This phrase is used to stress the importance of punctuality in a more casual or everyday context.

Examples:

It is important that you are on time for the movie.
It is crucial that you are on time for the party.

Show examples from the web [+]

It is important that you are on time to pick up your child at Escalante-Biggs Academy or at their designated shuttle bus stop. Our shuttle buses and classroom ...
schedules, so it is important that you are on time for all scheduled appointments. If we believe there will be a long delay while we attend to the dental needs of ...
The football coach insists that each player gets eight hours of sleep per night. It is important that you are on time. Are they just plain wrong, or is the subjunctive ...
It is important that you are on time and ready when class begins. • Excessive absences will result in the discontinuation of your provision of this service. You will ...

Alternatives:

It is important for you to be on time.
Being on time is important.
It is crucial that you arrive on time.
It is essential that you are punctual.
You must be on time.

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it is important that you be on time vs it is important that you are on time

"it is important that you be on time"

"it is important that you are on time"

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