On-demand content
Hey! When should you use 'late', 'later', 'latter', and 'belated' in a sentence? Can you swap any of them around, or do they all mean different things?
"Late," "later," "latter," and "belated" each have distinct meanings and are typically not interchangeable. Here's when and how to use them:
1️⃣ "Late": This is an adjective that typically means occurring or arriving after the expected or usual time. It can also mean deceased when referring to a person.
Example: "She arrived late to the meeting."
Example: "His late father was a renowned musician."
2️⃣ "Later": This is an adverb meaning at a time in the future or after the time you have mentioned.
Example: "I'll finish the report later."
Example: "See you later!"
3️⃣ "Latter": This is an adjective that refers to the second of two things or people previously mentioned or implied.
Example: "There are two options: studying now or studying later. I prefer the latter."
4️⃣ "Belated": This is an adjective meaning coming or happening later than should have been the case. It's often used with birthday wishes or congratulations.
Example: "Here's a belated birthday gift for you."
So, while these words all relate to the concept of time or order in some way, their uses are quite different, and they can't typically be swapped around in sentences.
