Word-Usage – Early vs Earlier: Differences and Usage

adverbial-phrasesword-choiceword-usage

Imagine you are organizing a lunch and want to ask someone (your friend or sister, etc.) to come over and help you prepare the meal. Which one of the following words works properly in the self-made sentence below? For me they both work correctly:

  • Can you come over a bit early to help me with lunch?
  • Can you come over a bit earlier to help me with lunch?

Best Answer

Early means 'before a specified or expected time'.

earlier also means 'before a specified or expected time' and the specified or expected time can itself be an early time, in which case "earlier" means "more early". The reference time changes.

The meeting is at 7PM. Could you arrive early to help me set out chairs?

The meeting is at 7PM. Could you arrive an hour earlier to help me set out chairs?

Last week, you arrived at 6pm to help put out chairs for the 7pm meeting. Tomorrow, would you be able to arrive a little earlier, at 5:30, to help me set up the sound system too?

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