Learn English – I came to realise… the meaning of “come +infinitive”

phrase-meaningphrase-usage

When someone says "I came to realise…", I know it can mean he realised it gradually.

Can it mean one day he suddenly realised something? For example,

One week later, I came to realise that I missed my appointment.

If this is wrong, can I ask how to express the meaning of I realised something very late?

For example, normally people realise they missed an appointment on the day or next day, but I realised it one week later.

Best Answer

To express realizing something much later on

Only after some time was I able to realize...
I realized much later that...

the amount of time is usually a modifying phrase. It is implied that the realization came somewhat suddenly since if the realization was progressive one might use

Over a period of time, I was able to realize...

For something really sudden

only later did it hit me
some time afterwards I suddenly realized

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