I worked early

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I worked early" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that you completed your work or started working at an earlier time than usual. Example: "I worked early today to finish the project before the deadline."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

I worked early mornings, evenings, and weekends.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

"I work early," he said.

The Guardian - Arts

I'll focus most of my play on weekends and later afternoons, with the occasional earlier tournament start thrown in as I work early or late on some days to make up for the occasional half-day.

Huffington Post

I work early in the morning and come back late in the evening.

Unicef

I used to come here for a bacon sandwich straight from the gin factory where I was working early morning".

The Guardian - Books

I started working early on for The New York Times, FADER, and a few other publications.

Vice

I started working early in life--my first job was flipping burgers at a Burger King fast food outlet.

Huffington Post

I come to work early, I'm always joking with my teammates.

The New York Times - Sports

"I come to work early and I leave early to pick up my son," Lee said, adding that she feels OK about this.

Science Magazine

I wasn't too excited when I came to work early that morning because I imagined a simple party based on a banquet.

The New York Times

During the holidays, I tend to work early mornings and evenings so I can spend the bulk of my time with my family.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "I worked early", ensure the context clearly indicates that you started or completed your work at an earlier time than usual. This phrasing is best suited for informal or conversational contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "I worked early" if you intend to convey that you worked on something from a long time ago. Instead, use "I worked on this in my early years" to clarify the intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I worked early" functions as a statement describing the timing of work activity. It indicates that the speaker engaged in work at an earlier time than usual. Ludwig provides examples where this phrase is used in personal narratives and news contexts.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "I worked early" is grammatically correct and understandable, although less common than alternatives like "I started working early". Ludwig confirms the correctness of the phrase. It's used to indicate that work was started or completed at an earlier time than usual, particularly in news and media contexts, as well as in formal and business settings. When using this phrase, ensure the context makes it clear that you are referring to the timing of your work, not to something you worked on in the distant past. While clear, using more common alternatives could improve comprehension and overall readability. The expert rating is 4.1, reflecting the quality of the sources and clarity of usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I started working early

Focuses on the commencement of work at an early time.

I began work early

Similar to starting, but uses "began" which can sound slightly more formal.

I was working early

Indicates an ongoing state of working early.

I worked in the early hours

Specifies the timeframe more precisely.

I put in an early shift

Emphasizes the scheduled work period.

I started my workday early

More explicitly refers to the beginning of the workday.

I tackled work early

Implies dealing with work promptly.

I reported to work early

Focuses on arriving at the workplace before the usual time.

I commenced my duties early

A more formal way of expressing the early start of work.

I advanced my working hours

Implies moving the time earlier to begin with tasks.

FAQs

What does "I worked early" mean?

The phrase "I worked early" means that you started or completed your work at an earlier time than usual. It suggests a deviation from your typical work schedule.

What can I say instead of "I worked early"?

You can use alternatives like "I started working early", "I began work early", or "I was working early" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "I worked early" grammatically correct?

Yes, "I worked early" is grammatically correct, although it is more common to say "I started working early" or "I began work early". Ludwig AI confirms its correctness.

How can I use "I worked early" in a sentence?

You can say, "I worked early today to finish the project before the deadline". It implies that you adjusted your schedule to get the job done sooner.