a pretty late

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a pretty late" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used to describe a time that is later than expected or usual, but the correct form would be "pretty late" without the article "a." Example: "I arrived pretty late to the meeting and missed the first part of the discussion."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

—ISOLDE RAFTERY LATE TO RISE I'm a pretty late person.

The New York Times

What I have on my side is that I'm a pretty late developer.

Independent

In those days, all the airlines had a pretty late retirement age, and the old guy fell asleep a lot".

The New Yorker

However, since this situation surfaced in a pretty late stage of the project development, we did not bother to look into getting better transistor.

Cornell University

Estately for iPhone, which is launching today, is a pretty late entrant to the mobile real estate game.

TechCrunch

I also had a bit of a snooze because I had a pretty late finish after my semi-final on Friday.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

And what better way to pull in the community than to have the children play an important role in the event?" The idea for a contest came "pretty late in the game" last year, Garlock said.

Los Angeles Times

I have the feeling that the north facing slope above North Tenmile Creek holds a crapload of snow until pretty late, but it was a very cool route sobo.

University of California, Berkeley

"You want to see a movie?" "It's pretty late".

The New Yorker

It was a silly tackle - he was pretty late - but it was also a fairly soft red card.

The Guardian - Sport

The date had started out pretty late after a series of back and forth (you should not be bbm friends with people you are just starting to date) and unfortunate delays.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Opt for "pretty late" (without the article "a") in informal contexts, but be aware that it's not considered grammatically correct in formal writing. Use alternatives like "quite late" or "rather late" for formal writing.

Common error

Avoid using the article "a" before "pretty late". The correct form is "pretty late". For example, say "I arrived pretty late", not "I arrived a pretty late".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a pretty late" functions as an adverbial modifier, typically describing the timing of an action or event. While Ludwig AI indicates it's grammatically incorrect, its usage aims to convey that something happened or will happen at a time that is later than expected or usual. Examples in Ludwig show its use across various contexts, though often avoided in formal writing.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Academia

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a pretty late" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English, as noted by Ludwig AI. The correct form is "pretty late" (without the article "a"). While it is used in informal contexts, alternatives like "quite late" or "rather late" are preferred for formal writing. Ludwig examples show the phrase's presence across various sources, although its usage might be considered colloquial. When in doubt, opting for grammatically correct alternatives will ensure clarity and professionalism in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

quite late

Replaces "pretty" with "quite", offering a more standard adverb of degree.

rather late

Substitutes "pretty" with "rather", another common adverb of degree indicating lateness.

somewhat late

Uses "somewhat" instead of "pretty", implying a moderate degree of lateness.

fairly late

Replaces "pretty" with "fairly", indicating a reasonable degree of lateness.

considerably late

Emphasizes the lateness to a greater extent than "pretty late".

belatedly

Replaces the entire phrase with an adverb, indicating something done or occurring late.

later than expected

Explains the lateness explicitly, removing the subjective "pretty".

behind schedule

Focuses on the lateness in terms of a timeline or plan.

delayed

A more direct way of saying something is late, often used for events or processes.

tardy

A formal synonym for late, often used in educational or professional contexts.

FAQs

Is it grammatically correct to say "a pretty late"?

No, the phrase "a pretty late" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. The correct form is "pretty late" without the article "a".

What are some alternatives to saying "a pretty late"?

Instead of "a pretty late", you can use alternatives such as "quite late", "rather late", or "somewhat late" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "pretty late"?

The phrase "pretty late" is suitable for informal conversations or writing. In formal contexts, it's best to use more precise alternatives.

What is the difference between "pretty late" and "very late"?

Pretty late suggests a moderate degree of lateness, while "very late" implies a higher degree of lateness. The choice depends on the specific context and the level of emphasis you want to convey.