it pretty late

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it pretty late" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct form would be "it's pretty late" or "it is pretty late." Example: "I think we should head home now because it's pretty late."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"They've left it pretty late," says Edward Parker, who analyses post-communist countries at Fitch, a rating agency.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

It was pretty late at night, because it had been a double feature -- "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie".

Huffington Post

It was pretty late when I arrived, but the receptionist told me it was "Piemas," so I should head down to the communal area before going to bed.

Vice

For starters, it's pretty late in the day to start abusing people for their "insatiable greed"; it is, and always has been, one of this country's driving forces.

Forbes

It was pretty late.

The New York Times - Travel

"It's pretty late in the day".

The New York Times

"It's pretty late in the season.

The New York Times - Sports

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

The New Yorker

I play it until pretty late," he said.

The Guardian - Tech

"It's pretty late," Bernadette said as they headed toward the car.

The New Yorker

No, it was pretty late and I was on my bike.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the contracted form "it's" or the full form "it is" before "pretty late" to ensure grammatical correctness. For example, say "It's pretty late, let's go home" instead of "It pretty late, let's go home".

Common error

A common mistake is omitting the apostrophe in "it's", writing "it pretty late" instead of "it's pretty late". Always remember that "it's" is a contraction of "it is" and requires an apostrophe.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it pretty late" functions as an incomplete statement expressing the lateness of something. However, it lacks the necessary auxiliary verb ("is") to be grammatically correct. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is not correct in standard written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Wiki

33%

Science

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it pretty late" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in formal writing. The correct forms are "it's pretty late" or "it is pretty late". As Ludwig AI indicates, this phrase requires an auxiliary verb. While its intended meaning is clear – to convey that something is happening at an advanced hour – its grammatical deficiency undermines its effectiveness. To express this idea correctly, consider alternatives such as "it's quite late" or "it's very late". Although examples of the phrase can be found in online sources, particularly news and media outlets, adhering to correct grammatical structures is crucial for clear and professional communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it's quite late

Replaces "pretty" with "quite", offering a grammatically correct and slightly more formal alternative.

it is very late

Substitutes "pretty" with "very", correcting the grammar and emphasizing the lateness.

it's really late

Replaces "pretty" with "really", resulting in a grammatically sound and common expression.

it's rather late

Employs "rather" instead of "pretty", maintaining a similar meaning with better grammar.

it's fairly late

Uses "fairly" as a substitute for "pretty", providing a grammatically correct alternative.

it's getting late

Shifts the focus to the process of becoming late, implying the lateness is increasing.

it was a late hour

Transforms the phrase to describe the hour as late, offering a more descriptive approach.

the hour is late

Highlights the lateness of the hour, providing a more formal and emphatic expression.

it's past my bedtime

A more colloquial way of saying it's late, implying someone should be asleep.

it's late in the day

Focuses on the lateness within the context of a day's activities, suggesting limited time remaining.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "it pretty late"?

The grammatically correct way to express this is "it's pretty late" or "it is pretty late", using the contraction or full form of "it is".

Are there alternatives to saying "it's pretty late"?

Yes, you can use phrases like "it's quite late", "it's very late", or "it's getting late" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

What does "it's pretty late" mean?

It means that the current time is advanced, close to bedtime, or later than expected for a particular activity.

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

Use it when you want to suggest that an activity should be concluded or when explaining why something is delayed due to the advanced time.