once they arrive

USAGE SUMMARY

"once they arrive" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it whenever you are speaking or writing about someone's arrival at a particular place, such as in this example sentence: "The guests will be able to start the party once they arrive."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Once they arrive, they've activated their character".

The New Yorker

"Once they arrive, it's too late".

The New York Times

Once they arrive, refugees face highly polarized attitudes from Australians.

The New York Times

Once they arrive at their destination, the strategy changes.

The New York Times

"We have got to change the culture once they arrive," the general said.

The New York Times

Yet researchers also note that boomers do not want to rough it once they arrive.

The New York Times - Travel

Among other demands, McNeill also called for better provision for refugees once they arrive in Europe.

The Guardian

And once they arrive, they see their doctor within 15 minutes.

The New York Times

However, once they arrive there's an even greater surprise in store.

The Guardian

"My philosophy is, once they arrive, let them have a good time".

The New York Times - Tech

Once they arrive in one of China's bustling manufacturing hubs, the Uighurs often find life alienating.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "once they arrive" to clearly indicate the sequence of events, ensuring that the action described follows the arrival of the subject. For example: "Once they arrive, the meeting will begin."

Common error

Avoid using future tenses in the 'once' clause when the main clause describes a future event. Instead of "Once they will arrive", use "Once they arrive, they will be greeted".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "once they arrive" functions as an adverbial clause of time, modifying the main clause of a sentence. It specifies when the action in the main clause will occur. Ludwig confirms its proper usage in numerous contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Science

19%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Academia

2%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "once they arrive" is a grammatically sound and frequently used adverbial clause of time. As Ludwig AI confirms, it effectively establishes a temporal sequence, indicating that an action or event will follow someone's arrival. It is most commonly found in news and media, with notable presence also in science and formal business contexts. While generally suitable for neutral to formal communication, it is important to avoid future tenses in the 'once' clause to maintain grammatical correctness. Alternatives like "upon their arrival" or "as soon as they get here" can be used to convey similar meanings with slight variations in formality or emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

as soon as they get here

Focuses on the immediacy following their arrival.

as soon as they've arrived

Stresses the immediacy and completion of their arrival.

when they reach the destination

Highlights the completion of their journey.

upon their arrival

More formal way of saying "once they arrive".

after they've made it

Emphasizes the successful completion of their travel.

following their coming

A slightly more archaic or literary alternative.

on their reaching

Highlights the action of reaching a place.

subsequent to their arrival

A formal and somewhat redundant alternative.

the moment they're here

Emphasizes the exact time of their arrival.

after arrival

Shortened version omitting the pronoun.

FAQs

How to use "once they arrive" in a sentence?

Use "once they arrive" to indicate that an action or event will occur after a group or individuals reach a specific location. For example: "Once they arrive, we can start the presentation."

What can I say instead of "once they arrive"?

You can use alternatives like "as soon as they get here", "upon their arrival", or "when they reach the destination" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "once they will arrive"?

No, it is grammatically incorrect to use "will" after "once" when referring to a future event. The correct phrasing is "once they arrive". For example: "Once they arrive, the show will begin."

What's the difference between "once they arrive" and "after they arrive"?

While both phrases indicate a sequence of events, "once they arrive" often implies a more immediate or direct consequence following the arrival compared to "after they arrive". The latter might suggest a slightly longer delay or more complex sequence.