sooner than

USAGE SUMMARY

'sooner than' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express something will happen before something else. For example: "I will finish my homework sooner than I did last week."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But better sooner than later.

The New York Times

"Hopefully that will be sooner than later".

The New York Times

"No sooner than 2070," he said.

The New Yorker

"We're out sooner than we expected".

The New York Times - Sports

The ending came rather sooner than expected.

The Economist

"Perhaps the words are sooner than later.

The New York Times - Sports

Colombia needs reform sooner than that.

The Economist

The honor came sooner than he expected.

The New York Times - Sports

The solution was announced sooner than expected.

The Economist

The day came sooner than they expected.

The Economist

Hopefully, it's sooner than later".

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "sooner than" to clearly establish a temporal relationship between two events, emphasizing that one occurs before the other. Ensure that the comparison is logical and clear.

Common error

Avoid using "sooner than" when there is no clear comparison being made. The phrase requires a reference point for what is being considered 'later'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sooner than" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying verbs or clauses to indicate a temporal relationship. It specifies that an action or event occurs earlier relative to another anticipated or expected time.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

17%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "sooner than" is a grammatically sound and frequently used comparative expression. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and provides numerous examples of its usage in various contexts. Predominantly found in News & Media and Science, it serves to indicate that something occurs earlier than expected or another point of reference. When employing this phrase, ensure a clear comparison is established to avoid ambiguity. While versatile, it is suitable for neutral contexts. Alternatives such as "earlier than expected" or "prior to" can be employed based on the desired level of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

earlier than expected

Emphasizes the unexpected earliness of an event.

more quickly than anticipated

Focuses on the speed of an event relative to expectations.

before the expected time

Highlights that something occurs prior to a specific anticipated moment.

ahead of schedule

Indicates progress faster than initially planned.

prior to

A more formal way to say before.

at an earlier date

Specifies that something happens on a date before another.

in advance of

Suggests preparation or action taken before a certain time.

previously

Simply indicates something happened before a reference point.

beforehand

Emphasizes preparation done in advance.

expeditiously

Highlights the quick and efficient nature of an action.

FAQs

How can I use "sooner than" in a sentence?

Use "sooner than" to compare the timing of two events, indicating that one happens before the other. For example, "I finished the project "sooner than" I expected."

What's a formal alternative to "sooner than"?

For a more formal tone, consider using "prior to" or "in advance of". For instance, instead of "The results came "sooner than" anticipated", you could say "The results were available prior to the anticipated date."

Is it ever incorrect to use "sooner than"?

Yes, it's incorrect if there is no clear comparison. "Sooner than" implies a comparative relationship, so it needs a point of reference. For example, saying "I left "sooner than"" without specifying what you left before is grammatically incomplete.

Which is correct, "sooner than expected" or "more sooner than expected"?

"Sooner than expected" is correct. The word "sooner" already implies a comparison, so adding "more" is redundant. Using "more "sooner than" expected" is considered grammatically incorrect.