will be late

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "will be late" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is a common structure used to describe a future action or event that will happen at a specific time. Example: "I'm sorry, I will be late for our meeting at 3 PM. Can we reschedule for a later time?".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

The headmistress will be late.

The Economist

"You will be late for school".

The New Yorker

"My presents will be late," she said.

The New York Times

By that time it will be late May.

Independent

You will be late for work on Tuesday.

The Guardian

He calls his destination to explain that he will be late, and starts to walk.

The Economist

As with so much of the Indian public sector, re-invention will be late in arriving.

The Economist

I was shocked by "Your Train Will Be Late, She Says Cheerily".

The New York Times

It will be late night in Rome when Pell gives his evidence next week.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

The first official review will be late this summer, and by then Mr. Williams may be gone.

The New York Times

It is in a quandary.The next moment when Japan could join will be late next month when founding members are to sign the bank's articles of incorporation.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When you know you "will be late", inform the involved parties as soon as possible. Providing an estimated time of arrival can help manage expectations.

Common error

Avoid simply stating that you "will be late" without offering any explanation. Providing context, such as traffic or an unexpected delay, can make the message more considerate and understandable.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "will be late" primarily functions as a future tense verb phrase. It indicates an expectation or prediction that someone or something is not going to be on time. As Ludwig AI examples show, the phrase conveys anticipation of tardiness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Wiki

25%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "will be late" is a very common and grammatically correct way to express an anticipated delay. According to Ludwig AI, it is widely used across various contexts, predominantly in News & Media, Wiki, and Science. It's communicative purpose is to inform about an expected lateness. When using "will be late", remember to provide context and inform involved parties promptly. Consider using alternatives like "expect to be delayed" or "running behind schedule" for a more nuanced expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

going to be delayed

Similar to "will be late" but places stronger emphasis on the future nature of the delay.

expect to be delayed

Focuses on the anticipation of a delay, rather than simply stating the lateness.

likely to be tardy

Uses a more formal word, "tardy", to convey lateness.

delayed

A shorter, more concise way of saying something is "will be late".

foresee a delay

Emphasizes the prediction of a delay.

running behind schedule

Implies active progress but being slower than planned.

anticipate being behind schedule

Highlights the aspect of not adhering to the planned timetable.

not on time

A simple, direct way to say that something will not happen at the expected time.

delayed arrival

Focuses on the arrival being late.

expect a late arrival

Similar to "delayed arrival" but includes the element of expectation.

FAQs

How can I use "will be late" in a sentence?

You can use "will be late" to indicate that someone or something is expected to arrive or occur after the scheduled time. For example, "I "will be late" to the meeting because of traffic."

What can I say instead of "will be late"?

Alternatives to "will be late" include "expect to be delayed", "likely to be tardy", or "running behind schedule".

Is it better to say "will be late" or "going to be late"?

Both "will be late" and "going to be late" are grammatically correct and generally interchangeable. The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey, but they express the same meaning of anticipated lateness.

What's the difference between "will be late" and "is late"?

"Will be late" indicates a future expectation of being late, while "is late" describes a present state of being late. For example, "I "will be late"" means you anticipate being late, while "I am late" means you are currently past the scheduled time.