early/middle/late+month (2025)

R

runnery

Senior Member

China,Chinese

  • Jun 25, 2007
  • #1

Hi,

We all know that one month has three sections which are defined as early/middle /late +month, for example:

August 5,2007-Early August 2007
August 16,2007-Middle August 2007
August 24,2007 -Late August 2007

Please correct them if you find any mistakes.

Thanks a lot

Runnery

  • M

    Marty10001

    Senior Member

    Dublin

    Ireland/English

    • Jun 25, 2007
    • #2

    These terms would not be regarded as exact and should only be a guide.
    "When will you arrive",
    "Early August",
    "I'll meet you at the airport"
    "Great! I'll send you the flight details when I book."

    R

    runnery

    Senior Member

    China,Chinese

    • Jun 25, 2007
    • #3

    Thanks, Marty. Actually, I only want to describe some inexact dates. I want to know if early/middle/late +month+year collocation is correct.
    For example:

    Late September 2006~Late December 2006
    Early January 2007~Late March 2007

    S

    Smudgette

    Senior Member

    South of England

    English, England

    • Jun 25, 2007
    • #4

    Early (month) and late (month) are fine, but it is more usual to say mid-(month) or the middle of (month). e.g. We close for the annual holiday from mid-August to mid-September (not sure if the hyphens are right, but I would use them with mid but not with early or late).

    Middle can also be used: e.g. We will be closed for refurbishment from the middle of July to the end of August.

    M

    Marty10001

    Senior Member

    Dublin

    Ireland/English

    • Jun 25, 2007
    • #5

    hanks, Marty. Actually, I only want to describe some inexact dates. I want to know if early/middle/late +month+year collocation is correct.
    For example:

    Late September 2006~Late December 2006
    Early January 2007~Late March 2007

    It reads okay as long as you don't expect the person who reads this to know the exact dates. For example if you want to say: "This business will be closed from late August until early September". The reader will not know the exact dates you intend to close and reopen".

    "I will be away from 20th September until the 12th December 2007."

    JamesM

    Senior Member

    Los Angeles, California

    English, USA

    • Jun 25, 2007
    • #6

    Smudgette said:

    Early (month) and late (month) are fine, but it is more usual to say mid-(month) or the middle of (month). e.g. We close for the annual holiday from mid-August to mid-September (not sure if the hyphens are right, but I would use them with mid but not with early or late).

    Middle can also be used: e.g. We will be closed for refurbishment from the middle of July to the end of August.

    "Mid-" is also how I would expect to see it. With "middle", I'd expect the "of", just as Smudgette said. In other words: "Mid-April 2008" sounds fine; "Middle April 2008" sounds odd; "middle of April 2008" sounds fine.

    Maître Capello

    Mod et ratures

    Suisse romande

    French – Switzerland

    • Oct 16, 2007
    • #7

    Is there any difference between late August and end of August?

    Nicomon

    Senior Member

    Montréal (Québec)

    Langue française ♀

    • Oct 16, 2007
    • #8

    Maître Capello said:

    Is there any difference between late August and end of August?

    To be honest... I don't know for sure. But just to get the ball rolling, here's a possible theory, given a 30 day month.

    Early = 1st to 10th
    Mid = 11th to 20th
    Late = 21st to 30th

    Beginning of (included in early) = First 5 days = 1st to 5th
    End of (included in late) = Last 5 days = 26th to 30th

    Maître Capello

    Mod et ratures

    Suisse romande

    French – Switzerland

    • Oct 16, 2007
    • #9

    Nicomon said:

    To be honest... I don't know for sure. But just to get the ball rolling, here's a possible theory, given a 30 day month.

    Early = 1st to 10th
    Mid = 11th to 20th
    Late = 21st to 30th

    Beginning of (included in early)
    End of (included in late) = Last 5 days = 26th to 30 th

    I also had the same impression, namely that August 23rd belonged to late August but not to the end of August. But then I thought that this distinction was foolish… That's why I've asked the question… early/middle/late+month (5)

    Dear life

    Senior Member

    Mathura, India

    India- Bengali

    • Jul 30, 2020
    • #10

    Hello! I guess I'd like to revive the thread with a short question. Is it okay to use early in (month) e.g. early in January or early in March etc and late in (month) like late in January etc?
    (An example: The doctor told me to get the pills three to five days earlier. So if I get it early in a month, I've to take it again late in the same month.)

    Is the example correct?
    Thank you in advance for your help 🙂

    entangledbank

    Senior Member

    London

    English - South-East England

    • Jul 30, 2020
    • #11

    The order 'early in January' is correct but probably much less common than 'in early January'. It might be used where more emphasis is given to 'early', but then it could have a different meaning. Sometimes people are paid early in December, so they have money for Christmas. But here 'early' would mean earlier than usual, not necessarily in the first third of the month. And if shops stay open late in December, that would mean a late time each day, not in the later part of December.

    Dear life

    Senior Member

    Mathura, India

    India- Bengali

    • Jul 30, 2020
    • #12

    Thank you entangledbank

    Dear life said:

    So if I get it early in a month, I've to take it again late in the same month.)

    Could you please let me know if the usage of 'early' is correct in this context?

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