What does “Earlier Today” Mean in English?

There are plenty of ways to talk about time in English. One way is through the word “early”. Early is used to express time, and one way to use it is to say “earlier today”. What exactly does “earlier today” mean in English?

The phrase “earlier today” is used to refer to an event that happened earlier in the day. It cannot refer to events that happened on previous days, it has to happen on the day that the phrase is being said. For example, you cannot say “earlier today” to refer to future events or events that happened two days ago. You can only use it to refer to present day events.

The rest of this article will cover what earlier today means, and how to use it in a sentence.

What Earlier Today Means

When you hear the word “early”, think of what first comes to mind. The morning hours are considered early, but early can also mean getting to an event early regardless of what time the event is at. For example, showing up 30 minutes early to a 6 p.m. event.

Earlier today is similar. If you’re speaking to someone at 11 p.m., then “earlier today” can mean 1 p.m. Despite how 1 p.m. is not the morning, “earlier today” can still be used to describe the time period. Earlier today refers to any event that happened earlier in the present day.

To summarize, “earlier today” is a word used to describe a situation that happened on that specific day rather than a future or past date.

How To Use Earlier Today In A Sentence

To use earlier today in a sentence, you have to use it to refer to an event that happened on the same day you’re speaking of. For example, you can’t say “earlier today” then refer to an event that happened before that same day, or an event coming up in the future.

You have to use the term for the present day, not the past or the future. To use earlier today, use it to refer to something that happened a few hours earlier in the day. Like it rained at 3 p.m., and you’re telling your friend “it rained earlier today” at 10 p.m.

Here is an example of the phrase in a sentence: “Earlier today, I tripped and chipped my tooth.”