What is the difference between earlier and sooner? I have read some of the questions here that were asked by others here and I find it disconcerting that the answers are different. I am still confused.

Some people say they are interchangeable in both past and present and future tenses:

Train A arrived 5 minutes earlier/sooner than train B.

Newspaper A published the article a day sooner/earlier than newspaper B.

Person A got a promotion 2 months sooner/earlier than person B.

I wish I had done that earlier/sooner.

I will try to finish the report sooner/earlier to get off work sooner/earlier.

Another school of thought among native speakers appears to be the idea that sooner cannot be used in past tenses, therefore it cannot be used in any of the sentences above and earlier should be used.

Train A arrived 5 minutes earlier (not sooner) than train B.

Newspaper A published the article a day earlier (not sooner) than newspaper B.

Person A got a promotion 2 months earlier (not sooner) than person B

I wish I had done that earlier (not sooner)

I will try to finish the report sooner/earlier to get off work sooner/earlier. (Both work here according to those people because the sentence is in the present tense)

Also, the same people who claim that sooner can't be used in past tenses say that earlier and sooner can be used interchangeably in future and present tenses.

Train A is going to arrive 5 minutes sooner/earlier than Train B.

Newspaper A is likely to publish the article a day earlier/sooner than newspaper B.

If person A gets a promotion 2 months earlier/sooner than person B, person B might get a bit upset because they both work equally hard.

I will try to finish the report sooner/earlier to get off work earlier/sooner.

I am still confused and I don't know which school of thought to believe.

I'd really appreciate it if someone could demystify the correct use of earlier and sooner. Maybe there are regional differences.

Question

What is the difference between earlier and sooner? I have read some of the questions here that were asked by others here and I find it disconcerting that the answers are different. I am still confused.

Some people say they are interchangeable in both past and present and future tenses:

Train A arrived 5 minutes earlier/sooner than train B.

Newspaper A published the article a day sooner/earlier than newspaper B.

Person A got a promotion 2 months sooner/earlier than person B.

I wish I had done that earlier/sooner.

I will try to finish the report sooner/earlier to get off work sooner/earlier.

Another school of thought among native speakers appears to be the idea that sooner cannot be used in past tenses, therefore it cannot be used in any of the sentences above and earlier should be used.

Train A arrived 5 minutes earlier (not sooner) than train B.

Newspaper A published the article a day earlier (not sooner) than newspaper B.

Person A got a promotion 2 months earlier (not sooner) than person B

I wish I had done that earlier (not sooner)

I will try to finish the report sooner/earlier to get off work sooner/earlier. (Both work here according to those people because the sentence is in the present tense)

Also, the same people who claim that sooner can't be used in past tenses say that earlier and sooner can be used interchangeably in future and present tenses.

Train A is going to arrive 5 minutes sooner/earlier than Train B.

Newspaper A is likely to publish the article a day earlier/sooner than newspaper B.

If person A gets a promotion 2 months earlier/sooner than person B, person B might get a bit upset because they both work equally hard.

I will try to finish the report sooner/earlier to get off work earlier/sooner.

I am still confused and I don't know which school of thought to believe.

I'd really appreciate it if someone could demystify the correct use of earlier and sooner. Maybe there are regional differences.

Answer

The confusion between "earlier" and "sooner" is understandable, as they are often used interchangeably in colloquial speech. However, there are subtle differences in their usage that can help clarify their meanings:

Earlier:

Typically refers to time in relation to a specific point in the past, present, or future.
Emphasizes chronological order or sequence.
Can refer to events, actions, or points in time.

Sooner:

Often implies the idea of "earlier than expected" or "before the anticipated time."
More commonly used to express timing relative to future events or expectations.

Here's a breakdown of your examples:

"Train A arrived 5 minutes earlier/sooner than train B."
- Both "earlier" and "sooner" work here and are interchangeable.

"Newspaper A published the article a day sooner/earlier than newspaper B."
- In this context, "earlier" might be more commonly used to denote the chronological order, but "sooner" could imply that Newspaper A published it before expected.

"Person A got a promotion 2 months sooner/earlier than person B."
- Again, both "earlier" and "sooner" can be used, but "earlier" may emphasize the chronological order while "sooner" might imply a quicker promotion than anticipated.

"I wish I had done that earlier/sooner."
- Both are correct, but "earlier" might be more common here to refer to a specific point in the past.

"I will try to finish the report sooner/earlier to get off work sooner/earlier."
- Both are acceptable, but "sooner" might imply completing the report before the anticipated deadline or with more urgency, while "earlier" could refer to completing it at an earlier point in time.

In summary, while there are subtle differences, "earlier" and "sooner" are often used interchangeably in everyday speech, and the choice between them can depend on context, personal preference, or regional variations.

Answer

First, pay attention to the words ‘soon’ and ‘early’. ‘Soon’ means the near future which is where the idea that ‘sooner’ applies to the future comes from. ‘Early’ refers to a time that occurs before another time.

‘Earlier’ is generally used to compare two different times while ‘sooner’ involves the passage of time.

My plane arrives earlier than yours, so I’ll rent the car.

If we work more efficiently, we’ll get done sooner. (The working time will be shorter. Saying ‘earlier’ would be saying that the new finishing time will be earlier than what the original finishing time would have been, but it takes longer for the brain to get there. ‘Sooner’ is a little more direct in my opinion)

Often either can be used - with one or the other sounding a little more precise, as in my examples (in my opinion). There’s probably some regional and educational variation in these opinions too.