"to arrive for/to/at work"

Question

Hello,Suggest please which preposition is correct or more naturalin the sentence"Workers are penalized for arriving late for/to/at work."?The dictionary's variant is "for", while I would use "to" or "at".Thanks in advance.--Victor

Avangi · Accepted Answer

"Workers are penalized for arriving late for/to/at work."?

In this particular sentence, I find only "for" to be natural.

But I sometimes hear "to." She was late to/for work again.

What time did she arrive at work?

"To" and "for" have a slightly different sense.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

'Late for' is the usual method of conveying 'past the proper time'.

eg I was late for work.

eg I was late for my appointment.

In your specific sentence, I'd just say "Workers are penalized for arriving late".

'Late for work' can be assumed here.

Clive

Victor_amelkin · Answer

Hello Clive, Avangi,

I have met the expressions "being late for smth." and "arriving at work", but

never have I seen the expression "arriving late for work". The latter phrase I

can interpret only in the way that "late for work" plays a role or an adverbial

phrase used in a postposition modifying the participle "arriving". Thus, the

original phrase may have the meaning as in the following sentence:

"He had arrived a few minutes before the working day end, so he was late

for work that day."

Does it make any sense or rather not?

Thanks in advance.

--

Victor

Emsr2d2 · Answer

To me, the word order seems to make a difference here. I agree that the general term is "to be late for work", certainly in BrE.

I'm sorry I was late for work this morning.
Oh no, I think I'm going to be late for work.

So, my immediate reaction was:

Workers/employees are penalised for being late for work.

However, I realised that if I changed the sentence very slightly, I also had to change the preposition:

Workers/employees are penalised if they arrive/get to work late.

Avangi · Answer

victor_amelkin "He had arrived a few minutes before the working day end, so he was late for work that day."

Does it make any sense or rather not?

I should say not.

Admittedly, "She arrived late for work" is a bastardized form or idiom or whatever.
"She arrived how?" (It can describe her method or her condition - adjectival or adverbial.)

She arrived by cab.
She arrived early.
She arrived drunk.
She arrived on the wrong day.
She arrived in the nick of time.
She arrived without her homework.

She is late.
She is late for work.
She is drunk.
She is under the influence.

She arrived under the influence.

(This describes her condition, not her method - although grammatically, it could be her method.)

Papaya blue · Answer

Hi

I think we should use 'for' when it's a bout an action : please arrive promptly for meeting.

'At' when it's about a place: I arrived at the post office at 8:00

"to arrive for/to/at work"

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