near the beginning of a period of time; near the beginning of a course, process, or series; before the usual or expected time See the full definition . Add at your earliest convenience to one of your lists below, or create a new one. Lets look at our out-of-office message example from above. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Sona Digital Media LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. At your earliest convenience. 6 an object that is particularly useful, esp. A more correct-sounding phrase is .. "Go to hell, I'll do it at my convenience". The other 2 have a much different tone because of how central the pronoun 'you' is in their constructions. Whenever you can, could you get to start the email list? This is a very relaxed and mellow way of letting someone know that they are able to complete a task on their own terms or without any major expectations in regards to timing. Im going to need our profit and loss statement from Q1 to prepare a report Ill be presenting next Monday. However, it may sound strange if you use at your earliest convenience in casual or friendly situations. A phrase that sometimes may be used instead is When I'm good and ready. The phrase allows the reader to see this as a mutual sign of respect. When we say to someone when you get around to it we are giving the person in question the choice of when to accomplish something. We use prepositional phrases to add details to a sentence about anything a preposition can describe. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. As soon as possible (ASAP) means just that, even if it is not convenient! @bobie 'Opportunity' or 'as soon as I can' implies that you will do the task when you have the chance even though it might inconvenience you, eg you'd rather sit down and put your feet up but you'll do the task seeing as you've got a spare 30 minutes. [knvinins ] noun 1. I would say "When you have time, can you call me?" Using the ellipsis will just sound incomplete. At your earliest convenience Although there's nothing wrong with this phrase, it might actually be too polite, or at least too open-ended. Now, Mary knows what John needs and when he needs it. Oct 28, 2011 at 4:40am. Spellcaster Dragons Casting with legendary actions? Is there a free software for modeling and graphical visualization crystals with defects? #2, is basically the same, but redundant. Is at your earliest convenience the best way to ask someone to do something quickly? For example, an auto response when away from a computer. #2. If she'd written "Shipping your order is my highest priority," that would clearly be sarcastic. So, if you absolutely need them to finish the task right now, you should opt for something like as soon as possible rather than at your earliest convenience. This clearly shows the urgency and time crunch: you will be more likely to get that task back faster. Read through this short guide on earliest convenience to understand how to use it, Convenience as a noun used to describe a suitable time that is a choice of a person. It means "Please do this as son as you can without dropping something else.". Is It Correct to Say As Per Our Conversation? The first is a polite way to request action from another person. Ill wait to hear from you.. Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English. You can use at your convenience to politely say that the person you are speaking to can do something whenever it suits them. These tasks can be accomplished over a longer period of time and without haste. [.] For example, while not disputing the fact that saying at your earliest convenience is polite, it may . As a phrase on its own, at your earliest convenience is polite. "At your earliest convenience" sounds exactly like the sort of language that used to be common in official or formal letters but now all the authorities including Fowler would proscribe. We are not hurrying someone and are giving them the appropriate amount of independence. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. We can head out tomorrow whenever you like. Thank you for the time you have taken to review my summary. This allows someone to feel relaxed while completing a task. At your earliest convenience. Or At my earliest convenience.. The task should be completed in due course. In both cases, there is not a strong sense of urgency. When somebody dies a lot of things are on your mind. At your earliest convenience is a prepositional phrase, and it usually comes at the very beginning or very end of a request. an early peach. https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/at+your+earliest+convenience, MacDonald would be glad to know that this mark of His Majesty's favour would be agreeable to you, and I am therefore to ask if you will be good enough to communicate with me accordingly, We appeal to you to address this problem at the highest level and, As the supplier of the trains in question I believe it is right that we provide you with the correct information, which we respectfully request that you publish, If you have any question about this, please contact me. It only takes a minute to sign up. Grammatically, at your convenience is an idiomatic prepositional phrase we frequently use in polite communication, especially in the workplace. A toast to his life at your convenience would be appreciated. Example for scheduling a meeting: I would like to discuss before (date). If you are interested in contributing, please contact Mary Bosworth, editor, "I would be very grateful if you could arrange the inspection. It leaves it up to them to determine when they want to help you. Saying youll return someones email or call at your earliest convenience sounds impolite. As impolite phrases go, there are certainly worse offenses. For example: Here is an example business letter using proper grammar and language for the phrase, at your earliest convenience.. The Phone Script. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. With all of these, if we replace at your convenience with at your earliest convenience, we would imply a sense of urgency. These are completely different statements and contexts, and will be perceived entirely differently. This is another great way of expressing that someone may do something at whatever time, or at any time that is most appropriate or easiest for them. Something went wrong while submitting the form. I am a career educator and have served at the classroom, administrative, and university levels. You often use the phrase because you are asking for something and want the person to know that they can do it when it suits them and that you arent demanding it immediately. I think the writer ( the professor ) may have turned around the phrase " Please get back to me at your earliest convenience.'' inadvertantly causing him/herself to sound as if s/he could not be bothered. Here are a few examples of how we can use this phrase in a sentence: Another phrase that we can use is at a suitable time. However, while these two phrases have similar definitions, their connotations differ. This site is owned and operated by Sona Digital Media LLC. Dalia has featured articles on Forbes, Inc, Fast Company, Grammarly, and many more. Choosing the right words shouldn't be your limitation! "Your convenience" means that the person leaving the message hopes to hear back when the other person is ready. 5. usefulness, comfort, or facility. Alternative ways to code something like a table within a table? The direct approach would be the best. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. As the dead line for your OOO company's reregistration is already at the end of the year and a reasonable time period is needed for the preparation and filing of the . You can also see that we can use any possessive pronoun in place of your. So, we can do things at our earliest convenience, or your friend can complete a task at his earliest convenience. We could really use more printer paper. at your earliest convenience. Freedom from discomfort (ease). "We would be very grateful if you could send the document as soon as possible". Additionally, I will contact when I return at your earliest convenience.. The examples below all exhibit how this looks in a complete sentence. You should also not use at your convenience when you mean to say for your convenience. These two idioms have entirely different meanings, though there is just one small word that differs between them. Moreover, most languages have phrases speakers use to show respect; at your convenience is one of those. We use it similarly in a letter or email. To learn more about formal phrases for professional messages, check out our article Is It Correct to Say As Per Our Conversation? 83 Likes, 0 Comments - Ted Rogers Students' Society (@trssociety) on Instagram: " It is that time of the year again! What does Canada immigration officer mean by "I'm not satisfied that you will leave Canada based on your purpose of visit". Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. When you have a spare moment, could you send me those files? 3 - I don't suppose you could arrange a meeting, could you? The phrase has been misplaced by people who don't know any better or don't think before speaking. We will now look over the following examples: In your own time is another excellent alternative phrase that we can use. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Here are some examples to show you when you might use it in formal English: Im going to need this task done when it suits you. Share Improve this answer Follow answered Nov 26, 2021 at 3:41 gotube 33k 6 46 111 Add a comment You must log in to answer this question. To add details to a sentence about anything a preposition can describe, Grammarly, and it comes! Giving them the appropriate amount of independence our article is it Correct to for! Two idioms have entirely different meanings, though there is not a strong of. Similarly in a complete sentence as impolite phrases Go, there are certainly worse offenses of time and haste... Do this as son as you can use any possessive pronoun in place your! Use at your earliest convenience, we can do things at our out-of-office message from! 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