late assignment synonym

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adjective as in not on time

Strongest matches

last-minute , slow

Weak matches

backward , behind , behind time , behindhand , belated , blown , delayed , dilatory , eleventh hour , gone , held up , hung up , in a bind , in the lurch , jammed , lagging , missed the boat , out of luck , overdue , postponed , put off , remiss , stayed , strapped , tardy , too late , unpunctual

adjective as in new

fresh , recent

advanced , just out , modern

adjective as in dead

old , once , past , previous , sometime

asleep , bygone , cold , deceased , defunct , departed , erstwhile , ex- , exanimate , extinct , former , inanimate , lifeless , onetime , preceding , quondam

adverb as in at the last minute

Strongest match

Strong matches

belatedly , tardily

backward , behind , behind time , behindhand , dilatorily , unpunctual

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Example sentences.

Whenever I travel, I like to start the adventure with oysters, which my late friend, Seattle seafood maven Jon Rowley, advocated.

Two games before that lopsided result, Virginia rallied from an 11-point deficit in the second half and held off a late surge to secure a 64-62 victory over the Yellow Jackets at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville.

Arlington Public Schools and Prince William County Public Schools both agreed to add holidays for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Diwali and Eid al-Fitr in late 2020.

The latest request noted that the agency has obtained about 86 million anonymized records of residential utility usage in the city from January 2015 through 2019 to facilitate the study.

That’s what makes “The Lady and the Dale” much more than just the latest must-watch distraction on streaming TV.

I remember H. Jon Benjamin told me it was a way-too-late apology for Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

At the moment, the only chance I get is when I go do Late Night with Seth Meyers.

Are you bi-coastal now, between Portlandia and Late Night with Seth Meyers?

Late Wednesday night, French authorities reported that Mourad had surrendered to police, while the two brothers remained at large.

As he tried to make his way through a crowd of mourners late last month, he looked preoccupied and even disoriented.

The strains of the syren at last woke her uncle, and brought back Miss Hood, who suggested that it was late.

The plant as a whole remains green until late in the autumn.

But, there was also another which might not be quite so pleasing to Elizabeth, although Louis felt it came too late for him.

In 1856 she married Mesdag, who, rather late in life decided to follow the career of a painter.

He explains the late departure of the ships for Nueva España, and the consequent mortality reported on one of them.

Related Words

Words related to late are not direct synonyms, but are associated with the word late . Browse related words to learn more about word associations.

adjective as in ahead in position, time, manner

• avant-garde
• breakthrough
• cutting edge
• exceptional
• leading edge
• progressive
• state-of-the-art
• unconventional

adverb as in following

• another time
• subsequently

adverb as in following a time, event

• a while later
• at a later time
• on the next day

adjective as in late; slow; behind in progress

• underdeveloped
• undeveloped

adverb as in in debt; late

• behind schedule
• behind time
• have to play catch up

Viewing 5 / 46 related words

On this page you'll find 139 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to late, such as: last minute, slow, backward, behind, behindhand, and behind time.

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

• Our Mission

Methods for Managing Late Work

Examining the reasoning behind your assessments can help shape your approach to tardy work, says Jennifer Gonzalez.

When she was teaching, Jennifer Gonzalez used to plod through a “pointless” exercise at the end of the term: allowing a few students to complete late assignments and then docking their scores by 50 percent for tardiness. In her recent blog post , she reflects on why that practice didn’t help her students and offers suggestions from other educators on how cope with late work. 

The first step, Gonzalez says, is to examine your assessment procedures as a whole. Ask, “What do your grades represent?” The emphasis should be on learning and growth, not compliance. “If your grades are too compliance-based,” Gonzalez says, “consider how you might shift things so they more accurately represent learning.” Look also at the quantity of what you grade, she advises. Many assignments function as practice, not assessment. Shift to fewer graded assignments, she says, even if it is a challenge to “convince your students that ungraded practice is worthwhile because it will help their performance on the big things.” 

The final step for evaluating your grading system is asking yourself, “What do I assume late work means?” Gonzalez confesses, “I’m embarrassed to admit that when I first started teaching, I assumed most students with missing work were just unmotivated.” But lack of motivation is rarely the cause; many students don’t complete homework because they don’t have the resources of their peers. 

The most important factor in your grading system? Creating a plan you can actually keep up with, Gonzalez says. Once you establish a system, you can develop a strategy for late work. She offers a range of possible options, curated from other teachers through social media, ranging from penalties to the elimination of deadlines. 

Many teachers still opt for penalties, and there’s a reason: “When work is turned in weeks or even months late, it can lose its value as a learning opportunity because it is no longer aligned with what’s happening in class.” If you choose penalization for tardy assignments, a reduction in points can motivate students to complete the work, even if it is late. “This policy still rewards students for on-time work without completely de-motivating those who are late, builds in some accountability for lateness, and prevents the teacher from having to do a lot of mathematical juggling with a more complex system.”

Other teachers implement a policy that rewards students who turn things in on time by allowing them to resubmit their assignments for improved grades; if the work is late the student can’t retake the assessment for more points or receive feedback. 

Punitive policies don't always work as motivators, Gonzalez says, because sometimes the reason for late work isn't related to a lack of motivation. As a result, many teachers are abandoning the practice. "Students may have issues with executive function and could use some help developing systems for managing their time and responsibilities. They may struggle with anxiety. Or they may not have the resources—like time, space, and technology—to consistently complete work at home," she writes. 

Separate Mastery From Deadlines

Some teachers use a separate assessment  to “measure factors like adherence to deadlines, neatness, and following non-academic guidelines like font sizes or using the correct heading on a paper.” Completing assignments on-time, in other words, is part of a separate evaluation from the mastery assessment--and students receive grades for both. 

“Although most teachers whose schools use this type of system will admit that students and parents don’t take the work habits grade as seriously as the academic grade,” Gonzalez writes, “they report being satisfied that student grades only reflect mastery of the content.” Because better work habits can yield better academic results, having this type of “work habits” score can be used to show students the importance of staying on top of deadlines.

Issue Selective ‘Passes’ or Use Floating Deadlines

Another popular option for late work is to anticipate it and offer a pass the student can elect to use instead. “Most teachers only offer these passes to replace low-point assignments, not major ones, and they generally only offer 1 to 3 passes per marking period.” A “next day pass” serves a similar purpose; students can use them to extend the deadline by a day. One teacher reports that the introduction of the pass gave her “the lowest rate ever of late work.” Some teachers use extension requests so students can anticipate when they might be late and write a proposal about why their tardiness should be excused. 

A floating deadline can help avoid the question of how to address late work altogether. Giving students a flexible range of dates when they can submit work allows them to take ownership in their work. “Some teachers offer an incentive to turn in work in the early part of the time frame, such as extra credit or faster feedback, and this helps to spread out the submissions more evenly,” Gonzalez writes. A variation on the flexible deadline allows students to turn in work that’s in process. Teachers then have the chance to review work and give feedback before the final grade. Students can also take responsibility by weighing in on when work should be due. “They may have a better idea than you do about other big events that are happening and assignments that have been given in other classes.”

What is the best policy on late work? The system that actually works for you. Gonzalez encourages teachers to experiment with different approaches and settle on the process that suits you and your students.

Classroom Q&A

With larry ferlazzo.

In this EdWeek blog, an experiment in knowledge-gathering, Ferlazzo will address readers’ questions on classroom management, ELL instruction, lesson planning, and other issues facing teachers. Send your questions to [email protected]. Read more from this blog.

Late Assignments: Tips From Educators on Managing Them

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Today’s post finishes up a two-part series on how different teachers handle late student work.

‘Taking Late Work Can Be Challenging’

Ann Stiltner is a high school special education and reading teacher in Connecticut with more than 20 years of experience in education. She shares her passion and love for working in the classroom at her blog from Room A212 (www.annstiltner.com/blog). Follow her on Twitter @fromrooma212:

Being a special education teacher means most of my students have the IEP modification of extra time, which generally translates to time and a half. For a test a teacher gives a class one hour to do, my student would have 1½ hours. For a project the class had one week to complete, my student would have 11 days. However, even with this extra time, some of my spec. ed. students are not able to complete the work. With diagnoses such as ADHD, LD (Learning Disabilities), or anxiety, they find maintaining focus and accessing one-on-one support difficult to fit into these time constraints. Their motivation is unpredictable based on their mood, family challenges, or social drama.

Due to these factors, I have adopted a policy where I accept work from both regular and special education students at any time for full credit or I take points off for each day late depending on the circumstances and if that will motivate a student to finish.

I realize that taking late work can be challenging for teachers of 100-plus students. It means constantly updating your grade book and keeping track of papers. Some teachers don’t accept late work because they think a firm cutoff teaches students the importance of meeting deadlines. Even though I agree this is an important skill, I fear that some students won’t learn that lesson from a policy of not accepting work late. These students prefer to give up and forget about the assignment in order to feel a sense of control and protect themselves from failure. Getting a zero on an assignment does not make them rethink their decision to not do the work, since a zero to them doesn’t mean the same as it does to us teachers. To them, a zero is the grade they think they deserve based on their past experiences.

I have found a time limit gives students a reason to give up and not try. This is learned helplessness in action. My working definition of learned helplessness is a person’s lack of effort due to previous experiences which have taught them that making even the smallest effort won’t make a difference.

For many students, trying involves a large investment of cognitive effort and a huge risk to put themselves out there. They are not ready to set themselves up for what, they are sure, will make them feel like a failure and especially not in a setting where they might be bullied, yelled at, or insulted. If they do not feel safe and supported, they will not risk being teased by their classmates. This is the thinking behind my policy to accept late work at any time. I do not want my conditions and requirements to be used as an excuse for why they do not engage in my lesson and do the work.

This same philosophy explains why I provide supplies like writing utensils or computer chargers. I consciously decide not to create barriers for a student to complete work. I do not want to rob them of a chance to engage with the material, learn something new, experience deep thinking and feed their curiosity by dictating conditions that they can blame for not engaging in the work. Accepting an assignment late gives them time to get motivated or set up one-to-one support so they can focus on the work when they are ready. I do not want to distract students with rules concerning time limits, pen vs. pencil, or on paper vs. on computer.

Don’t get me wrong: I do have classroom rules and expectations. I want the focus in my class to be on what is most essential—learning. This approach means the student—and their parents—will have a hard time holding me responsible for their grade. The responsibility falls on the student and their choices. This open policy allows me to create rapport when I explain my belief in their ability to do the work and my dedication to provide them the support and necessary modifications to be successful. If and when a student is ready to engage in the work, make an effort and take a risk, I am ready.

‘A Balanced Approach’

Ruth Okoye, Ed.D., is a 30-year veteran educator. She has taught in private and public school settings and is passionate about literacy, educational technology, and ed-tech coaching. She currently serves as the K-12 director at a nonprofit organization:

As an ed-tech coach working with fellow educators in their journey of professional growth, handling assignment submissions beyond the designated due date is a nuanced process that reflects both practicality and a deep understanding of individual circumstances. The approach I adopt recognizes the unique challenges that my learners who are teachers face in their daily lives, and it aims to create an inclusive learning environment that supports their development while acknowledging the diverse contexts in which they operate.

My policy on due dates is rooted in the realization that a one-size-fits-all approach fails to account for the myriad of responsibilities and situations that learners encounter. Rather than rigidly adhering to stringent deadlines, I advocate a balanced approach that considers the academic integrity of assignments and the need for flexibility.

To strike this balance, I establish a preferred due date for assignments, considering the majority of learners and allowing them ample time to complete their work. This desired deadline also has a more concrete counterpart—a hard deadline—that offers a reasonable time frame for those genuinely committed to finishing their tasks. This dual-deadline structure allows proactive learners to demonstrate their dedication while acknowledging the potential challenges others may face.

For example, in a book study, there would be weekly assignments. The posted due dates would give the learners three weeks to get each assignment done. I would establish a hard deadline for all assignments two weeks after the study is completed. I’ve found that for a six- to eight-week book study, that allows ample time for a learner to deal with an external complication and then get back on track.

Of course, the purpose of the assignment plays a significant role in determining the flexibility of the due date. For instance, tasks geared toward in-class reflection, like exit tickets, maintain their original deadline as they serve an immediate and time-sensitive purpose. On the other hand, assignments designed to assess learners’ application of covered material need a more lenient approach, allowing participants the time to digest the content and apply it effectively.

I also believe in allowing learners ample time to attempt tasks and even granting multiple opportunities for submission. This practice is grounded in the understanding that the learning process is not linear, and different individuals require varying duration to internalize and implement new concepts. By granting extensions and multiple tries, I encourage a growth mindset and empower learners to engage more deeply with the subject.

One of the cornerstones of my policy is the recognition that external factors beyond the learning experience can impact a learner’s ability to meet deadlines. Illness, family emergencies, or resource constraints can hinder progress, and rigid due dates should not serve as barriers to measuring their ability to apply course concepts. Instead of penalizing them for circumstances beyond their control, I aim to evaluate their understanding of the material and capacity to use it effectively, irrespective of external hindrances.

So you can see, my approach to handling late submissions from learners revolves around flexibility, empathy, and practicality. By acknowledging the diverse challenges teachers face and tailoring due dates to the purpose of assignments, I create an environment that fosters deep learning, personal growth, and a commitment to the subject matter. This policy recognizes the unique circumstances of each learner. It underscores the overarching goal of professional learning—to nurture and support the development of capable and resilient professionals in education.

What Is the Goal?

Jessica Fernandez is a full-time high school teacher and instructional coach near Chicago who specializes in teaching multilingual English learners and in supporting colleagues to make small language shifts that will benefit all learners:

Fortunately, my high school freshman English PLC has decided to have two categories: formative (anything at all that is practice), which is weighted 10 percent, and summative, which is weighted 90 percent. Since the purpose of formative tasks is to practice a skill they will later demonstrate, late work is accepted until we complete the summative demonstration for that skill. Afterward, there’s not so much of a point, plus it would drive us crazy and make work-life balance tough.

The goal, after all, is to give frequent and prompt feedback so kids can improve before their final summative demonstration. Late points are more of what we used to call “habits of work”; important soft skills, yes, but for our purposes, if the kid practiced for their summative skill demonstration, I’m happy, and I’m not scoring them on timeliness. Who knows what they had going on? I’ve gotten grace, and 10 percent won’t make or break their grade anyway.

Thanks to Ann, Ruth, and Jessica for contributing their thoughts!

Today’s post responded to this question:

How do you handle students turning in work after the due date, and why do you apply that policy?

In Part One , Chandra Shaw, Stephen Katzel, and Kelly Owens contributed their ideas.

Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at [email protected] . When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it’s selected or if you’d prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.

You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo .

Just a reminder; you can subscribe and receive updates from this blog via email . And if you missed any of the highlights from the first 12 years of this blog, you can see a categorized list here .

The opinions expressed in Classroom Q&A With Larry Ferlazzo are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.

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6 Strategies for Dealing with Late Assignments

In my previous post Should we penalize students for late or incomplete assignments , we discussed the use of punitive grading as a deterrent for late or incomplete assignment submissions and assessed its effectiveness at teaching accountability and responsibility. In that post, I argued that homework submission is more a behavioral issue than an academic one and should be treated as such. We as educators risk invalidating the purpose of students’ grades by using them as a tool to affect student behavior.

If you are reading this with a furrowed brow wondering how you could possibly reduce or eliminate the submission of late work without grading penalties I have 6 strategies just for you:

1. Stop giving students take-home assignments

Students can easily acquire the answer to almost any assignment we give them without exhibiting any personal knowledge or skill, whether that involves typing the question into a search engine and copying the answer word for word, by having a parent or older family member assist or (more often than we think) by depending on the academic prowess of their peers.

Whenever we attach a grade to any assignment it immediately becomes high-stakes and the likelihood of students copying the answers from outside sources, rather than spending time trying to understand the content increases. It is also a little-known fact that students are more likely to cheat if they fear the loss of reputation or ranking (Rick & Loewenstein, 2008). In such cases, some students’ grades are often inflated and more likely to reflect the extent to which they can persuade their bright and generous friend to allow them to copy the answers rather than their ability to solve those quadratic equations.

Instead of assigning students take-home assignments, it may be more meaningful to allow them to complete assignments in class and use quizzes to measure students' learning outcomes. This provides a more accurate representation of your student's ability and understanding. This strategy reduces inflated grades due to cheating or assistance from outside sources and also deflated grades due to unstable and unsuitable home environments.

2. Home-Work Completion Work Shops: It’s like detention but fancier

Rather than applying grading penalties students who do not submit work by the due date will be required to give up some of their free time during lunch or after school to get the assignment done. It can be given a fancy name like homework support or completion workshops, but the key here is that your students are aware that they will be required to “participate” if the assignment is not submitted for whatever reason.

Using this strategy, students are made aware that opting out of an assignment is not an option and that if extra time is required it will come out of their free time during school hours since they forfeited the convenience of doing it at home by submitting late.

If you notice students were unable to complete the work because they require academic support, they can be tutored during these sessions, by yourself or another student. Furthermore, in cases where students' home environments are not conducive for schoolwork, they get to complete the work in a controlled and safe environment.

3. Use Incomplete instead of Zero

It is easier to defend a student’s grades when we do not allow non-academic variables to affect their academic standing. How do you comfortably have a conversation with a parent and explain to them that the reason why their son is failing mathematics is not due to his difficulty grasping the concept but his inability to submit his work on time?

Assigning an “Incomplete” instead of zero or a reduced score eliminates these uncomfortable conversations and maintains the legitimacy of your academic records.

Without a numerical value, an incomplete assignment will not risk dropping the student's grade and as such, you can fairly discuss their academic performance based on their work ethic while simultaneously communicating that in order to glean their academic ranking in a particular course all the assignments must be submitted.

4. Set a time span instead of a due date

By setting a time span such as “the week of the 20th” or, “due by next week " rather than giving students a specific date allows for flexibility and the illusion of control. Of course, you should have an absolute deadline in your head (or planner) after which you can implement some of the other strategies discussed here.

When students are given a time span this affords you the opportunity to mark the early submissions ( which cuts down on your workload) but more importantly, gives students who are struggling the time and opportunity to ask for assistance.

There is a disadvantage to this strategy though...procrastinators!

5. Use accountability forms

Accountability forms can be used when students miss a deadline. Have them fill out a form on which they will state the reasons for not submitting and also allows them to give a reasonable date by which the submission will be made.

On this form, you should provide a list of interventions that are available at your school such as homework completion workshops, peer tutoring, counseling, etc., and have the student select the intervention they deem appropriate if they do not submit by the date they have provided. That way students are made responsible for what happens next. What is most important is that zero or grade deductions are not provided as options. You may be surprised by the number of students who select those options instead of having to get the work done in a timely fashion.

With accountability forms, you can track patterns and repeat offenders and determine whether or not more severe measures need to be taken with certain students. An editable accountability form can be found in our free resource library, sign up to our mailing list to gain access.

6. Use in-school suspensions

If all else fails and a student consistently submits work late, or a student has a certain number of accountability forms on their file, it may be necessary to get parents or the school’s administration involved. An in-house/ in-school suspension may be necessary.

During school suspensions, students are usually kept separated from their peers but are kept occupied with assignments and quizzes from their different courses. This strategy is more useful than the traditional out-of-school suspension as it teaches students that there are consequences for repeatedly breaking the rules and simultaneously helps to improve their academic standing by having them catch up on all outstanding schoolwork.

Whatever strategy you choose it is imperative that students are aware that you are an advocate and not an adversary. As teachers, we need to support our students and help them feel safe in their learning environment. Implementing some of these strategies may actually eliminate some of the negative confrontations that we have with our students with respect to assignment and homework submissions. We teach students accountability while offering them support and still maintain the integrity of our grades.

What strategies do you use in your classroom? Do you implement any of these already? Drop us a line in the comments.

Guskey, T.R. & Bailey J.M (2001) Developing Grading and Reporting Systems for Student Learning. Thousand Oaks CA: Corwin Press

Guskey, T.R & Bailey, J.M (2010)

Developing Standards-Based Report Cards. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press

Myron Dueck (2014): Grade Smarter Not Harder ASCD Publications

• classroom management

Related Posts

Should we Penalize Students for Late or Incomplete Assignments?

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Synonyms of late

• as in delayed
• as in former
• as in fallen
• as in advanced
• as in later
• as in lately
• More from M-W
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Thesaurus Definition of late

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dillydallying

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• inopportune
• unseasonable
• contemporary
• prospective
• present - day
• bitten the dust
• functioning
• progressive
• full - scale
• enlightened
• full - blown
• full - fledged
• up - to - date
• ultramodern
• leading - edge
• cutting - edge
• new - fashioned
• supermodern
• space - age
• rudimentary
• undeveloped
• nonprogressive
• underdeveloped
• underweight
• uncivilized
• out - of - date
• old - fashioned
• antediluvian
• Neanderthal

Thesaurus Definition of late  (Entry 2 of 2)

• subsequently
• delinquently
• prematurely
• immediately
• unseasonably
• precociously
• inopportunely

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective late contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of late are dead , deceased , defunct , and departed . While all these words mean "devoid of life," late is used especially with reference to a person in a specific relation or status.

In what contexts can dead take the place of late ?

In some situations, the words dead and late are roughly equivalent. However, dead applies literally to what is deprived of vital force but is used figuratively of anything that has lost any attribute (such as energy, activity, radiance) suggesting life.

How is deceased related to other words for late ?

Deceased , departed , and late apply to persons who have died recently. Deceased is the preferred term in legal use.

When is defunct a more appropriate choice than late ?

The synonyms defunct and late are sometimes interchangeable, but defunct stresses cessation of active existence or operation.

When could departed be used to replace late ?

Although the words departed and late have much in common, departed is used usually as a euphemism.

Phrases Containing late

Thesaurus entries near late.

latch (on or onto)

Cite this Entry

“Late.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/late. Accessed 3 Jun. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on late

Nglish: Translation of late for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of late for Arabic Speakers

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Definition of assignment noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• Students are required to complete all homework assignments.
• You will need to complete three written assignments per semester.
• a business/special assignment
• I had set myself a tough assignment.
• on an assignment She is in Greece on an assignment for one of the Sunday newspapers.
• on assignment one of our reporters on assignment in China
• The students handed in their assignments.
• The teacher gave us an assignment on pollution.
• Why did you take on this assignment if you're so busy?
• He refused to accept the assignment.
• assignment on

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Most of my 9-week grading periods ended the same way: Me and one or two students, sitting in my quiet, empty classroom together, with me sitting at the computer, the students nearby in desks, methodically working through piles of make-up assignments. They would be focused, more focused than I’d seen them in months, and the speed with which they got through the piles was stunning. 

As they finished each assignment I took it, checked it for accuracy, then entered their scores—taking 50 percent off for being late—into my grading program. With every entry, I’d watch as their class grade went up and up: from a 37 percent to a 41, then to 45, then to 51, and eventually to something in the 60s or even low 70s, a number that constituted passing, at which point the process would end and we’d part ways, full of resolve that next marking period would be different.

And the whole time I thought to myself, This is pointless . They aren’t learning anything at all. But I wasn’t sure what else to do.

For as long as teachers have assigned tasks in exchange for grades, late work has been a problem. What do we do when a student turns in work late? Do we give some kind of consequence or accept assignments at any time with no penalty? Do we set up some kind of system that keeps students motivated while still holding them accountable? Is there a way to manage all of this without driving ourselves crazy?

To find answers, I went to Twitter and asked teachers to share what works for them. What follows is a summary of their responses. I wish I could give individual credit to each person who offered ideas, but that would take way too long, and I really want you to get these suggestions now! If you’ve been unsatisfied with your own approach to late work, you should find some fresh ideas here.

First, a Few Questions About Your Grades

Before we get into the ways teachers manage late work, let’s back up a bit and consider whether your overall program of assignments and grading is in a healthy place. Here are some questions to think about:  

• What do your grades represent? How much of your grades are truly based on academic growth, and how much are based mostly on compliance? If they lean more toward compliance, then what you’re doing when you try to manage late work is basically a lot of administrative paper pushing, rather than teaching your content. Although it’s important for kids to learn how to manage deadlines, do you really want an A in your course to primarily reflect the ability to follow instructions? If your grades are too compliance-based, consider how you might shift things so they more accurately represent learning. (For a deeper discussion of this issue, read How Accurate Are Your Grades? )
• Are you grading too many things? If you spend a lot of time chasing down missing assignments in order to get more scores in your gradebook, it could be that you’re grading too much. Some teachers only enter grades for major, summative tasks, like projects, major writing assignments, or exams. Everything else is considered formative and is either ungraded or given a very low point value for completion, not graded for accuracy; it’s practice . For teachers who are used to collecting lots of grades over a marking period, this will be a big shift, and if you work in a school where you’re expected to enter grades into your system frequently, that shift will be even more difficult. Convincing your students that ungraded practice is worthwhile because it will help their performance on the big things will be another hurdle. With all of that said, reducing the number of scored items will make your grades more meaningful and cut way down on the time you spend grading and managing late work.
• What assumptions do you make when students don’t turn in work? I’m embarrassed to admit that when I first started teaching, I assumed most students with missing work were just unmotivated. Although this might be true for a small portion of students, I no longer see this as the most likely reason. Students may have issues with executive function and could use some help developing systems for managing their time and responsibilities. They may struggle with anxiety. Or they may not have the resources—like time, space, and technology—to consistently complete work at home. More attention has been paid lately to the fact that homework is an equity issue , and our policies around homework should reflect an understanding that all students don’t have access to the same resources once they leave school for the day. Punitive policies that are meant to “motivate” students don’t take any of these other issues into consideration, so if your late work penalties don’t seem to be working, it’s likely that the root cause is something other than a lack of motivation.
• What kind of grading system is realistic for you ? Any system you put in place requires YOU to stay on top of grading. It would be much harder to assign penalties, send home reminders, or track lateness if you are behind on marking papers by a week, two weeks, even a month. So whatever you do, create a plan that you can actually keep up with.

Possible Solutions

1. penalties.

Many teachers give some sort of penalty to students for late work. The thinking behind this is that without some sort of negative consequence, too many students would wait until the end of the marking period to turn work in, or in some cases, not turn it in at all. When work is turned in weeks or even months late, it can lose its value as a learning opportunity because it is no longer aligned with what’s happening in class. On top of that, teachers can end up with massive piles of assignments to grade in the last few days of a marking period. This not only places a heavy burden on teachers, it is far from an ideal condition for giving students the good quality feedback they should be getting on these assignments.

Several types of penalties are most common:

Point Deductions In many cases, teachers simply reduce the grade as a result of the lateness. Some teachers will take off a certain number of points per day until they reach a cutoff date after which the work will no longer be accepted. One teacher who responded said he takes off 10 percent for up to three days late, then 30 percent for work submitted up to a week late; he says most students turn their work in before the first three days are over. Others have a standard amount that comes off for any late work (like 10 percent), regardless of when it is turned in. This policy still rewards students for on-time work without completely de-motivating those who are late, builds in some accountability for lateness, and prevents the teacher from having to do a lot of mathematical juggling with a more complex system. 

Parent Contact Some teachers keep track of late work and contact parents if it is not turned in. This treats the late work as more of a conduct issue; the parent contact may be in addition to or instead of taking points away. 

No Feedback, No Re-Dos The real value of homework and other smaller assignments should be the opportunity for feedback: Students do an assignment, they get timely teacher feedback, and they use that feedback to improve. In many cases, teachers allow students to re-do and resubmit assignments based on that feedback. So a logical consequence of late work could be the loss of that opportunity: Several teachers mentioned that their policy is to accept late work for full credit, but only students who submit work on time will receive feedback or the chance to re-do it for a higher grade. Those who hand in late work must accept whatever score they get the first time around. 

2. A Separate Work Habits Grade

In a lot of schools, especially those that use standards-based grading, a student’s grade on an assignment is a pure representation of their academic mastery; it does not reflect compliance in any way. So in these classrooms, if a student turns in good work, it’s going to get a good grade even if it’s handed in a month late. 

But students still need to learn how to manage their time. For that reason, many schools assign a separate grade for work habits. This might measure factors like adherence to deadlines, neatness, and following non-academic guidelines like font sizes or using the correct heading on a paper. 

• Although most teachers whose schools use this type of system will admit that students and parents don’t take the work habits grade as seriously as the academic grade, they report being satisfied that student grades only reflect mastery of the content.
• One school calls their work habits grade a “behavior” grade, and although it doesn’t impact GPA, students who don’t have a certain behavior grade can’t make honor roll, despite their actual GPA.
• Several teachers mentioned looking for patterns and using the separate grade as a basis for conferences with parents, counselors, or other stakeholders. For most students, there’s probably a strong correlation between work habits and academic achievement, so separating the two could help students see that connection.
• Some learning management systems will flag assignments as late without necessarily taking points off. Although this does not automatically translate to a work habits grade, it indicates the lateness to students and parents without misrepresenting the academic achievement.

3. Homework Passes

Because things happen in real life that can throw anyone off course every now and then, some teachers offer passes students can use to replace a missed assignment.

• Most teachers only offer these passes to replace low-point assignments, not major ones, and they generally only offer 1 to 3 passes per marking period. Homework passes can usually only recover 5 to 10 percent of a student’s overall course grade. 
• Other teachers have a policy of allowing students to drop one or two of their lowest scores in the gradebook. Again, this is typically done for smaller assignments and has the same net effect as a homework pass by allowing everyone to have a bad day or two.
• One teacher gives “Next Class Passes” which allow students one extra day to turn in work. At the end of every marking period she gives extra credit points to students who still have unused passes. She says that since she started doing this, she has had the lowest rate ever of late work. 

4. Extension Requests

Quite a few teachers require students to submit a written request for a deadline extension rather than taking points off. With a system like this, every student turns something in on the due date, whether it’s the assignment itself or an extension request.

• Most extension requests ask students to explain why they were unable to complete the assignment on time. This not only gives the students a chance to reflect on their habits, it also invites the teacher to help students solve larger problems that might be getting in the way of their academic success. 
• Having students submit their requests via Google Forms reduces the need for paper and routes all requests to a single spreadsheet, which makes it easier for teachers to keep track of work that is late or needs to be regraded.  
• Other teachers use a similar system for times when students want to resubmit work for a new grade. 

5. Floating Deadlines

Rather than choosing a single deadline for an assignment, some teachers assign a range of dates for students to submit work. This flexibility allows students to plan their work around other life activities and responsibilities.

• Some teachers offer an incentive to turn in work in the early part of the time frame, such as extra credit or faster feedback, and this helps to spread out the submissions more evenly. 
• Another variation on this approach is to assign a batch of work for a whole week and ask students to get it in by Friday. This way, students get to manage when they get it done. 
• Other names mentioned for this strategy were flexible deadlines , soft deadlines , and due windows .

6. Let Students Submit Work in Progress

Some digital platforms, like Google Classroom, allow students to “submit” assignments while they are still working on them. This allows teachers to see how far the student has gotten and address any problems that might be coming up. If your classroom is mostly paper-based, it’s certainly possible to do this kind of thing with paper as well, letting students turn in partially completed work to demonstrate that an effort has been made and show you where they might be stuck.

7. Give Late Work Full Credit

Some teachers accept all late work with no penalty. Most of them agree that if the work is important, and if we want students to do it, we should let them hand it in whenever they get it done. 

• Some teachers fear this approach will cause more students to stop doing the work or delay submission until the end of a marking period, but teachers who like this approach say they were surprised by how little things changed when they stopped giving penalties: Most students continued to turn work in more or less on time, and the same ones who were late under the old system were still late under the new one. The big difference was that the teacher no longer had to spend time calculating deductions or determining whether students had valid excuses; the work was simply graded for mastery.
• To give students an incentive to actually turn the work in before the marking period is over, some teachers will put a temporary zero in the gradebook as a placeholder until the assignment is turned in, at which point the zero is replaced with a grade.
• Here’s a twist on the “no penalty” option: Some teachers don’t take points off for late work, but they limit the time frame when students can turn it in. Some will not accept late work after they have graded and returned an assignment; at that point it would be too easy for students to copy off of the returned papers. Others will only accept late work up until the assessment for the unit, because the work leading up to that is meant to prepare for that assessment. 

8. Other Preventative Measures

These strategies aren’t necessarily a way to manage late work as much as they are meant to prevent it in the first place.

• Include students in setting deadlines. When it comes to major assignments, have students help you determine due dates. They may have a better idea than you do about other big events that are happening and assignments that have been given in other classes.
• Stop assigning homework. Some teachers have stopped assigning homework entirely, recognizing that disparities at home make it an unfair measurement of academic mastery. Instead, all meaningful work is done in class, where the teacher can monitor progress and give feedback as needed. Long-term projects are done in class as well, so the teacher is aware of which students need more time and why. 
• Make homework optional or self-selected. Not all students need the same amount of practice. You may be able to get your students to assess their own need for additional practice and assign that practice to themselves. Although this may sound far-fetched, in some classes, like this self-paced classroom , it actually works, because students know they will be graded on a final assessment, they get good at determining when they need extra practice.

With so many different approaches to late work, what’s clear is that there are a lot of different schools of thought on grading and assessment, so it’s not a surprise that we don’t always land on the best solution on the first try. Experiment with different systems, talk to your colleagues, and be willing to try something new until you find something that works for you. 

Further Reading

20 Ways to Cut Your Grading Time in Half This free e-book is full of ideas that can help with grading in general.

On Your Mark: Challenging the Conventions of Grading and Reporting Thomas R. Guskey This book came highly recommended by a number of teachers.

Hacking Assessment: 10 Ways to Go Gradeless in a Traditional Grades School Starr Sackstein

Come back for more. Join our mailing list and get weekly tips, tools, and inspiration that will make your teaching more effective and fun. You’ll get access to our members-only library of free downloads, including 20 Ways to Cut Your Grading Time in Half , the e-booklet that has helped thousands of teachers save time on grading. Over 50,000 teachers have already joined—come on in.

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Categories: Classroom Management , Instruction , Podcast

Tags: assessment , organization

51 Comments

I teach high school science (mine is a course that does not have an “end of course” test so the stakes are not as high) and I teach mostly juniors and seniors. Last year I decided not to accept any late work whatsoever unless a student is absent the day it is assigned or due (or if they have an accomodation in a 504 or IEP – and I may have had one or two students with real/documented emergencies that I let turn in late.) This makes it so much easier on me because I don’t have to keep up with how many days/points to deduct – that’s a nightmare. It also forces them to be more responsible. They usually have had time to do it in class so there’s no reason for it to be late. Also, I was very frustrated with homework not being completed and I hated having to grade it and keep up with absent work. So I don’t “require” homework (and rarely assign it any more) but if students do ALL (no partial credit) of it they get a 100% (small point value grade), if they are absent or they don’t do it they are exempt. So it ends up being a sort of extra credit grade but it does not really penalize students who don’t do it. When students ask me for extra credit (which I don’t usually give), the first thing I ask is if they’ve done all the homework assigned. That usually shuts down any further discussion. I’ve decided I’m not going to spend tons of time chasing and calculating grades on small point values that do not make a big difference in an overall grade. 🙂

Do I understand correctly….

Homework is not required. If a student fully completes the HW, they will earn full points. If the student is absent or doesn’t do it, they are excused. Students who do complete the HW will benefit a little bit in their overall grade, but students who don’t compete the work will not be penalized. Did I understand it correctly?

Do you stipulate that a student must earn a certain % on the assignment to get the full points? What about a student who completed an assignment but completes the entire thing incorrectly? Still full credit? Or an opportunity to re-do?

Thank you in advance.

From reading this blog post I was thinking the same thing. When not penalizing students for homework do you have students who do turn it in getting extra points in class?

From what I have seen, if there is a benefit for turning in homework and students see this benefit more will try to accomplish what the homework is asking. So avoid penalization is okay, but make sure the ones turning it in are getting rewarded in some way.

The other question regarding what to do with students who may not be completing the assignments correctly, you could use this almost as a formative assessment. You could still give them the credit but use this as a time for you to focus on that student a little more and see where he/she isn’t understanding the content.

Our school has a system called Catch Up Cafe. Students with missing work report to a specific teacher during the first 15 minutes of lunch to work on missing work. Students upgrade to a Wednesday after school time if they have accumulated 4 or more missing assignments on any Monday. They do not have to serve if they can clear ALL missing work by the end of the day Wednesday. Since work is not dragging out for a long period of time, most teachers do not take off points.

How do you manage the logistics of who has missing and how many assignments are needed to be completed-to make sure they are attending the Catch up Cafe or Wednesday after school? How do you manage the communication with parents?

When a student has missing work it can be very difficult to see what he/she is missing. I always keep a running record of all of their assignments that quarter and if they miss that assigement I keep it blank to remind myself there was never a submission. Once I know that this student is missing this assignment I give them their own copy and write at the top late. So once they do turn it in I know that it’s late and makes grading it easier.

There are a lot of different programs that schools use but I’ve always kept a paper copy so I have a back-up.

I find that the worst part of tracking make-up work is keeping tabs on who was absent for a school activity, illness or other excused absence, and who just didn’t turn in the assignment. I obviously have to accept work turned in “late” due to an excused absence, but I can handle the truly late work however I wish. Any advice on simplifying tracking for this?

I tell my students to simply write “Absent (day/s)” at the top of the paper. I remind them of this fairly regularly. That way, if they were absent, it’s their responsibility to notify me, and it’s all together. If you create your own worksheets, etc., you could add a line to the top as an additional reminder.

It might be worth checking out Evernote .

In order to keep track of what type of missing assignments, I put a 0 in as a grade so students and parents know an assignment was never submitted. If a student was here on the due date and day assignment was given then it is a 0 in the grade book. If a student was absent the day the assignment was given or when it was due, I put a 00 in the grade book. This way I know if it was because of an absence or actual no work completed.

This is exactly what I do. Homework can only count 10% in our district. Claims that kids fail due to zeros for homework are specious.

This is SUCH a difficult issue and I have tried a few of the suggested ways in years past. My questions is… how do we properly prepare kids for college while still being mindful of the inequities at home? We need to be sure that we are giving kids opportunity, resources, and support, but at the same time if we don’t introduce them to some of the challenges they will be faced with in college (hours of studying and research and writing regardless of the hours you might have to spend working to pay that tuition), are we truly preparing them? I get the idea of mastery of content without penalty for late work and honestly that is typically what I go with, but I constantly struggle with this and now that I will be moving from middle to high school, I worry even more about the right way to handle late work and homework. I don’t want to hold students back in my class by being too much of a stickler about seemingly little things, but I don’t want to send them to college unprepared to experience a slap in the face, either. I don’t want to provide extra hurdles, but how do I best help them learn how to push through the hurdles and rigor if they aren’t held accountable? I always provide extra time after school, at lunch, etc., and have also experienced that end of term box checking of assignments in place of a true learning experience, but how do we teach them the importance of using resources, asking for help, allowing for mistakes while holding them to standards and learning work habits that will be helpful to them when they will be on their own? I just don’t know where the line is between helping students learn the value of good work habits and keeping them from experiencing certain challenges they need to understand in order to truly get ahead.

Thanks for sharing – I can tell how much you care for your students, wanting them to be confident independent learners. What I think I’m hearing is perhaps the struggle between that fine line of enabling and supporting. When supporting kids, whether academically or behaviorally, we’re doing something that assists or facilitates their growth. So, for example, a student that has anxiety or who doesn’t have the resources at home to complete an assignment, we can assist by giving that student extra time or an alternative place to complete the assignment. This doesn’t lower expectations, it just offers support to help them succeed.

Enabling on the other hand, puts systems in place that don’t involve consequences, which in turn allow the behaviors to continue. It involves excuses and solving problems for others. It may be about lowering expectations and letting people get by with patterns of behavior.

Late work is tricky. The article does mention the importance of time management, which is why separating academic grades from work habits is something a lot of schools are doing. Sometimes real life happens and kids need a “pass.” If whatever you’re doing seems to be helping to support a student rather than enabling patterns, then that might help you distinguish between that fine line. Hope this helps!

Thank you again for such a great post. Always high-quality, relevant, and helpful. I so appreciate you and the work you do!

So glad to hear you enjoyed the post, Liz! I’ll make sure Jenn sees this.

I thought that these points brought up about receiving late work were extremely helpful and I hope that every classroom understands how beneficial these strategies could be.

When reading the penalties section under point deductions it brought up the idea of taking points off slowly as time goes by. Currently in my classroom the only point deduction I take off is 30% of the total grade after it is received late. No matter how much time has gone by in that grading period it will have 30% off the total.

I’m curious if changing this technique to something that would increase the percentage off as time goes by will make students turn in their work on time.

My question to everyone is which grading technique would be more beneficial for the students? Do you believe that just taking off 30% for late work would help students more when turning in their work or do you think that as time goes by penalizing their final score will have students turn in their work more?

If anyone has any answers it would be extremely beneficial.

Thank you, Kirby

When I was in school my school did 1/3 of a grade each day it was like. So 1 day late A >A-. Two days late: A->>B+ so on and so forth. This worked really well for me because I knew that I could still receive a good grade if I worked hard on an assignment, even if it was a day or two late.

I dread it when I have missing work or unsubmitted work. I would try to get a last-minute effort to chase those needed pieces of work which could be done from those students housed in dorms on campus. It is better than not failing them for lacking to turn in graded submissions or taking scheduled quizzes. I dread this not for the students, sadly, but for likely call to explain why I did not keep physical evidence of students’ supposed learning. In my part of the globe, we have a yearly “quality assurance” audit by the country’s educational authorities or their representatives.

I am a pre-service teacher and I am in the process of developing my personal philosophies in education, including the topic of late work. I will be certified as a secondary social studies teacher and would like to teach in a high school. Your post brought my attention to some important insights about the subject. For example, before this post I had not thought to use feedback as a way to incentivize homework submission on time. This action coupled with the ability to re-do assignments is a great way to emphasize the importance of turning work in on time. I do have a follow-up question, how do you adequately manage grading re-do’s and feedback on all assignments? What kinds of organizational and time-management strategies do you use as a teacher? Further, how much homework do you assign when providing this as an option?

Additionally, have you administered or seen the no penalty and homework acceptance time limit in practice (for example, all homework must be turned in by the unit test)? I was curious if providing a deadline to accept all homework until the unit test may result in an access of papers I need to grade. From your experience, what practice(s) have you seen work well in the classroom?

My goal is to prepare students for life beyond high school and to support their intellectual, social, and emotional development during their high school learning experience. Similar to a previous commenter (Kate), I am also trying to define a balance between holding students accountable in order to best prepare them for their future lives and providing opportunities to raise their grade if they are willing to do the work.

Hey Jessica, you have some great questions. I’d recommend checking out the following blog posts from Jenn that will help you learn more about keeping track of assessments, differentiation, and other aspects of grading: Kiddom: Standards-based Grading Made Wonderful , Could You Teach Without Grades , Boost Your Assessment Power with GradeCam , and Four Research-Based Strategies Every Teacher Should be Using . I hope this helps you find answers to your questions!

Overall I found this article extremely helpful and it actually reinforced many ideas I already had about homework and deadlines. One of my favorite teachers I had in high school was always asking for our input on when we felt assignments should be due based on what extra curricular activities were taking place in a given time period. We were all extremely grateful for his consideration and worked that much harder on the given assignments.

While it is important to think about our own well-being when grading papers, I think it is just as important (if not more) to be conscious of how much work students might have in other classes or what students schedules are like outside of school. If we really want students to do their best work, we need to give them enough time to do the work. This will in turn, help them care more about the subject matter and help them dive deeper. Obviously there still needs to be deadlines, but it does not hurt to give students some autonomy and say in the classroom.

Thanks for your comment Zach. I appreciate your point about considering students’ involvement in extracurricular activities and other responsibilities they may have outside the school day. It’s definitely an important consideration. The only homework my son seemed to have in 8th grade was for his history class. I agree that there’s a need for teachers to maintain more of a balance across classes when it comes to the amount of homework they give to students.

Thank you for an important, thought-provoking post! As a veteran teacher of 20+ years, I have some strong opinions about this topic. I have always questioned the model of ‘taking points off’ for late work. I do not see how this presents an accurate picture of what the student knows or can do. Shouldn’t he be able to prove his knowledge regardless of WHEN? Why does WHEN he shows you what he knows determine WHAT he knows?

Putting kids up against a common calendar with due dates and timelines, regardless of their ability to learn the material at the same rate is perhaps not fair. There are so many different situations facing our students – some students have challenges and difficulty with deadlines for a plethora of potential reasons, and some have nothing but support, structure, and time. When it comes to deadlines – Some students need more time. Other students may need less time. Shouldn’t all students have a chance to learn at a pace that is right for them? Shouldn’t we measure student success by demonstrations of learning instead of how much time it takes to turn in work? Shouldn’t students feel comfortable when it is time to show me what they’ve learned, and when they can demonstrate they’ve learned it, I want their grade to reflect that.

Of course we want to teach students how to manage their time. I am not advocating for a lax wishy-washy system that allows for students to ‘get to it when they get to it’. I do believe in promoting work-study habits, and using a separate system to assign a grade for responsibility, respect, management, etc is a potential solution. I understand that when introducing this type of system, it may be tough to get buy-in from parents and older students who have traditionally only looked at an academic grade because it is the only piece of the puzzle that impacts GPA. Adopting a separate work-study grading system would involve encouraging the entire school community – starting at the youngest level – to see its value. It would be crucial for the school to promote the importance of high level work-study habits right along side academic grades.

I teach a specials course to inner city middle schoolers at a charter school. All students have to take my class since it is one of the core pillars of the school’s culture and mission. Therefore it is a double edge sword. Some students and parents think it is irrelevant like an art or music class but will get upset to find out it isn’t just an easy A class. Other students and parents love it because they come to our charter school just to be in this class that isn’t offered anywhere else in the state, except at the college level.

As you may have already guessed, I see a lot of students who don’t do the work. So much that I no longer assign homework, which the majority would not be able to do independently anyways or may develop the wrong way of learning the material, due to the nature of the subject. So everything is done in the classroom together as a class. And then we grade together to reinforce the learning. This is why I absolutely do not accept missing work and there is no reason for late work. Absent students make up the work by staying after school upon their return or they can print it off of Google classroom at home and turn in by the end of the day of their return. Late and missing work is a big issue at our school. I’ve had whole classrooms not do the work even as I implemented the new routine. Students will sit there and mark their papers as we do it in the classroom but by the end they are not handing it in because they claim not to have anything to hand in. Or when they do it appears they were doing very little. I’d have to micromanage all 32 students every 5 minutes to make sure they were actually doing the work, which I believe core teachers do. But that sets a very bad precedent because I noticed our students expect to be handheld every minute or they claim they can’t do the work. I know this to be the case since before this class I was teaching a computer class and the students expected me to sit right next to them and give them step-by-step instructions of where to click on the screen. They simply could not follow along as I demonstrated on the Aquos board. So I do think part of the problem is the administrators’ encouraging poor work ethics. They’re too focused on meeting proficient standard to the point they want teachers to handhold students. They also want teachers to accept late and missing work all the way until the end of each quarter. Well that’s easy if you only have a few students but when you have classrooms full of them, that means trying to grade 300+ students multiplied by “x” amount of late/missing work the week before report card rolls out – to which we still have to write comments for C- or below students. Some of us teach all the grade levels 6-8th. And that has actually had negative effects because students no longer hold themselves accountable.

To be honest, I really do think this is why there is such a high turnover rate and teachers who started giving busy work only. In the inner city, administrators only care about putting out the illusion of proficiency while students and parents don’t want any accountability for their performance. As soon as a student fails because they have to actually try to learn (which is a risk for failing), the parent comes in screaming.

Yea, being an Art teacher you lost me at “ irrelevant like an art or music .”

I teach middle school in the inner city where missing and late work is a chronic issue so the suggestions and ideas above do not work. Students and parents have become complacent with failing grades so penalizing work isn’t going to motivate them to do better the next time. The secret to teaching in the inner city is to give them a way out without it becoming massive work for you. Because trust me, if you give them an inch they will always want a mile at your expense. Depending on which subject you teach, it might be easier to just do everything in class. That way it becomes an all or nothing grade. They either did or didn’t do the work. No excuses, no chasing down half the school through number of calls to disconnected phone numbers and out of date emails, no explaining to parents why Johnny has to stay after school to finish assignments when mom needs him home to babysit or because she works second shift and can’t pick him up, etc. Students have no reason for late work or for missing work when they were supposed to do it right there in class. Absent students can catch up with work when they return.

Milton, I agree with all of what you are saying and have experienced. Not to say that that is for all students I have had, but it is a slow progression as to what is happening with students and parents as years go by. I understand that there are areas outside of the classroom we cannot control and some students do not have certain necessities needed to help them but they need to start learning what can they do to help themselves. I make sure the students know they can come and talk to me if needing help or extra time, tutor after school and even a phone number to contact along with email if needing to ask questions or get help. But parents and students do not use these opportunities given until the week before school ends and are now wanting their student to pass and what can be done. It is frustrating and sad. I let students and parents know my expectation up front and if they do not take the opportunity to talk to me then the grade they earned is the result.

I am a special education resource teacher and late work/missing work happens quite a lot. After reading this article, I want to try a few different things to help minimize this issue. However, I am not the one making the grades or putting the grades in. I am just giving the work to the students in small group settings and giving them more access to the resources they need to help them be successful on these assignments based on their current IEP. I use a make-up folder, and usually I will pull these students to work on their work during a different time than when I regularly pull them. That way they do not miss the delivery of instruction they get from me and it does not punish my other students either if there is make-up work that needs to be completed. I try to give my students ample time to complete their work, so there is no excuse for them not to complete it. If they are absent, then I pull them at a time that they can make it up.

I too agree with that there’s a need for teachers to maintain more of a balance across classes when it comes to the amount of homework they give to students.

I had a few teachers who were willing to tolerate lateness in favor of getting it/understanding the material. Lastly, my favorite teacher was the one who gave me many chances to do rewrites of a ‘bad essay’ and gave me as much time as needed (of course still within like the semester or even month but I never took more than two weeks) because he wanted me to do well. I ended up with a 4 in AP exam though so that’s good.

Late work has a whole new meaning with virtual learning. I am drowning in late work (via Google Classroom). I don’t want to penalize students for late work as every home situation is different. I grade and provide feedback timely (to those who submitted on time). However, I am being penalized every weekend and evening as I try to grade and provide feedback during this time. I would love some ideas.

Hi Susan! I’m in the same place–I have students who (after numerous reminders) still haven’t submitted work due days…weeks ago, and I’m either taking time to remind them again or give feedback on “old” work over my nights and weekends. So, while it’s not specific to online learning, Jenn’s A Few Ideas for Dealing with Late Work is a post I’ve been trying to put into practice the last few days. I hope this helps!

Graded assignment flexibility is essential to the process of learning in general but especially in our new world of digital divide

It is difficult to determine who is doing the work at home. Follow up videos on seesaw help to see if the student has gained the knowledge or is being given the answers.

This is some good information. This is a difficult subject.

I love the idea of a catch-up cafe! I think I will try to implement this in my school. It’s in the same place every day, yes? And the teachers take turns monitoring? I’m just trying to get a handle on the logistics – I know those will be the first questions I get.

I really enjoyed this post. I think it provides a lot of perspective on a topic that teachers get way too strict about. I just wonder: wouldn’t it be inevitable for students to become lazy and care less about their understanding if there wasn’t any homework (or even if it was optional)? I know students don’t like it, and it can get redundant if they understand the content, but it truly is good practice.

Hi Shannon,

Glad the post helped! Homework is one of those hot educational topics, but I can’t say I’ve personally come across a situation or found any research where kids become lazy or unmotivated if not assigned homework. In fact, research indicates that homework doesn’t really have much impact on learning until high school. I just think that if homework is going to be assigned, it needs to be intentional and purposeful. (If students have already mastered a skill, I’m not sure how homework would provide them much benefit.) Here’s an article that I think is worth checking out. See what you think.

I like how you brought up how homework needs to be given with the understanding that not all kids have the same resources at home. Some kids don’t have computers or their parents won’t let them use it. There is no way of knowing this so teachers should give homework that requires barely any utensils or technology.

I think having students help determine the due dates for major assignments is a great idea. This works well with online schools too. Remote jobs are the future so helping students learn how to set their own due dates and to get homework done from home will prepare them for the future.

This year I am trying something new. After reading this article, I noticed that I have used a combination of some of these strategies to combat late work and encourage students to turn work in on time. I only record a letter grade in the grade book: A, B, C, D, F. If a student turns in an assignment late, I flag it as late, but it does not affect their “grade”.

If a student wants to redo an assignment, they must turn something in. If they miss the due date, they can still turn it in, but lose the opportunity to redo the assignment. Students will meet with me one last time before they turn it in to get final feedback.

At the end of the grading period, I conference with the student about their final grade, looking at how many times they have handed work in on-time or late. This will determine if the student has earned an A or an A+ .

I really appreciate how your post incorporates a lot of suggestions for the way that teachers can think about and grade homework. Thank you for mentioning how different students have different resources available as well. As teachers, we need to be aware of the different resources our students have and tailor our approach to homework to match. I like the idea of grading homework based on completion and accepting late work for full credit at any time (substituting a zero in the grade book until it is turned in). This is definitely a strategy that I’ll be using!

So glad the article was helpful for you! I will be sure to pass on your comments to Jenn.

I also have been teaching for a long time and I have found that providing an END OF WEEK (Friday at 11:59) due date for assignments allows students to get the work completed by that time. It helps with athletes, and others involved in extra curricular activities. I feel this is fair. I give my tests/quizzes on the days assigned and the supplemental work on Fridays.

I personally, as a special education teach, would allow my SPED students extra time to complete the work they have missed. This is in alignment with their IEP accommodations. I would work with each one independently and have remediation with the content that they are having difficulty. This setting would be in a small group and separate classroom.

I really like the idea of a work habits grade. I struggle with students who turn things in late regularly earning the same grade as those who always turn things in on time. A work habits grade could really motivate some learners.

I’ve been in education for 37 years and in all manner of positions. I share this only to also say that things have changed quite a bit. When I started teaching I only had one, maybe two students in a class of 34 elementary students that would not have homework or classwork finished. Now, I have two classes of about 15 each. One group is often half the class on a regular basis not having homework or not finishing classwork on a regular basis- so far. Additionally parents will pull students out to go to amusement parks, etc and expect all work to be made up and at full credit. I believe that the idea of homework is clearly twofold- to teach accountability and to reengage a learner. Classwork is critical to working with the content and, learning objective. We can all grade various ways; however, at some point, the learner has to step up. Learning is not passive, nor is it all on the teacher. I have been called “mean” because I make students do their work in class, refocusing them, etc. I find that is my duty. Late work should be simply dealt with consistently and with understanding to circumstance IMO. You were out or it was late because mom and dad were upset, ok versus we went to Disney for three days and I was too tired. hmm- used to be easy with excused/unexcused absences, now there is no difference. Late with no absence? That can be a problem and I reach out to home and handle it individually at my level.

Hi Jennifer! I really like your sharing about this topic! Late work is a problem that every teacher encounters. Thank you for your consideration of this issue and the many wise ideas you have provided. Your ideas also remind me to reflect on whether my overall program of assignments and grading is in a healthy place. I was inspired by the preventative measures you listed in this post. I want to try to include my students in setting deadlines, especially for some big projects. Students will feel respected by teachers and will be more willing to complete the assignments before deadlines! As you mentioned, some teachers have made homework optional or self-selected, or even stopped assigning homework. I partially agree with that opinion. I indeed try to reduce the amount of students’ homework or even stop assigning homework sometime, but doing related practice in class instead. I believe that the purpose of homework is to aid pupils in mastering the knowledge; it is not a necessary thing.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Yang. Jenn will be glad to know that you found the post inspiring!

Thanks so much for all your insights on giving assignments or homework. All are very helpful as I prepare to return to work after an extended medical leave. It is good to refresh! Anything we require of our students should be purposeful and meaningful to them, so they will give their best to meet whatever deadlines we set. I also like asking our students when is the best time they can turn work in; this is meeting them halfway. And if one strategy does not work, there are more to try; just read this post. Thanks a bunch!!

Jenn will be glad to know the post was helpful for you, Jo!

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Late assignment Synonyms

Late replaced.

• new assignment
• tardy assignment
• recent assignment
• previous assignment
• old assignment
• past assignment
• current assignment
• latest assignment
• deep assignment
• last assignment
• latter assignment

Definitions for Late

• (adjective) not arriving, occurring, or settled at the due, usual , or proper time
• (adjective) having been such at some previous time
• (adjective) no longer living

Synonyms for phrase

• previous job
• previous mission
• recent post
• new mission
• former designation
• new transfer
• former duty
• recent appointment
• belated distribution
• recent task

LA abbreviation

Assignment replaced.

• late mission
• late charge

Definitions for Assignment

• (noun) a piece of work that needs to be done regularly
• (noun) a specific task with which a person or group is charged
• (noun) something assigned to be read or studied

Late Assignment Excuses That Don`t Fail

Table of contents

• Writing Metier

Almost every student needs late assignment excuses from time to time. Academic success depends on submitting assignments on time, but unexpected obstacles tend to arise at times. Even though it is always better to plan things ahead and manage time properly, looking for excuses is a common part of student life.

In fact, some need late assignment excuses all the time. It is common for students to fail their assignment submission within the duration the professor stipulates. For example, the stress of keeping up with everything that happens to the academic life of students can make them miss deadlines .

Even though some students are careless, some situations are genuine, and professors consider them. Still, it is necessary to ask for a submission deadline assignment extension, and the teacher will expect a decent reason for delaying the deadline.

Here, you will find a few good and creative excuses for late assignments that might help you solve the problem.

Good Excuses for Late Assignments

It is better to avoid this kind of situations and ask for help if you feel that you are going to miss the deadline. For this purpose, you can contact writing services, such as Writing Metier, and you will not have to look for any excuses.

The thing is that the agency has a team of professional writers who are always there to write an urgent paper for you, no matter how tough the deadline is.

If you have already got into this kind of situation and missed your deadline, it is time to come up with a good explanation. Below, you will find a few valid excuses for late homework .

• Personal injury or illness . If there was a sudden injury or illness that made it hard for you to complete the assignment on time, it is a good reason to ask for the deadline to be extended. You can offer the necessary proof that what you are saying is true, and it can be a medical certificate .
• Family emergency . You might have to ask for an extension for your task if there is a serious family emergency, like the occurrence of a natural disaster or the hospitalization of a family member.
• Technical issues . This is one of the good excuses for late homework because technical problems might be beyond your control. For example, there can be an internet outage, a computer crash, or a software malfunction. These issues make it barely possible to complete the assignment and submit it on time. You should let your professor know immediately, if possible, and provide proof like error messages or screenshots.
• Unforeseen events . You might fail to finish your assignment because of unexpected situations, such as transportation problems, last-minute work commitments, or a personal crisis. If something like that occurs, you should be honest and open with your professor about it.
• Academic overload . At times, it can be hard to meet all the deadlines if you are overwhelmed with loads of coursework and assignments. In this case, proactive communication with your professor might eliminate the need to look for a lame excuse for late assignment .

Examples of Excuses for Late Assignment Submission

• Apologies for the late submission, but my word processing software crashed repeatedly, causing me to lose significant portions of my work and delaying my progress.
• I’m sorry for the delay, but I had an urgent health appointment that I couldn’t reschedule, which affected my ability to complete the assignment on time.
• My apologies for the late submission. I experienced unexpected car trouble and spent several hours dealing with repairs, leaving me with no time to finish my assignment.
• I apologize for the delay. I had to take care of a family member who was unwell, which took up all my available time for working on my assignment.
• Sorry for the late submission, but the library was unexpectedly closed due to maintenance issues, preventing me from accessing crucial resources needed for my assignment.
• Apologies for the delay, but I had overlapping deadlines with a group project that required extensive coordination, which impacted my ability to complete this assignment.
• I’m sorry for the delay. I had an urgent and extended meeting with my mentor/advisor regarding my academic progress, which took longer than anticipated.
• My apologies for the late submission. I needed to take a mental health day to address overwhelming stress and anxiety, which affected my productivity.
• I apologize for the delay. I was called into work for an unexpected shift and couldn’t decline, which left me with insufficient time to complete my assignment.
• Sorry for the late submission, but I was required to participate in an urgent volunteer event for a cause I’m committed to, which took up all my available time.

Poor Excuses for Late Homework

While it is important to be truthful and open about good excuses for being late, it is equally important to identify and avoid offering lame excuses that show a lack of accountability. Here are a few examples that tend to be perceived as unconvincing or inappropriate:

• Procrastination . Blaming poor time management or procrastination for the delay will obviously have a negative impact on your ability to prioritize your tasks. It is always preferable to take responsibility for your actions instead of using procrastination as an excuse for late assignment .
• Social events or partying . If you ever say that you failed to complete the assignment because you were out attending parties, social events, or other activities implies, it implies that you value your leisure time more than your studies.
• Power or internet outage . Even though technical issues can occasionally happen, using a power or internet outage as an explanation without supporting documentation or evidence might be regarded as a lame excuse. It is better to have a backup plan, such as alternative internet sources .
• Forgetting the submission date . Forgetting the due date for a task is not the best excuse for late assignment . The thing is that it shows a lack of focus and planning. It is essential to remember submission dates, utilize reminders, calendars, and other organization tools to succeed.
• Personal relationship issues . It might be unconvincing and unprofessional to blame a late submission on relationship problems or disagreements with family, friends, or romantic partners. You should keep personal matters separate from studies and look for help or support if necessary.
• Lack of resources . Your professor might not accept it if you state that you failed to finish the assignment because you did not have enough materials or books. It is crucial to plan ahead and make quick use of the resources.

Examples of Excuses That DON’T Work

Do I really need to give you some real examples here? Not sure, but okay, let me give you some:

• I’m sorry my assignment is late. I kept putting it off and ended up running out of time.
• I apologize for the delay, but I was out at a party last night and didn’t get around to finishing my homework.
• Sorry for the late submission. My internet went out, and I couldn’t submit the assignment on time. I don’t have any proof, but it happened.
• I completely forgot the due date for the assignment. I didn’t set a reminder, and it just slipped my mind.
• My assignment is late because I had an argument with my partner, and I couldn’t concentrate on my work.
• I couldn’t finish the assignment on time because I didn’t have the necessary books and materials. I didn’t plan ahead to get them.

Don’t use these excuses unless you want to have some further issues afterward.

A Few Funny Late Assignment Excuses

If you fail to come up with good excuses for not submitting an assignment on time, you might need a funny excuse. You should not have high expectations about them, but they still might work if your professor has a good sense of humor.  

• The ‘time warp’ excuse . Each of us at least once had a day where time seemed to go away faster. You can swear that you started working on your paper, but you just blinked and already missed the deadline. You can tell your professor that time sped up, and you suddenly got caught in a time warp.
• A ‘humanitarian’ excuse . This kind of excuse involves situations where you are not able to meet deadlines because of your involvement in events or activities aimed at contributing to humanitarian causes or helping others. These late assignment excuses arise from a sense of compassion, duty, or responsibility towards those in need. These activities also guarantee a sense of humanity to professors as they show how committed you are to helping others. This explanation might work, but it is still better to ask Writing Metier professionals to complete the assignment for you.
• The ‘government spy’ excuse . This kind of stories tends to include stating involvement in a covert government operation, often with exaggerated or humorous twists. For example, you can say that you are a spy who works for the government and are always set off on top-secret missions.

Late Assignment Excuses Examples

Several examples of first-person late assignment excuses examples with a note of humor. Use them wisely if your prof has no sense of humor:

• My bad for the late submission. I was busy ensuring my sleep paralysis demon didn’t have any design notes for my paper.
• I apologize for the delay, but my assignment was held hostage by the void staring back at me. We’re negotiating its release now.
• Sorry for turning this in late. My evil twin took over my life for a bit and apparently, he’s not great at deadlines.
• Sorry for the delay, but my procrastination finally teamed up with my anxiety to form an unbeatable duo.
• I apologize for the delay, but I got trapped in an existential crisis and couldn’t find the exit until this morning.
• I have to apologize for turning this in late, but I spilled coffee on my keyboard and my assignment ended up looking like ancient hieroglyphics.
• Apologies for the delay, but I accidentally left my laptop in “airplane mode” and it must have taken a virtual trip around the world before I could get it back.
• I’m sorry my assignment is late, but I mistakenly submitted my grocery list instead. Who knew “milk and eggs” weren’t acceptable sources?
• I have to confess, my assignment is late because I accidentally saved it in a folder so hidden, even Indiana Jones would have trouble finding it.
• My apologies for the late assignment, but my computer had a meltdown, and I spent the night trying to convince it not to retire early.

These are not late assignment excuses that don`t fail , but they can make your professor laugh. Still, it is better to ask for assistance from Writing Metier before you get into trouble instead of making up stories.

You should avoid lying habitually to your professor about your assignments. Otherwise, they will never believe you in the event of a real emergency if you lied in the past. You should move forward and do your best to submit your papers on time.

The Importance of Completing Assignments on Time

Punctuality plays an important role when it comes to success in your academics. Submitting papers on time is really critical because it helps keep everything organized and highlights your respect for deadlines. When it comes to studies, deadlines are not just suggestions – they are essential points for learning and seeing how well you are doing .

Late submissions tend to come with a price to pay, which is often in the form of deductions from grades and penalties. Therefore, late submissions can affect your academic standing and overall learning experience. In addition to that, being late never looks good because it shows that you are not good enough at managing your time and being responsible.

These skills are critical, not just when it comes to your studies, but in real life, too. Therefore, you should focus on your studying and deadlines instead of looking for good excuses for not submitting an assignment .

What to Do If You Fail to Submit a Paper on Time

If you realize that you are going to miss the deadline and never asked for assignment help from Writing Metier, you should prepare to submit it late without facing too strict disciplinary actions. The professor might even penalize you for handing in the paper one minute late if you do not acknowledge and apologize.

That is why you should not panic or ignore your failure to submit on time. Instead, you should follow these steps to solve the problem without undesirable consequences.

You should talk to your professor early

Letting your professor know that you are not able to complete the task on time shows that you are not a lazy student waiting to provide late assignment excuses at the very last moment. The professor will most probably appreciate your efforts to share the unexpected issues with them in advance.

You should keep things short and to the point

The briefer your excuse is, the easier it will be for your professor to remember. Therefore, while talking to your teacher, you should highlight the significant reasons. Going into excessive detail will most probably look suspicious.

You should meet with the professor.

You should be calm and do your best to convince the teacher of the validity of your excuse to be late with your paper. It is also critical to show the teacher that you will not be late because of laziness or lack of motivation. You should also consider the professor`s personality – if they are strict, you should be ready to answer a lot of questions.

You should send an email to your professor.

If the task`s due date is pretty close, you should write an email to your professor. There, you need to explain your situation, the reason for your circumstance, and apologize for the delay. You should also be respectful and address your professor or teacher by their title and last name.

You should take responsibility

Professors and teachers do not like students who continue asking for deadline extensions. However, if your issue hinders you from submitting it on time, you should ask for an extension and take responsibility. It is a bad idea to blame your professor or institution for providing insufficient time. You should be mature and make it clear why you fail to meet the deadline.

You should promise the professor that it will never happen again

You are not going to be lucky if you fail to submit your paper on time and have to provide an excuse for late assignment . Still, you should promise the professor that this situation will never happen again in the future and follow through. The professor must feel that your apologies are sincere.

If you follow this advice, your professor might accept your excuses for failing to complete the task on time.

Get Professional Assignment Help From Writing Metier

There is no need to wait until your professor decides to penalize you. It is also a bad idea to look for good excuses for not submitting an assignment on the due date and hope that they will work. Instead, you can seek assistance with your task.

The Writing Metier team comprises knowledgeable writers with a reputation for delivering the best online help to students at different academic levels. Our agency offers reliable, trustworthy, and high-quality assistance to students from different parts of the globe. Our experienced writers are ready to help you if you are struggling with an essay , term paper, or any other type of assignment.

Writing Metier also guarantees that your assignment will be written from scratch and according to your requirements. As a result, you will receive a top-quality paper that will be unique and written without the use of any AI tools .

You can get acquainted with numerous positive reviews from those who chose to ask for our help instead of using late assignment excuses to get deadline extensions.

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Vasy kafidoff.

Vasyl Kafidoff is a co-founder and CEO at WritingMetier. He is interested in education and how modern technology makes it more accessible. He wants to bring awareness about new learning possibilities as an educational specialist. When Vasy is not working, he’s found behind a drum kit.

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• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Synonyms and antonyms of assign in English

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the ability to move freely or be easily moved

Keeping up appearances (Talking about how things seem)

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What is another word for Assignment ?

Synonyms for assignment əˈsaɪn mənt as·sign·ment, this thesaurus page includes all potential synonyms, words with the same meaning and similar terms for the word assignment ., princeton's wordnet rate these synonyms: 0.0 / 0 votes.

assignment, duty assignment noun

a duty that you are assigned to perform (especially in the armed forces)

"hazardous duty"

Synonyms: appointment , assigning , duty assignment , assignment , designation , grant , naming

assignment noun

the instrument by which a claim or right or interest or property is transferred from one person to another

Synonyms: appointment , assigning , duty assignment , designation , grant , naming

assignment, assigning noun

the act of distributing something to designated places or persons

"the first task is the assignment of an address to each datum"

grant, assignment noun

(law) a transfer of property by deed of conveyance

Synonyms: duty assignment , appointment , subsidisation , assigning , designation , naming , assignment , grant , concession , subsidization

an undertaking that you have been assigned to do (as by an instructor)

appointment, assignment, designation, naming noun

the act of putting a person into a non-elective position

"the appointment had to be approved by the whole committee"

Synonyms: duty assignment , appellation , appointment , date , appellative , assigning , designation , appointee , identification , assignment , naming , grant , fitting , engagement , denomination

Matched Categories

• Legal Document
• Transferred Property
• Undertaking

Editors Contribution Rate these synonyms: 0.0 / 0 votes

duty, homework, job, responsibility, task, chore, schoolwork

1. a piece of work that needs to be done regularly 2. something assigned to be read or studied

1. his first newspaper assignment was writing obituaries 2. have you found essay writer to write an assignment for tomorrow?

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pieces of work

because a assignment/task is an piece of work.

we need to finish our work: we need to finish our assignment.

Dictionary of English Synonymes Rate these synonyms: 0.0 / 0 votes

Synonyms: appointment , allotment , apportionment

Synonyms: ( Law. ) transfer , conveyance

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated Words Rate these synonyms: 0.0 / 0 votes

Synonyms: transfer , conveyance , apportionment , appointment , allotment , allocation , emplacement , determination specification , adducing

PPDB, the paraphrase database Rate these paraphrases: 0.0 / 0 votes

List of paraphrases for "assignment":

allocation , developmental , assignments , assigning , divestiture , transfer , cession , mapping , development , allocations , posting , mission , relinquishment , conveyance , stations , attribution , mappings , allotment , allocating , assign , surrender , placement , subpoena , task , earmarking , award , transfers , appointment , disposal , dispatch , postings

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How to pronounce Assignment?

How to say assignment in sign language, words popularity by usage frequency, how to use assignment in a sentence.

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Some of the language that was used within the assignment I felt that some of the kids might not even understand what it even means.

Norm Eisen :

I think more likely than not that we do end up with a special counsel assignment.

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Donald Trump found guilty: Will he go to prison? What to know ahead of sentencing

Donald Trump is the first former president convicted of a crime and now he could be the first one sent to jail or prison.

Trump was found guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, opening up the possibility that he could be incarcerated .

Not only is Trump the first former president be convicted of a crime, he is also the presumptive Republican nominee lined up for a likely rematch with President Joe Biden in November.

Even though jail time is on the table for his conviction, he is expected to appeal the jury's decision. Legal experts told USA TODAY any jail or prison sentence likely won't take effect until after his appeal plays out, pushing it past the November election.

Here is what to know about a possible incarceration sentence:

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

Live updates: Former President Donald Trump found guilty on all counts in NY criminal hush money case

Can Trump go to prison?

Yes. Each felony count of falsifying business records − elevated to a felony because prosecutors proved the purpose was to commit or conceal another crime − carries a maximum sentence of four years. However, New York caps such sentencing the type of felonies Trump faced – Class E felonies –  at 20 years .

Some New York litigators and legal experts told USA TODAY that Trump is likely to face only probation.

"With a defendant who has no prior criminal record, my absolute expectation would be a sentence of probation," Mitchell Epner, a New York litigator with decades of experience, said ahead of the trial.

Others said jail or prison time is very much on the table, but likely under four years and potentially limited to months.

Norman Eisen, a Brookings Institution senior fellow who served as special counsel to the House Judiciary Committee during Trump's first impeachment, co-authored a report looking at sentencing for other defendants with no criminal history who were convicted of falsifying business records in New York.

Eisen noted one construction executive was sentenced in 2015 to spend two days per week in jail for a year for falsifying records to hide payments in a bribery scheme. In 2013, two corporate executives were sentenced to between four and six months of jail time for falsifying records to misclassify their salaries as expenses under their employer's larger bribery and fraud scheme.

"This is a case that does not involve any physical violence, and it doesn't – there's not sort of a 'named victim,' so to speak – and so the court is going to take that into consideration," Anna Cominsky, who directs the Criminal Defense Clinic at New York Law School, told USA TODAY.

Cominsky added, however, that it will "be very dependent on – and also very interesting to see – what the prosecutor asks for."

At a press conference following the verdict, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg declined to preview what he will recommend to the judge.

Experts weigh in: If Trump is found guilty, will Americans still be able to vote for him?

When will Trump be sentenced?

Judge Juan Merchan will issue Trump's sentence in a July 11 hearing. Merchan instructed Trump's defense team to file any post-conviction motions by June 13, and told the prosecution to respond by June 27. Those filings could include arguments from both sides about Trump's sentence.

Defendants are sometimes "remanded" pending sentencing, or kept in custody while they wait for their sentence.

But legal experts told USA TODAY that is unlikely in this case.

Can Trump bring the Secret Service to jail?

Even before the conviction, logistical questions about Trump going to jail came up when he repeatedly violated a gag order restricting his public comments on witnesses and jurors.

Among those questions is how the Secret Service will continue to work with Trump. He receives around-the-clock protection as a former president, which no judge has previously had to consider in a sentencing.

"If I were the judge − and I don't know what a judge would do in this case − I would reject out of hand the concept that because he was once president, and because as a matter of policy the Secret Service guards former presidents, that therefore he can't go to jail," said John Moscow, a New York lawyer who spent 30 years in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.

Moscow told USA TODAY ahead of the trial that the judge could get creative – for example, order the former president to stay in a hotel wing or military base.

Merchan previously threatened to jail Trump if he continued to violate a gag order in the case, even as the judge acknowledged concerns about Trump's Secret Service protection.

"There are many reasons why incarceration is truly a last resort," Merchan said on May 6 of the trial . While he said he didn't want to jail Trump over the gag order, he would "if necessary and appropriate."

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Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Reds first baseman elects free agency over minors.

• May 31, 2024

Carly Wimer

First baseman Mike Ford has decided to elect free agency rather than accept an outright assignment with the Cincinnati Reds. The 31-year-old infielder was designated for assignment earlier this week but passed through waivers unclaimed.

Ford has shown his potential as a power hitter despite his career being characterized by inconsistencies at the plate. He has had an on-and-off relationship with the Reds this year, signing two minor league deals, both of which he opted out of, as well as a major league deal.

Around those transactions, Ford slashed .455/.486/.727 in spring training and .297/.381/.538 in Triple-A. But once he cracked the Cincinnati roster, Ford’s production took a significant hit. He was batting .150/.177/.233 with a homer and a triple in 62 plate appearances before he was cut.

From the Reds: Mike Ford who was outrighted to AAA Louisville, has informed the Reds that he will elect free agency instead of accepting an outright assignment. — Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) May 31, 2024

Drafted by the New York Yankees in 2013, Ford has been bouncing around the majors for the past two years. He has hit .205/.298/.402 with 37 homers and 89 RBI since making his MLB debut in 2019.

Reds First Baseman Mike Ford Elects Free Agency Over Triple-A

Mike Ford has often found himself shuttling between the majors and the minors in his six-year career. However, the 31-year-old has struggled to maintain consistency at the major league level. Despite his disappointing numbers, Ford’s track record offers glimpses of his potential. Just last year, he had his best showing in the majors, hitting 16 homers through 84 games with the Seattle Mariners. Despite his performance last season, Seattle non-tendered Ford, leading to his on-and-off relationship with the Reds.

Instead of accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A Louisville after clearing waivers, Ford will forgo the remainder of his salary and will enter free agency. A left-handed hitter, Ford has good splits against right-handed pitching and could be an interesting bench addition. Perhaps another team will take a chance on the veteran first baseman, hoping to unlock more consistent production. Or maybe Mike Ford will find his way back to the Reds and continue their on-and-off relationship.

Photo Credit: © Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

Dodgers Activate Reliever After Injured List Stint

The Los Angeles Dodgers activated right-handed pitcher Evan Phillips from the injured list ahead of Friday’s series opener against the Colorado Rockies. Phillips, who has

The Latest Injury Update for Top-Ranked Blue Jays Prospect

Top-ranked Toronto Blue Jays prospect Ricky Tiedemann threw a live BP session Friday, and manager John Schneider expects him to make a rehab outing next.

Seattle Mariners Fire Bench Coach Amid Offensive Slump

The Seattle Mariners announced on Friday that they have parted ways with offensive coordinator and bench coach Brant Brown. Director of hitting strategy Jarret DeHart

Blue Jays Utility Player Leads Team in OPS

Davis Schneider continues to shine. Schneider has been one of the most consistent Blue Jays players, leading the team in OPS with a .818. Blue

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A Word … With Jason Johnson

Not so smooth criminal.

Could Trump’s New York conviction be the first of many?

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Episode Notes

Former President Donald Trump and his supporters are furious after his conviction on all 34 counts related to his hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by legal analyst Yodit Tewolde to discuss the path to the conviction, key moments in the trial, and what the verdict says about the justice system.

Guest: Legal analyst Yodit Tewolde

Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola

Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.

• Donald Trump
• Stormy Daniels
• 2024 Campaign

About the Show

Jason Johnson is a political contributor at MSNBC, host at Sirius XM, politics writer at theGrio.com, professor of politics and journalism at Morgan State University, and author of the book Political Consultants and Campaigns: One Day to Sell .

• @DrJasonJohnson on Twitter

The state of AI in early 2024: Gen AI adoption spikes and starts to generate value

If 2023 was the year the world discovered generative AI (gen AI) , 2024 is the year organizations truly began using—and deriving business value from—this new technology. In the latest McKinsey Global Survey  on AI, 65 percent of respondents report that their organizations are regularly using gen AI, nearly double the percentage from our previous survey just ten months ago. Respondents’ expectations for gen AI’s impact remain as high as they were last year , with three-quarters predicting that gen AI will lead to significant or disruptive change in their industries in the years ahead.

About the authors

This article is a collaborative effort by Alex Singla , Alexander Sukharevsky , Lareina Yee , and Michael Chui , with Bryce Hall , representing views from QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, and McKinsey Digital.

Organizations are already seeing material benefits from gen AI use, reporting both cost decreases and revenue jumps in the business units deploying the technology. The survey also provides insights into the kinds of risks presented by gen AI—most notably, inaccuracy—as well as the emerging practices of top performers to mitigate those challenges and capture value.

AI adoption surges

Interest in generative AI has also brightened the spotlight on a broader set of AI capabilities. For the past six years, AI adoption by respondents’ organizations has hovered at about 50 percent. This year, the survey finds that adoption has jumped to 72 percent (Exhibit 1). And the interest is truly global in scope. Our 2023 survey found that AI adoption did not reach 66 percent in any region; however, this year more than two-thirds of respondents in nearly every region say their organizations are using AI. 1 Organizations based in Central and South America are the exception, with 58 percent of respondents working for organizations based in Central and South America reporting AI adoption. Looking by industry, the biggest increase in adoption can be found in professional services. 2 Includes respondents working for organizations focused on human resources, legal services, management consulting, market research, R&D, tax preparation, and training.

Also, responses suggest that companies are now using AI in more parts of the business. Half of respondents say their organizations have adopted AI in two or more business functions, up from less than a third of respondents in 2023 (Exhibit 2).

Gen AI adoption is most common in the functions where it can create the most value

Most respondents now report that their organizations—and they as individuals—are using gen AI. Sixty-five percent of respondents say their organizations are regularly using gen AI in at least one business function, up from one-third last year. The average organization using gen AI is doing so in two functions, most often in marketing and sales and in product and service development—two functions in which previous research  determined that gen AI adoption could generate the most value 3 “ The economic potential of generative AI: The next productivity frontier ,” McKinsey, June 14, 2023. —as well as in IT (Exhibit 3). The biggest increase from 2023 is found in marketing and sales, where reported adoption has more than doubled. Yet across functions, only two use cases, both within marketing and sales, are reported by 15 percent or more of respondents.

Gen AI also is weaving its way into respondents’ personal lives. Compared with 2023, respondents are much more likely to be using gen AI at work and even more likely to be using gen AI both at work and in their personal lives (Exhibit 4). The survey finds upticks in gen AI use across all regions, with the largest increases in Asia–Pacific and Greater China. Respondents at the highest seniority levels, meanwhile, show larger jumps in the use of gen Al tools for work and outside of work compared with their midlevel-management peers. Looking at specific industries, respondents working in energy and materials and in professional services report the largest increase in gen AI use.

Investments in gen AI and analytical AI are beginning to create value

The latest survey also shows how different industries are budgeting for gen AI. Responses suggest that, in many industries, organizations are about equally as likely to be investing more than 5 percent of their digital budgets in gen AI as they are in nongenerative, analytical-AI solutions (Exhibit 5). Yet in most industries, larger shares of respondents report that their organizations spend more than 20 percent on analytical AI than on gen AI. Looking ahead, most respondents—67 percent—expect their organizations to invest more in AI over the next three years.

Where are those investments paying off? For the first time, our latest survey explored the value created by gen AI use by business function. The function in which the largest share of respondents report seeing cost decreases is human resources. Respondents most commonly report meaningful revenue increases (of more than 5 percent) in supply chain and inventory management (Exhibit 6). For analytical AI, respondents most often report seeing cost benefits in service operations—in line with what we found last year —as well as meaningful revenue increases from AI use in marketing and sales.

Inaccuracy: The most recognized and experienced risk of gen AI use

As businesses begin to see the benefits of gen AI, they’re also recognizing the diverse risks associated with the technology. These can range from data management risks such as data privacy, bias, or intellectual property (IP) infringement to model management risks, which tend to focus on inaccurate output or lack of explainability. A third big risk category is security and incorrect use.

Respondents to the latest survey are more likely than they were last year to say their organizations consider inaccuracy and IP infringement to be relevant to their use of gen AI, and about half continue to view cybersecurity as a risk (Exhibit 7).

Conversely, respondents are less likely than they were last year to say their organizations consider workforce and labor displacement to be relevant risks and are not increasing efforts to mitigate them.

In fact, inaccuracy— which can affect use cases across the gen AI value chain , ranging from customer journeys and summarization to coding and creative content—is the only risk that respondents are significantly more likely than last year to say their organizations are actively working to mitigate.

Some organizations have already experienced negative consequences from the use of gen AI, with 44 percent of respondents saying their organizations have experienced at least one consequence (Exhibit 8). Respondents most often report inaccuracy as a risk that has affected their organizations, followed by cybersecurity and explainability.

Our previous research has found that there are several elements of governance that can help in scaling gen AI use responsibly, yet few respondents report having these risk-related practices in place. 4 “ Implementing generative AI with speed and safety ,” McKinsey Quarterly , March 13, 2024. For example, just 18 percent say their organizations have an enterprise-wide council or board with the authority to make decisions involving responsible AI governance, and only one-third say gen AI risk awareness and risk mitigation controls are required skill sets for technical talent.

Bringing gen AI capabilities to bear

The latest survey also sought to understand how, and how quickly, organizations are deploying these new gen AI tools. We have found three archetypes for implementing gen AI solutions : takers use off-the-shelf, publicly available solutions; shapers customize those tools with proprietary data and systems; and makers develop their own foundation models from scratch. 5 “ Technology’s generational moment with generative AI: A CIO and CTO guide ,” McKinsey, July 11, 2023. Across most industries, the survey results suggest that organizations are finding off-the-shelf offerings applicable to their business needs—though many are pursuing opportunities to customize models or even develop their own (Exhibit 9). About half of reported gen AI uses within respondents’ business functions are utilizing off-the-shelf, publicly available models or tools, with little or no customization. Respondents in energy and materials, technology, and media and telecommunications are more likely to report significant customization or tuning of publicly available models or developing their own proprietary models to address specific business needs.

Respondents most often report that their organizations required one to four months from the start of a project to put gen AI into production, though the time it takes varies by business function (Exhibit 10). It also depends upon the approach for acquiring those capabilities. Not surprisingly, reported uses of highly customized or proprietary models are 1.5 times more likely than off-the-shelf, publicly available models to take five months or more to implement.

Gen AI high performers are excelling despite facing challenges

Gen AI is a new technology, and organizations are still early in the journey of pursuing its opportunities and scaling it across functions. So it’s little surprise that only a small subset of respondents (46 out of 876) report that a meaningful share of their organizations’ EBIT can be attributed to their deployment of gen AI. Still, these gen AI leaders are worth examining closely. These, after all, are the early movers, who already attribute more than 10 percent of their organizations’ EBIT to their use of gen AI. Forty-two percent of these high performers say more than 20 percent of their EBIT is attributable to their use of nongenerative, analytical AI, and they span industries and regions—though most are at organizations with less than $1 billion in annual revenue. The AI-related practices at these organizations can offer guidance to those looking to create value from gen AI adoption at their own organizations.

To start, gen AI high performers are using gen AI in more business functions—an average of three functions, while others average two. They, like other organizations, are most likely to use gen AI in marketing and sales and product or service development, but they’re much more likely than others to use gen AI solutions in risk, legal, and compliance; in strategy and corporate finance; and in supply chain and inventory management. They’re more than three times as likely as others to be using gen AI in activities ranging from processing of accounting documents and risk assessment to R&D testing and pricing and promotions. While, overall, about half of reported gen AI applications within business functions are utilizing publicly available models or tools, gen AI high performers are less likely to use those off-the-shelf options than to either implement significantly customized versions of those tools or to develop their own proprietary foundation models.

What else are these high performers doing differently? For one thing, they are paying more attention to gen-AI-related risks. Perhaps because they are further along on their journeys, they are more likely than others to say their organizations have experienced every negative consequence from gen AI we asked about, from cybersecurity and personal privacy to explainability and IP infringement. Given that, they are more likely than others to report that their organizations consider those risks, as well as regulatory compliance, environmental impacts, and political stability, to be relevant to their gen AI use, and they say they take steps to mitigate more risks than others do.

Gen AI high performers are also much more likely to say their organizations follow a set of risk-related best practices (Exhibit 11). For example, they are nearly twice as likely as others to involve the legal function and embed risk reviews early on in the development of gen AI solutions—that is, to “ shift left .” They’re also much more likely than others to employ a wide range of other best practices, from strategy-related practices to those related to scaling.

In addition to experiencing the risks of gen AI adoption, high performers have encountered other challenges that can serve as warnings to others (Exhibit 12). Seventy percent say they have experienced difficulties with data, including defining processes for data governance, developing the ability to quickly integrate data into AI models, and an insufficient amount of training data, highlighting the essential role that data play in capturing value. High performers are also more likely than others to report experiencing challenges with their operating models, such as implementing agile ways of working and effective sprint performance management.

About the research

The online survey was in the field from February 22 to March 5, 2024, and garnered responses from 1,363 participants representing the full range of regions, industries, company sizes, functional specialties, and tenures. Of those respondents, 981 said their organizations had adopted AI in at least one business function, and 878 said their organizations were regularly using gen AI in at least one function. To adjust for differences in response rates, the data are weighted by the contribution of each respondent’s nation to global GDP.

Alex Singla and Alexander Sukharevsky  are global coleaders of QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, and senior partners in McKinsey’s Chicago and London offices, respectively; Lareina Yee  is a senior partner in the Bay Area office, where Michael Chui , a McKinsey Global Institute partner, is a partner; and Bryce Hall  is an associate partner in the Washington, DC, office.

They wish to thank Kaitlin Noe, Larry Kanter, Mallika Jhamb, and Shinjini Srivastava for their contributions to this work.

This article was edited by Heather Hanselman, a senior editor in McKinsey’s Atlanta office.

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