Late or lately?

Late is both an adverb and an adjective; it means the opposite of early. Lately is also an adverb; it means ‘recently’.

Late meaning ‘not on time’

Late as an adverb means ‘not on time’:

Well, I couldn’t find my classroom, so I got to the classroom a bit late and then I had to sing a song in front of the other students!

Not: I got to the classroom a bit lately …

The programme started late.

Not: The programme started lately.

Late as an adjective means ‘after the usual time’:

We had a late breakfast.

Compare

We got the train home late.	describes when the activity happened
I got the late train home.	describes the train

We use lately for states or for repeated events, mostly with the present perfect:

She says she’s been feeling tired lately. I think she’s working too much.

He’s been studying hard lately. He’s got exams at the end of the month.

Warning:

We don’t use lately for single events that happened recently:

I had a strange experience recently.

Not: I had a strange experience lately.

Warning:

We don’t use lately as an adjective:

We usually have a late lunch.

Not: … a lately lunch.