Eggcorn Forum

Thanks to whoever fixed the site ? was that you, kem? Is there a monetary cost involved in keeping it going? I for one could contribute a bit …

I tried posting something and got an error message:

I recently became aware of this one: it is reminiscent in some ways of the “not after < only after” substitution (which the editor isn’t letting me mark as a link the way I usually have done.)

Monday 17th May could not come sooner! We cannot wait for the group classes to begin

Tomorrow could not come sooner for the lovers.

Closing day could not come sooner! ¶ Congratulations Tina and Will on your brand new home!

[AllRetail Jobs]By Grace Tino. For many in the world, 2021 could not come sooner, as it brings with it hope for improvement.

The scrapping of social distancing on July 19 could not come sooner for jubilant England fans as they celebrated the historic semi final win

For countries in Africa and elsewhere, the end of the Trump presidency could not come sooner.

The debut of Branson’s craft could not come sooner for the scores of wannabe astronauts eager to pay big money to experience zero gravity.

There seem to be a raft of structures meaning that someone greatly anticipates some future event and would gladly have it occur sooner: It could not come too soon, could not come soon enough, came none too soon, If it could only come sooner, It will not come any sooner (for all your impatience) . There is likely blending of some of these going on in this structure.
.
In many of these cases the event literally is outside human control and could not be made to come sooner, but that is not what is being commented on by the phrase. It occurs in semi-published materials, article headlines and such, and does seem to be standard for some people.