There are phrases with "schedule" such as "ahead of/on/behind schedule." Can you say "a late schedule" instead of "behind schedule"? If it isn't accepted, why is it not grammatical?

Example: Due to a late schedule, my house hasn't been built yet.

Question

There are phrases with "schedule" such as "ahead of/on/behind schedule."  Can you say "a late schedule" instead of "behind schedule"? If it isn't accepted, why is it not grammatical?

Example: Due to a late schedule, my house hasn't been built yet.

OctoSquakk · Answer

I am not a linguist, so I can't speak to nuances in grammar, but "a late schedule" is a perfectly acceptable phrase to me. Your example sounds fine to me in isolation. (More details below.)

If I think deeply about it, I think there is a subtle nuance though that does not make it 100% interchangeable with "behind schedule" though. To me, "a late schedule" sounds okay if it is a schedule that you do not have control over or is otherwise unrelated to you. But it sounds a little bit weird if you are talking about something you do have control over.

I think this is because of the article "a" here. "A late schedule" sounds distant, more "removed" from the speaker.

So in your example, it sounds like your house hasn't been built due to some late schedule outside of your control (the construction company is too busy, the architect's plans are not finalized yet, etc.)

If your house hasn't been built yet because YOU are the cause of the delay, then I think this would be a weird way to phrase it.

"Behind schedule" I don't think has the same nuance. You could say construction was "behind schedule", regardless of the specific circumstances.

These are my own thoughts as a native US speaker. It's possible someone else might disagree.

OctoSquakk · Answer

Although I agree with @LegendofElric's point that "late" has multiple meanings, so it can make the sentence meaning ambiguous (depending on complete context). So I feel that it is grammatical (your original question), but if I were an editor, "behind schedule" would probably be the more natural choice.

LegendofElric · Answer

"Ahead of/on/behind" schedule refers to the completion tasks within an established or expected time. A "late/early" schedule refers to when those tasks should take place.

In your example, you should probably change it to "due to being behind schedule, . . ." because "a late schedule" implies the building of the house is taking place at a later time, or at night/evening.

Other examples : 
Night shift workers have a late schedule.

She was ahead of schedule, so she was able to do a few extra tasks.

We will be arriving behind schedule because we were delayed by the snow.

LegendofElric · Answer

@OctoSquakk This is well put.

@ichiroyamada I think the nuance OctoSquakk is speaking of has more to do with expectations. If their house is expected to be built, they would be "behind schedule." If it is not expected, "a late schedule" would be best.

Please correct me if I am wrong

There are phrases with "schedule" such as "ahead of/on/behind schedule." Can you say "a late schedule" instead of "behind schedule"? If it isn't accepted, why is it not grammatical?Example: Due to a late schedule, my house hasn't been built yet. See a translation

@OctoSquakk This is well put.@ichiroyamada I think the nuance OctoSquakk is speaking of has more to do with expectations. If their house is expected to be built, they would be "behind schedule." If it is not expected, "a late schedule" would be best.Please correct me if I am wrong

There are phrases with "schedule" such as "ahead of/on/behind schedule." Can you say "a late schedule" instead of "behind schedule"? If it isn't accepted, why is it not grammatical?

Example: Due to a late schedule, my house hasn't been built yet.

See a translation

@OctoSquakk This is well put.

@ichiroyamada I think the nuance OctoSquakk is speaking of has more to do with expectations. If their house is expected to be built, they would be "behind schedule." If it is not expected, "a late schedule" would be best.

Please correct me if I am wrong