What is the difference between:
The package will be delivered in two days' time.
And
The package will be delivered within two days.
Are they the same or different?
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If today is Monday, and a company tells me:
Your package will arrive in two days' time.
then I will expect the package to arrive on Wednesday.
However, if today is Monday, and a company tells me:
Your package will arrive within two days.
then I will expect the package to arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday.
If we change the verbiage from two to four then:
- in four days' time means the package is expected to arrive on Friday
- within four days means the package will arrive no later than Friday – but it could arrive on Thursday or perhaps even on Wednesday.
In other words, "in two days' time" is typically a prediction, while "within two days" specifies an upper limit.
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So it's ''in two days''=''in two days' time'' right? But why did they put ''time'' in that? – John Arvin Jul 19 '18 at 0:49
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in two days time = when the delivery will occur
within two days = implies there is a limit. No later than two days.
You must do this task in two days. [usually, two days from some date or you have two days to do it.]
You must do this task within two days. [we don't know when those days will be and it sets a time limit on how long you can take.]
within two days = within 48 hours. [sets a limit]
in two days = in 48 hours. [says when or describes how many days are needed]
