Thanks in advance or thanks before?

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hello everybody!
Is it correct to use “thanks before” as “thanks in a advance”?
I always thought they are the same but, surprisingly, yesterday I could not find “thanks before” in a dictionary! :?

Thanks :?: . :lol:

2

Hi Natalia,

Thanks for your question. The expression you would use is: Thanks in advance. ‘Before’ can be used as an adverb, a conjunction or a preposition as in the following:

I have never been to that country before. (Adverb)
I cooked the dinner before I went out. (Conjunction)
We went on holiday before Christmas. (Preposition)

Hope this helps.

Alan

3

Maybe what Natalia had heard was ‘Thanks beforehand’.

Apropos, how does ‘Thank you in anticipation’ sound? It strucks me as less casual and perhaps even a bit unusual, but I’m not sure.

Thanks in advance (to be on the safe side, I’ll stick to the most commonly used phrase)!

4

I can imagine certain unusual individuals in certain unusual individual cases saying, “Thank you in anticipation,” but, although possible, it would be very odd. “Thanks in advance,” sounds simply like you are thanking the person in advance. “Thanks in anticipation,” sounds like the person is saying they are completely relying on your ability to keep the promise, and if you can’t, they will be extremely disappointed, angry, and maybe won’t ever be able to trust you again.

At least that’s how it sounds to me.