Language/English/Grammar/Adverbs-of-Time

Adverbs of Time in English

Adverbs of time answer the questions when? how long? and how often? Adverbs of time describe when an action takes place. These can be specific times or general periods of time.

When using adverbs, writers should be mindful of the following:

With the completion of this lesson, consider investigating these related pages: Contractions, Irregular Verbs, CONJUNCTIONS → A Choice or Alternative & That v.s. Which.

When to use an adverb?

Adverbs are often used to describe how something is done. They can also be used to describe where something is done. Adverbs of time and place are often used in dialogue, as well as in descriptions.

Where should you use an adverb?

Adverbs that describe a verb or adjective should go before the word they modify. For example: "I was running quickly." Adverbs that describe a noun should go after the word they modify. For example: "The sound of my footsteps were muffled by the carpet.”

Examples of Adverbs of Time

Examples of adverbs of time are: now, then, then again, nowadays

Adverbs of Time Used in Sentences

• Lunch will be ready soon.
• Jenny visited us twice last year but we haven’t seen her since.
• Harold rarely visits his grandparents
• Please deliver our newspapers now.

Used in Creative Writing

Adverbs of time are often used in creative writing to provide a sense of immediacy and urgency.

Examples:

• "As soon as I saw the police car, I knew I was in trouble."
• "I need to get this done before the weekend is over."

Sources

• https://www.languagecouncils.sg/goodenglish/-/media/sgem/document/additional-sgem-resources/pdf/grammar-rules-_-speak-good-english-movement.pdf?la=en

Other Lessons

• Double Object Verbs (Ditransitive verbs)
• How to Use Have
• Prepositions
• Since and For
• Possible Positions of Adverbs in a Sentence
• Perfect Tenses
• How Do Silent Letters Work?
• Turn an Adjective into an Adverb
• How Some pointers when using Adjectives
• Count noun