Ever tell a story? Or make plans with a friend? If so, you know how important it is to be able to describe when things happened or will happen. This is where adverbs of time come in!
In this post:
What are adverbs of time, and where do they go in a sentence?
Adverbs of time give information about when an action takes place. They include words such as today, now, or later and can appear in different positions in a sentence:
| POSITION | EXAMPLE |
|---|---|
| at the end of a sentence (most common position for most adverbs of time |
I bought a new car yesterday. |
| at the start of a sentence (emphasizes the time the action happened or will happen) |
Tomorrow, we’ll go to the store. |
| before the main verb | They still love each other. |
Types of adverbs of time in English
In English, adverbs of time can tell us whether an action is happening in the present, has happened in the past, or will happen in the future. They can also indicate if an action is about to happen, how long it lasts, and whether two or more actions happen at the same time.
Present adverbs
These adverbs describe actions that are happening in the moment. Common present adverbs include:
| ADVERB | EXAMPLE |
|---|---|
| at the moment | I don’t have a job at the moment. |
| currently | Currently, I am writing a book. |
| now | I live in Texas now. |
| presently | I am presently working at a law firm. |
Past adverbs
Past adverbs describe actions that have already happened. Some frequently used examples are:
| ADVERB | EXAMPLE |
|---|---|
___ ago
|
Two days ago, he broke his leg. We met six weeks ago. Three months ago, I was in Spain. That was one year ago. |
| just | They’ve just arrived! |
last ___
|
We went to the zoo last week. Last month, I visited my grandparents. I read that book last year. |
| previously | She previously worked at a bank. |
| yesterday | I saw Junior yesterday. |
Future adverbs
These adverbs describe actions that will happen at a later point in time. Common adverbs in this category include:
| ADVERB | EXAMPLE |
|---|---|
| by then | You’ll be gone by then! |
| later | We’ll see you later! |
next ___
|
Next week, she’s starting a new job. They’re moving to Japan next month. Junior is planning to clean his room next year. |
| soon | The kids need to go to bed soon. |
| tomorrow | I leave for Spain tomorrow. |
Adverbs of immediacy
Actions that are happening with little or no delay can be described by adverbs of immediacy. For example:
| ADVERB | EXAMPLE |
|---|---|
| at once | Stop this car at once! |
| immediately | Please sit down immediately! |
| instantly | The ice instantly melted. |
| promptly | She promptly returned the keys. |
| right away | They went to bed right away. |
Adverbs of simultaneity
Adverbs of simultaneity describe two or more actions happening at the same time. Some common ones are:
| ADVERB | EXAMPLE |
|---|---|
| all the while | I was cleaning the house. All the while, you were taking a nap. |
| at the same time | He gave both kids a bath at the same time. |
| concurrently | Both departments will work on this project concurrently. |
| meanwhile | Joe cooked dinner. Meanwhile, Amy set the table. |
| simultaneously | The two weddings will happen simultaneously. |
Adverbs of duration
These adverbs describe how long actions last. Adverbs of duration include:
| ADVERB | EXAMPLE |
|---|---|
| awhile | They’ll stay awhile. |
| briefly | We worked together briefly. |
| forever | I will love you forever. |
| permanently | The store is permanently closed. |
| temporarily | They’re temporarily living with their mom. |
How to use still
One very common adverb of time is still.
For example:
You still love ice cream.
They still want to leave.
I still live in New Jersey.
Notice that the position of the adverb still is a little different from many other adverbs of time. While the most common position for most adverbs of time is at the end of a sentence, still is frequently placed right before the main verb:
| POSITION | EXAMPLE |
|---|---|
| before the main verb (most common position) |
Lin still calls her grandma every day. |
| at the start of the sentence (emphasizes the time element) |
Still, he wants to move. |
| at the end of the sentence (less common and more informal) |
Are you hungry still? |
How to use yet
The adverb yet means “up until this time.” Unlike most other adverbs of time, it is typically only used in questions and negative sentences:
| TYPE OF SENTENCE | FUNCTION OF YET | EXAMPLES |
|---|---|---|
| negative sentence | describes an action that has not occurred up to this moment but may occur in the future | I haven’t eaten lunch yet. They don’t have children yet. We haven’t been to Mexico yet. |
| question | asks if an action has occurred any time up to this moment | Are you home yet? Have you taken a shower yet? Is Lucy here yet? |
Now you’re ready to use adverbs of time!
While it might not be possible to instantly learn everything about adverbs of time, with a little bit of practice, you’ll be an expert very soon! 😉