If you are preparing for the IELTS test and feel unsure about how to use time-related adverbs, or simply want to improve your English communication, mastering adverbs of time will help you express your thoughts more clearly and earn better scores in the IELTS exam. Explore this essential grammar point with IDP IELTS now.
1. What Are Adverbs of Time
Adverbs of time are words or phrases used to indicate when, how long, or how often an action or event occurs. These adverbs provide clarity by specifying the timing of an action, whether it happened in the past, is happening now, or will happen in the future.
They typically answer questions like:
When?
How long?
How often?
Examples:
I went to school yesterday
She is sleeping now
He will go to Paris next week
Tom never goes to bed early
Mark has studied English for 5 years
Adverbs of time provide three key types of information:
Point in time – when an action happens
Duration – how long it lasts
Frequency – how often it happens
2. Types of Adverbs of Time and Their Usage
Adverbs of time can be categorized into several types:
Adverbs Indicating Specific Points in Time
These indicate when an action or event occurs. They often appear at the end of a clause.
Past: yesterday, last week/month/year
I bought this jacket last week.
Present: today, now, right now, at the moment
Jasmine is reading at the moment.
Future: tomorrow, later, soon, next week/month/year, eventually
I will call you later tonight.
Adverbs Indicating Duration (How Long)
These answer the question how long something lasts:
For: He has lived in New York for three years.
Since: I have studied here since 2020.
Ever since: I have been his roommate ever since.
All day/night/week: Mark stayed in bed all day.
A long time: I haven’t seen John for a long time.
Half an hour, an hour, etc.: He needs half an hour to finish his homework.
Adverbs Indicating Frequency (How Often)
These describe how often an action occurs:
Always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never
Regularly, occasionally, frequently, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly
Every + time unit (every day, every week)
Number of times (three times, five times)
Examples:
I always get up at 7 AM.
He often goes to the park.
Adverbs Showing Progress or Continuity
These describe the status or progression of an action or event:
Yet, still, already
3. How to Use Adverbs of Time in Sentences
Usage | Example |
|---|---|
Place at the beginning or end of a clause | Eventually she came. / Anna went home then. |
With modal or auxiliary verbs | John will soon be there. |
Adverbs like before, immediately, early, or late often appear at the end | Harry came late. |
"Since" and "ever since" appear with perfect tenses | Mary has been at the hospital since last Tuesday. |
"Yet" is placed after the verb or object (usually in negative or question sentences) | Phillip has not finished his homework yet. |
"Still" comes after the verb to be or before regular verbs | Peter is still at school. / Eric still does not understand. |
4. Position of Adverbs of Time in Sentences
Adverbs of time can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence. Placement can change the emphasis slightly.
Adverb | Strong Position (End) | Neutral Position (Middle) |
frequently | John goes to the gym frequently | John frequently goes to the gym |
normally | She eats breakfast at home normally | She normally eats breakfast at home |
often | Often, Tom walks in the morning | Tom often walks in the morning |
sometimes | David gets up late sometimes | David sometimes gets up late |
Order of Multiple Time Adverbs
When several time expressions appear together, use this order for clarity:
Duration → Frequency → Specific Time
Examples:
Structure | Example |
|---|---|
Duration → Frequency | Jimmy works for 8 hours from Monday to Saturday. |
Frequency → Time Point | The newspaper is published every Sunday since last year. |
Duration → Time Point | Emma will study abroad for four years starting from this September. |
Duration → Frequency → Time | Every morning, I usually have breakfast at 7 AM. |
5. Adverbs of Time Exercises with Answers
Exercise 1: Fill in the correct adverb of time
I have ………….. called twice today. (already)
We will see each other …………. Friday. (next)
I …………. went to the dentist. (finally)
Have you got plans for …………….? (tonight)
………… Friday I went to the park. (last)
I have never seen her ………… . (before)
She has an appointment at school ……….. . (now)
They will join us later ………… . (in the evening)
Exercise 2: Fill in the gaps using one of the adverbs
Word Bank: after, eventually, then, soon, in the morning, early, yesterday
…………… Christmas I got a new bike. (Last)
I hope to see you ………….. . (soon)
…………… I eat yogurt for breakfast. (In the morning)
……………. I figured out a way to get home. (Eventually)
We finished the assignment and …………. we went home. (then)
They had lunch …………. our meeting. (after)
She has to leave …………… tomorrow morning. (early)
We went to the cinema …………… . (yesterday)
Answer Key:
Exercise 1: already, next, finally, tonight, last, before, now, in the evening
Exercise 2: Last, soon, In the morning, Eventually, then, after, early, yesterday
Master Adverbs of Time with IDP
Adverbs of time are essential in making your sentences clearer and more dynamic. By using these adverbs correctly, you can communicate the timing of events more precisely and help your listeners or readers understand you better.
If you are preparing for the IELTS exam, IDP is a trusted provider of computer-based IELTS tests with flexible test schedules every week. Check available test dates and locations now.
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