Adverbs of time
Adverbs of time tell us WHEN something happens, that is, they are a reference to time. We usually put them at the end of a sentence, but they can also change position depending on whether the speaker wants to use emphasis.
Moreover, there are many, many adverbs of time, so to name a few such as, today, now, then, yesterday, tomorrow, tonight etc.
Adverbs of time that detail WHEN something happened
- Maria went to the supermarket yesterday.
- Are you going out tonight?
- Back then I was not very mature.
- Today, we’re going for a nice walk.
- What did they do yesterday?
- I don’t feel like studying right now.
Adverbs of time that detail how long something lasts
- How long have you been with the company? I’ve been here since 2007.
- I haven’t seen her in two days.
- They’ve been studying for three weeks,
- How long did it take you? It took me six days.
Adverbs of time with context and analysis
- Hey Susana, are you going out tonight1?
- I don’t think so, I’m still hungover2 from last night. What about tomorrow3 or Saturday4?
- OK, it’s definitely possible. I’m sorry you’re so hungover. You really shouldn’t party so hard.
- I know, I’m a sucker5 for the partying6. I wish I could be more responsible. It’s also very expensive. The other night I spent over eighty dollars.
- Eighty dollars? On what exactly?
- I had to catch a taxi7, drinks, everything…
- I haven’t partied as hard as8 you since I was twenty-five.
- I guess you’re just getting too old for it these days, aren’t you9?
- I guess I am. I’ll10 catch you later.
- Bye.
Analysis
- Tonight: an adverb of time.
- Hungover: an adjective meaning still a little drunk or worn out for the previous night’s drinking.
- Tomorrow: an adverb of time.
- Saturday: an adverb of time. Days of the week are always capitalised in English. Monday, Tuesday etc.
- To be a sucker: a colloquial way of saying that someone always end up in the same situation (good or bad).
- For the partying: partying functions as a noun/nominal object because it’s the object in the sentence. We can use gerund forms (verb + -ing) as nouns, either as subjects or objects in English.
- Catch a taxi: this is the general expression we use when catching a taxi.
- As hard as: the construction ‘as + adjective (hard) + as’ is a comparative used in English to make two things equal. I.e., Sarah is as nice as me.
- I guess you’re… aren’t you: this is construction in English called question tags.
- I’ll catch you later: remember, we use the future simple (will) for instant/immediate, positive reactions. I.e., things that we’re going to do right at the moment.
See also
Adverbs:
Advanced grammar:
- Articles (a/an, the, zero article)
- Pronouns: subject, object and possessive
- Question tags
- English conditionals
- Interrogatives in English
- Determiners
- Phrasal verbs
- Prefixes and suffixes
- Reported and direct speech
- Numbers: cardinal, ordinal, and Roman numbers
- The verb: “get”
- ‘Get’ vs. ‘go’ and ‘got’ vs. ‘gotten’
- Copular verbs
- Cleft sentences
- Subjunctive in English
- Vulgar and taboo in English
- Ellipsis
- Split infinitive
- Emphasis with inversion
- Gerunds in English
- To + infinitive
- Bare infinitive
- British and American spelling