Time Expression, Definition and Examples

English Time Expression, Definition and Examples

Time Expression

The present – permanent

Used for all – time and permanent times

• Sofia now live in a small town.
• Nowadays I live in a big town.
• These days, Tom doesn’t have much of a social life.

Here is Telling the Time Phrases

The present – temporary

We take advantage of the present time to describe events in temporary situations.

• At present / At the moment living in Paris.
• For the time being I’m living in a crow town, but I hope to move soon.

Listening about a period of time in the past

• My big sister started work as a nurse in the 1960s.
• In those days they lived in London.
• Back then Teachers were badly paid.
• At that time, nurses lived in special accommodation.

Talking about a single event in the past

• At one time he lost her door key and had to stay in a hotel.
• On one occasion she nursed the child of a famous politician.

Sequencing events in the past

We can list events in the past in many ways. Here are some of the more common ones.

• After (in the middle of a sentence)
• Afterwards / After that / After a while (used at the beginning of the sentence.)
• Then / Before (used at the middle or at the beginning of a sentence)
• Before that / Previously / Until then (used at the beginning of a sentence)
• By the time (used in the middle of a sentence followed by a past perfect tense)
• By then / by that time (used at the beginning of a sentence)

Example Sentences

• I went side of my mother after I finished work.
• I worked all day in the school. Afterwards / After that, I went shopping.
• I went to party. After a while, I got bored.
• Tom worked before he went shopping.
• She went shopping at 7pm. Before that / Previously / Until then she had worked all day in the office.
• I worked all day, then I went shopping.
• He was desperate to go shopping by the time he had finished work.
• Tom worked until 8pm. By then / By that time, he was glad for the opportunity to go jim.

Asking The Time Examples

• What time is it?
• What is the time?
• Do you have the time?
• Do you know what time is it?
• Could you tell me the time, please?
• Do you happen to have the time?
• Have you got the right time?
• What time do you make it?

Answering the Questions Examples

• It’s exactly or about or almost or just gone …
• Sure, it is 3:00
• Sorry, I am not wearing a watch.
• 2:30
• It is 4:20
• It is ten past ten.
• The time is 8 o’clock.