Learn Adverbs of Time with Definition in English with Examples

Adverbs of time tell us when something happens. They help us understand the timing of an action—whether it happened in the past, is happening now, or will happen in the future. Words like now, yesterday, soon, and always are all examples of adverbs of time. In this article, you will learn the clear definition of adverbs of time in simple English, along with easy examples to help you understand how to use them in sentences. This guide is perfect for students, beginners, and anyone who wants to improve their grammar and speak English more clearly.

What Are Adverbs of Time?

Adverbs of time are words that tell us when an action happens, how long it lasts, or how often it happens. These words give information about time in a sentence and usually answer the questions:

When?
How long?
How often?

These adverbs can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence, depending on what the speaker wants to focus on.

Types of Adverbs of Time

Adverbs of time can be divided into three main categories:

Category	Purpose	Examples
Time (When)	Tells when something happens	Today, Tomorrow, Now, Later, Yesterday
Duration (How long)	Tells how long something lasts	All day, For a while, Since morning
Frequency (How often)	Tells how often something happens	Always, Often, Never, Sometimes, Usually

1. Adverbs Showing When

These adverbs answer the question: When did it happen?

Examples:

I met her yesterday.
He will call you soon.
We are leaving now.
The exam is tomorrow.
She arrived early.

2. Adverbs Showing How Long

These adverbs tell us the duration of an action.

Examples:

He waited all day.
I have lived here for years.
She stayed a while.
We have been friends since childhood.

3. Adverbs Showing How Often

These adverbs describe how frequently something happens.

Adverb	Meaning	Example
Always	Every time	She always comes on time.
Often	Many times	I often visit my grandparents.
Sometimes	Occasionally	We sometimes eat out.
Rarely	Not very often	He rarely watches TV.
Never	Not at any time	I never lie.

Position of Adverbs of Time in a Sentence

Adverbs of time can be placed in different parts of a sentence depending on the focus.

🔹 At the Beginning

Used for emphasis or style

Yesterday, we went to the beach.
Soon, you will understand.

🔹 In the Middle

Usually placed before the main verb

She always wakes up early.
I sometimes forget my keys.

🔹 At the End

Most common position for adverbs of time

We will meet tomorrow.
He stayed for a while.

Common Adverbs of Time List

Here is a useful list for daily use and exam preparation:

Adverbs of Time	Used For	Example Sentence
Now	Present moment	I am busy now.
Today	Current day	She is not coming today.
Tomorrow	Next day	The event is tomorrow.
Yesterday	Previous day	He was here yesterday.
Later	Future time	I’ll do it later.
Soon	Near future	The results will be out soon.
Already	Earlier than expected	I’ve already finished my work.
Still	Continuing	She is still sleeping.
Yet	Until now (in questions or negatives)	Has he come yet?
Since	From a past point	I’ve been here since morning.

Important Grammar Tips

✅ Use Commas When Needed

Yesterday, we went shopping.
After a while, he spoke.

✅ Don’t Use Two Time Adverbs Together

❌ I will meet you today tomorrow.
✅ I will meet you tomorrow.

✅ “For” vs. “Since”

Word	Use with	Example
For	Duration	I stayed there for two hours.
Since	Specific starting point	He’s been gone since Monday.

Advanced Uses of Adverbs of Time

🔸 Using Multiple Adverbs

Sometimes, you can use two adverbs of time (e.g., frequency + duration):

I’ve always worked for long hours.
She often comes early.

🔸 With Tenses

Present Perfect: I have already eaten.
Past Perfect: He had never seen it before.
Future: We will leave soon.

Quick Revision Table

Adverb Type	Example Words	Example Sentence
When	Today, Tomorrow, Now	We are leaving now.
Duration	All day, For hours, Since Monday	I waited all day.
Frequency	Always, Sometimes, Never	He always drinks tea in the morning.

List of Adverbs of Time

Now
Today
Tomorrow
Yesterday
Soon
Later
Already
Still
Yet
Always
Often
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
Early
Late
Before
After
Recently
Lately
Once
Twice
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Annually
All day
For hours
Since morning
From now on

30 Sentences Using Adverbs of Time

No.	Adverb of Time	Example Sentence
1	Now	I am doing my homework now.
2	Today	She is going to the market today.
3	Tomorrow	We will meet tomorrow.
4	Yesterday	He visited his uncle yesterday.
5	Soon	The bus will arrive soon.
6	Later	I will call you later.
7	Already	She has already eaten lunch.
8	Still	They are still waiting for the teacher.
9	Yet	Have you done your homework yet?
10	Always	He always wakes up early.
11	Often	We often play cricket after school.
12	Sometimes	I sometimes read at night.
13	Rarely	She rarely eats sweets.
14	Never	He never tells lies.
15	Early	The train came early today.
16	Late	She arrived late for the class.
17	Before	Wash your hands before dinner.
18	After	We went shopping after lunch.
19	Recently	I recently visited the zoo.
20	Lately	He has been sick lately.
21	Once	I went to Murree once.
22	Twice	She called me twice today.
23	Daily	I go for a walk daily.
24	Weekly	We clean our house weekly.
25	Monthly	He pays the rent monthly.
26	Annually	The school holds a fair annually.
27	All day	She studied all day for the test.
28	For hours	They waited for hours in the rain.
29	Since morning	He has been working since morning.
30	From now on	I will study hard from now on.

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