Time adverbs tell when something happens, how often it happens, or how long it lasts. They answer questions like when, how often, and for how long, and they help place events on a timeline. They can refer to a specific point in time, a repeated schedule, or a duration.

Time adverbs often fall into three meaning groups: when, frequency, and duration. When adverbs locate an event at a time point or relative time like today or soon. Frequency adverbs show repetition like always or sometimes, while duration expressions show length of time like for two hours or all day.

Word/Phrase	Definition	Example
when	locates the time of an event	I will call you tomorrow.
frequency	shows how often something happens	She often walks to work.
duration	shows how long something lasts	We stayed for two hours.

Point-in-time adverbs refer to one moment or a clear time period on the calendar. They can be exact like yesterday, or relative like soon and already, which connect the action to the present or another reference time. These adverbs commonly appear at the beginning or end of the clause, depending on what you want to emphasize.

Word/Phrase	Definition	Example
today	on this day	I’m busy today.
yesterday	on the day before today	We met yesterday.
tomorrow	on the day after today	They leave tomorrow.
soon	in a short time from now	I’ll be ready soon.
already	earlier than expected or before now	He has already eaten.
still	continuing up to now	She is still working.

Some time adverbs link two events rather than naming a calendar time. Words like before and afterwards show sequence, while just and recently show closeness to the present. These are especially useful when telling stories or explaining steps because they make the order of events clear.

Word/Phrase	Definition	Example
before	earlier than a time or event	I had seen her before.
after	later than a time or event	We ate after class.
then	next in time or sequence	Finish this, then rest.
afterwards	later, after something	We talked afterwards.
recently	not long ago	I recently moved.
just	a very short time ago	They just arrived.

Frequency adverbs show how often an action happens, from 0% to 100%. They are most commonly placed before the main verb, but after the verb be. In questions, they typically follow the subject and come before the main verb, keeping the frequency meaning close to the action.

Word/Phrase	Definition	Example
always	at all times	I always drink coffee.
usually	in most cases	We usually eat early.
often	many times	He often travels.
sometimes	on some occasions	She sometimes calls.
հազ редко	rarely	not often	They rarely argue.

With most verbs, put a frequency adverb before the main verb to describe the action clearly. With the verb be, place the adverb after be. With auxiliaries like have, will, can, and do, place the frequency adverb after the auxiliary and before the main verb.

Rule	Example
Put frequency adverbs before the main verb	She often studies at night.
Put frequency adverbs after be	They are usually on time.
With auxiliaries, place it after the auxiliary	I have never seen that.
In negatives, keep it near the verb phrase	We don’t usually eat out.

Duration tells how long an action or state continues. English often uses prepositional phrases like for plus a length of time, or since plus a starting point. Some common duration adverbs like all day and lately also express ongoing time without giving an exact number.

Rule	Example
Use for plus a length of time	I waited for 30 minutes.
Use since plus a starting point	She has lived here since 2020.
Use all plus a time period for continuous duration	He worked all night.
Use lately or recently for a general recent period	I’ve been tired lately.

Many time adverbs can move within the sentence, but position changes what feels emphasized. Beginning position sets the time frame as the topic, while end position sounds neutral and is very common. Mid position is typical for frequency adverbs and for short time adverbs that connect closely to the verb phrase.

Rule	Example
Beginning position highlights the time frame	Tomorrow, we start early.
End position is neutral and common	We start early tomorrow.
Mid position is typical for frequency	We usually start early.
Avoid splitting fixed phrases	I stayed for two hours.

Time adverbs often signal which tense fits the meaning. Finished past times like yesterday commonly pair with past simple, while since and recently often appear with present perfect when the time connects to now. Future time adverbs like tomorrow or next week commonly pair with will or present continuous for plans.

Rule	Example
Finished past time often uses past simple	I saw him yesterday.
Time connected to now often uses present perfect	I have lived here since 2020.
Future time often uses will or a plan form	We’re meeting next week.
Ongoing time can use still with continuous	She is still sleeping.

Some time adverbs naturally pair with each other or with common time phrases to make sequencing clear. Using these combinations helps your speech sound organized and makes timelines easy to follow. Choose pairs that match your meaning: sequence, repetition, or ongoing change.

Word/Phrase	Definition	Example
then and later	sequence across steps	First we ate, then we left later.
for and since	duration length vs starting point	I’ve worked here for years, since 2019.
once a week	regular frequency schedule	I call my parents once a week.
no longer	something that stopped being true	He no longer lives here.

Time adverbs let you express when something happens, how often it happens, and how long it lasts. Focus on meaning first, then place the adverb where it sounds natural: frequency usually in the middle, and time points often at the beginning or end. Use for and since carefully to separate duration length from a starting time.