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TIME EXPRESSION

Days, months and years

We spend months and years ahead . Before days we spend on.

They got married in March.

He was born in 1984.

We will arrive on Tuesday.

"This day" is called today. Here are some other important expressions about days and years:

yesterday Today is monday. Yesterday was Sunday.

tomorrow the day Today is monday. Tomorrow is Tuesday.
before yesterday Today is monday. The day before yesterday was Saturday.
the day after tomorrow last Today is monday. The day after tomorrow is Wednesday.
year Now it is 2019. Last year it was 2018.

Times of the day

We use i when we talk about "this evening/morning...". The noun is in indefinite form. The activity can be
in the present, past or future.

what are you doing tonight

I had a lot to do this afternoon.

"Tomorrow" means "the day after today". That is why we say this morning for "this morning".

I slept until 10 this morning.

We use about when we talk about "every evening/morning...". The noun is in the definite article.

I like to read in the evening.

What do you usually do in the afternoon?
They always eat a big breakfast in the morning.

Sometimes we talk about a specific evening/morning. Then we also use if, and the noun is definite form.

On Saturday we went for a walk in the afternoon.

I didn't have to work yesterday. That's why I slept long in the morning.
Tomorrow we will shop in the morning.

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Time expressions | 2

We don't use a preposition when we say what time it is when we do something.

She gets here at three o'clock.

The bus left at 10.15.

Seasons
The rules for seasons are identical to the rules for times of day. We use in about "this summer"
and about when we talk about "every summer" or a specific summer, but not this one.

What are you going to do this summer?

I went skiing a lot this winter.

We always travel to Belgium in the summer.

It rains a lot in autumn in Norway.

In 2015 I was a student. It was very busy in the autumn!

When something
happened We use for - since when we tell when something happened in the past. The tense is
between the prepositions. For - the page tells how much time has passed since something happened until now.

I was in France two years ago.

The meeting started ten minutes ago.

When something is
going to happen We use about when we say when something is going to happen. It tells how much
time there is from now until something will happen. The noun is in the indefinite form.

We are going to France in two weeks.

The meeting starts in ten minutes.

We can also use to. Seasons and weeks are quite common. It roughly means "the summer/next
week". The noun is in a definite form.

I am going to France in the summer.

They want to go skiing in the winter.
I don't have time now, but I will help you this week.

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Time expressions | 3

How long?
We use i when we say how long we do/did something.

She will live here for five months.

They ran for an hour.
He has studied medicine for four years.

We use at when we say how long something has not happened.

I haven't been to England for three years.

He hasn't seen his wife in a week.

The first sentence means I was in England three years ago, but I haven't been there since.
The second sentence means that he last saw his wife a week ago. We can also use the
site. Then we have to specify when it happened last:

I haven't been to England since 2016.

He has not seen his wife since last Monday.

We use on when we say how long we need to do something.

She did the task in 10 minutes.

We can walk to town in half an hour.

Next - last - previous - each We

do not use prepositions with next, last, previous and each.

I'm going to play soccer next Friday.

They are coming to visit next week.
He was in France last/ last winter.
Viking wins every week.
Rosenborg loses in Stavanger every year.

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Time expressions | 4

Summary

Year in He was born in 1984.

Months They got married in March
Days in on We will arrive on Tuesday.
Times of the day
"this" "each" in
what are you doing tonight
about I like to read in the evening.
a specific one about Seasons On Saturday we went for a walk in the afternoon.

"this" "each" in
What are you going to do this summer?
a specific about We always travel to Belgium in the summer.
about In 2015, it snowed a lot in the winter.
When something happened for - since I was in France two years ago.
When something is going to happen
about We are going to France in two weeks.
to I am going to France in the summer.
How long? i He has studied medicine for four years.
on I haven't been to England for three years.
the I haven't been to England since 2016.
How long does it take? page on She did the task in 10 minutes.

Time - She gets here at three o'clock.

-
Next, last, previous, each They are coming to visit next week.
He was in France last/ last winter.
He goes skiing every winter.

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