English Vocabulary in Use Elementary » Unit 52: Time words

Word List
  • ago
  • always
  • at the moment
  • future
  • hour
  • in a moment
  • last
  • moment
  • never
  • next
  • not often
  • now
  • now and then
  • o’clock
  • occasionally
  • often
  • once
  • past
  • present
  • rarely
  • recently
  • sometimes
  • soon
  • then
  • time
  • (four) times a month
  • today
  • tomorrow
  • twice
  • usually
  • week
  • year
Exercises

52.1 ‣ Fill the gaps with a preposition from the opposite page.

1 the past, Rosa worked in many different countries. Rosa worked in Hong Kong 2 _____ three years, 3 _____ 2008 4 _____ 2011. 5 _____ the moment she is working in Tokyo. She will stay there 6 _____ two more years.

52.2 ‣ Draw lines to match the centuries to their time.

  1. the 19th century
    • the past
    • the present
    • the future
  2. the 22nd century
    • the past
    • the present
    • the future
  3. the 18th century
    • the past
    • the present
    • the future
  4. the 21st century
    • the past
    • the present
    • the future
  5. the 20th century
    • the past
    • the present
    • the future

52.3 ‣ Are these sentences true about you? If not, write them out correctly. Use other frequency adverbs from B opposite.

  1. I always go swimming on Fridays.
  2. I usually go to school / work by bus.
    _____
  3. I occasionally watch TV.
    _____
  4. I rarely drink milk.
    _____
  5. I often wear a hat.
    _____
  6. I rarely eat chocolate.
    _____
  7. I always go to bed at 10.
    _____
  8. I never go to the theatre.
    _____

52.4 ‣ Read the sentences and answer the questions.

  1. Matthew will get his exam results very soon.
    Do you think Matthew will get them next year, next month or tomorrow?
  2. Alice and Adam met for the first time recently.
    Do you think they first met last year, six months ago or a week ago? _____
  3. I’ll help you in a moment.
    Do you think I’ll help you next week, in two hours or in a few minutes? _____
  4. It’s 6 o’clock now.
    Two hours ago it started to snow. What time was it then? _____
Answer Key
A ‣ Time in relation to now

Now means at this moment. Then means at another moment (usually in the past).

I was born in Edinburgh. Then we moved to London. Now I live in Cambridge.

It is 10 o’clock now.
I got up four hours ago, at 6 o’clock.
An hour ago it was 9 o’clock.

two years 2014–2016
for two years from 2014 to 2016
2014 ---------> 2016

last year / last week / last Saturday next year / next week / next summer

It is July now.
Last month it was June.
Next month it will be August.

When we talk about time in general, we talk about the past, the present and the future.

In the past people didn’t have television. People may travel to Mars in the future.

B ‣ Frequency adverbs

It always snows in Russia in winter.

It often rains in the UK.

The Ancient Romans never went to America or Australia.

C ‣ Expressions

Notice the use of a in these expressions of frequency.

once [one time] a week: I go swimming once a week, every Saturday.

twice [two times] a day: I clean my teeth twice a day.

three times a year: I see my uncle three times a year.

four times a month: I play football four or five times a month.

I’ll be with you in a moment [a very short time].

Nora’s in Paris at the moment [now].

See you soon [in a short time]!

We met recently [not long ago].

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