Time: English Vocabulary List

a period of time during the day when the sun shines and it is not dark yet

"Daytime is brighter."

"Many nocturnal animals sleep during the daytime to avoid predators and extreme heat emerging only after sunset to hunt for food in darkness."

the time when the sun is down and it is dark outside

"Nighttime is quiet."

"During the nighttime, the city becomes much quieter, and only a few cars pass by the empty streets."

at or around 12 o’clock in the middle of the day

"We met at midday."

"The sun was directly overhead at midday casting almost no shadows and making the desert heat feel unbearable for anyone without shade."

at moments that are not constant or regular

"At times I feel lonely."

"At times I feel lonely but then I call my friends and they always cheer me up."

without any pause or interruption

"The machine runs continuously."

"The machine runs continuously for twelve hours a day producing thousands of bottles for the factory."

before the scheduled or expected time

"Finish your work ahead of time."

"Please let me know ahead of time if you cannot come to the party on Saturday evening."

happening or arriving at the time expected or arranged

"She is always punctual."

"The punctual employee always arrived at work ten minutes early so the boss never had to worry about him being late for any meetings."

taking place unexpectedly or done quickly

"There was a sudden change."

"The sudden change in weather caught everyone by surprise and they ran for shelter."

after or at the end of a series of events or an extended period

"He eventually found his keys."

"He eventually found his lost keys under the sofa after searching the entire house for an hour."

in the time following a specific action, moment, or event

"We went to dinner afterward."

"We went to dinner afterward and then we walked along the beach for a while enjoying the cool evening breeze."

continuously, persistently, or without pause

"He talks all the time."

"He talks all the time and never stops to listen to what others have to say."

before the present or specified time

"I already ate breakfast."

"I have already finished my homework so now I can watch television or play video games."

at the present time

"She is currently studying at university."

"She is currently studying at university and hopes to graduate next year with a degree in economics and finance."

at any point in time

"Have you ever been?"

"Have you ever been to London or visited any other major cities in the United Kingdom?"

used to describe a period of time that has no end

"I will love you forever."

"I will remember this day forever because it was the happiest day of my entire life."

at the same time but often somewhere else

"Meanwhile I will prepare dinner."

"Meanwhile I will prepare dinner while you set the table and pour the drinks for everyone."

before the present moment or a specific time

"I previously worked at a bank."

"I previously worked at a bank for five years before I decided to change careers and become a teacher."

not conforming to established rules, patterns, or norms

"His heartbeat is irregular."

"His heartbeat was irregular so the doctor sent him to a specialist for further tests and a thorough examination of his heart."

a span of time, often with a clear beginning and end

"This period was short."

"The Renaissance was a significant cultural and artistic period in European history."

the end of a specific period of time, particularly one that is expected to last

"The term ends soon."

"The contract will expire at the end of the current term, requiring renegotiation of the terms."

a span of time

"It took a while."

"She read a book while waiting for the doctor to call her name because the waiting room television was playing boring talk shows without subtitles."

a period of time during the day in which there is light

"Daylight is fading."

"The burglars waited until daylight to break in thinking nobody would suspect a crime in the morning but a neighbor spotted them immediately."

happening without a pause or break

"The noise is continuous."

"The continuous noise from the construction site made it hard to concentrate on my work."

without any pause or interruption

"The machine runs continuously for twelve hours."

"The machine runs continuously for twelve hours a day producing thousands of bottles for the factory."

doing or happening after the time that is usual or expected

"The bus is late."

"The late train arrived twenty minutes after its scheduled time and made everyone late for work that morning."

to maintain presence over a period

"This battery lasts for many hours."

"The battery of this laptop can last up to ten hours on a single full charge."

to need a specific amount of time to do something or for something to be done or happen

"This will take time."

"It will take considerable effort to complete this complex project before the deadline."

during something's entire period of time

"The store is open throughout the day."

"The store is open throughout the day from eight in the morning until nine at night."

at predictable, equal time periods

"She exercises regularly."

"She exercises regularly to stay healthy and maintain her weight without following any strict diets."

happening or done frequently

"I am a regular customer."

"He is a regular customer at the coffee shop and the barista already knows his order without him having to say anything."

taking place or existing now

"We need an immediate response."

"The patient needs immediate medical attention or his condition could become much worse."

used to refer to a time in the past, showing how much time has passed before the present moment

"I saw him two days ago."

"I saw him two days ago at the supermarket but he did not see me because he was looking at his phone."

at a considerable distance in time

"That was far ago."

"The invention of the printing press, far in the past, revolutionized the spread of information."

after every 60 minutes

"The bus runs hourly."

"The buses run hourly from the station so you will not have to wait too long for the next one."

with no delay and at once

"He instantly recognized her face."

"He instantly recognized her face even though they had not seen each other for over twenty years."

occurring or existing right at this moment

"This is the present."

"The present situation demands immediate attention and decisive action from all parties involved."

done or existed before the present time

"The past week was busy."

"The past week had been exhausting and she looked forward to sleeping late on Saturday without setting an alarm."

coming in to existence or happening after this moment

"The future is bright."

"We must make responsible choices now to secure a prosperous and sustainable future for generations to come."

used to describe a period of time that has no end

"I will remember this day forever."

"I will remember this day forever because it was the happiest day of my entire life."

only a short time ago

"I am just leaving now."

"I am just leaving now so can I call you later when I arrive at my destination safely?"

at the same time but often somewhere else

"Meanwhile I will prepare dinner."

"Meanwhile I will prepare dinner while you set the table and pour the drinks for everyone."

at or toward a distance in time

"Go far away."

"The concept of time travel allows one to journey far away into the past or future."

close in time to a moment

"The exam is near."

"With the final exam drawing near, students are diligently reviewing all their course materials."

not conforming to established rules, patterns, or norms

"The verb is irregular."

"His heartbeat was irregular so the doctor sent him to a specialist for further tests and a thorough examination of his heart."