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English Time Expressions List & Examples (Free PDF)

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Time expressions are words that help you understand which verb tense to use. For example, when a sentence begins with “four days ago,” it tells us that the time is in the past, and the action is already completed.

Words like “tomorrow” and “next week” show that you should use the Future Tense in your sentence.

Our time expressions lists and examples below can help you complete exercises and tests easily. You can also download free PDF below and take a short quiz about English time expressions here.

English Time Expressions List and Examples

Past Expressions

Time Expression	Example Sentence
a long time ago	I visited Paris a long time ago.
a little while ago	She called me a little while ago.
in the past	People used to travel by horse in the past.
at one time	At one time, I was a teacher.
the day/week before	We met the day before the conference.
yesterday	I watched a movie yesterday.
back then	Back then, computers were massive.
in those days	In those days, life was simpler.
last week/month/year	I went on vacation last year.

Time expressions are typically positioned either at the beginning or the end of a sentence!

Present Expressions

Time Expression	Example Sentence
nowadays	Nowadays, everyone has a smartphone.
at present	I’m not available at present.
at the moment	He’s studying at the moment.
these days	These days, I enjoy cooking.
today	Today is a beautiful day.
as I/we speak	As I speak, the sun is shining.
for the time being	For the time being, I’ll stay at home.
this week/month/year	I have a busy schedule this week.

Future Expressions

Time Expression	Example Sentence
soon	We’ll be leaving for the airport soon.
in the near future	I plan to buy a car in the near future.
in the distant future	In the distant future, space travel may be common.
later on	We’ll discuss the project later on.
in an hour	I’ll be ready to leave in an hour.
tomorrow	Tomorrow, we have an important meeting.
later today/this week	I’ll call you later today to discuss the details.
eventually	He hopes to retire eventually.
next week/month/year	We’re going on a trip next month.

Other Time Expressions

Time Expression	Example Sentence
just	I’ve just finished reading this book.
yet	Have you eaten lunch yet?
already	He’s already left for the meeting.
recently	I visited London recently.
so far	So far, everything is going smoothly.
lately	Lately, I’ve been feeling more energetic.
ever	Have you ever been to Paris?
never	I’ve never tried sushi.
in the meantime	You can start your homework, and in the meantime, I’ll prepare dinner.
up to now	Up to now, I’ve completed all my assignments.
since	We have known each other since college.
for	I’ve known Mary for a very long time