Grammar: Groups & phrases: Adverb group

Expressing how / when / where

Adverb groups of time

Adverb groups can be used to indicate point in time (‘at what point?’), frequency (‘how often?’), and duration (‘for how long?’).

Point in time

When we want to locate an action in a particular point in time, we can use an adverb group:

Come here right now!
I’ll talk to you later on.
They’ll be here quite soon.
Way back then we all rode bicycles.

Sometimes we use adverb groups to relate one point in time to another (eg the present to the past):

I don’t like him any more.
As yet I haven’t seen the movie.
It’s no longer a problem.

Frequency

We can also use adverb groups to indicate how often an action takes place:

He read it again and again.
They would visit us quite often.
She hardly ever phoned.

Duration

Adverb groups also tell us how long an action lasts:

She hasn’t been in Hong Kong very long.
They’ll move here more permanently next year.
The concert seemed to last almost forever.

If you would like some practice with adverbs expressing how / when / where, click here:

For more information on using adverbs and adverb groups to describe time, see:

	Communicative functions: Talking about experience: How? When? Where? Why?: Saying when things happen
	Grammar: Word classes: Adverbs: Expressing how / when / where: Adverbs of time

Don't forget that 'time' can also be expressed by using prepositional phrases:

They'll be here at ten o'clock. [point in time]
They would visit us on Sundays. [frequency]
The concert seemed to last for a long time. [duration]

For more information on using prepositional phrases to describe time, see Grammar: Groups & phrases: Prepositional phrases: Expressing how / when / where / why: Expressing 'time'

For PrimeTeach teaching activities which provide KS2 students with practice in using adverbs of frequency, see:
 
An interview with a fireman
Food bingo