When Is Adverb A Time Adverb: 5 Interesting Facts

In this art we will be looking when is adverb a time adverb with the aid of various time adverb examples, explanation and exciting facts you got to know.

A time adverb more frequently known as adverb of time is one of the type of adverbs in the English language. Time adverbs are nothing but the adverbs that denote or indicate the time when the action (verb) mentioned in the sentence has happened, is happening or will happen.

Below are a few examples where time adverbs are utilized.

• 1. The most awaited part of the function will begin now.
• 2. The proposal was submitted to the manager yesterday.
• 3. I meet Tushar daily at the market when I go to buy vegetables.
• 4. You have to leave immediately so that you can catch the train.
• 5. Currently we are working on the objectives of the thesis.

Let us pick out the adverbs in the above sentences and understand why they are time adverbs.

1. The most awaited part of the function will begin now.

‘Now’ is the adverb utilized here in this sentence as it is modifying the verb ‘will begin’ by telling us the time.  ‘Now’ here answers to the question ‘when will the most awaited part of the function begin?’ and hence it is a time adverb.

2. The proposal was submitted to the manager yesterday.

‘Yesterday’ is the adverb in the above sentence because it is qualifying the action word ‘was submitted’ by telling us the time when the proposal was submitted. Thus ‘yesterday’ can be regarded as a time adverb.

3. I meet Tushar daily at the market when I go to buy vegetables.

The adverb here is ‘daily’ and to be more specific it is a time adverb as it is conveying to us when the action of meeting Tushar takes place by describing the verb ‘meet’.

4. You have to leave immediately so that you can catch the train.

‘Immediately’ is the adverb in the above sentence because it is qualifying the action word (verb) ‘have to leave’ by telling us the time when the person has to leave to catch the train. Since, ‘immediately ’, is denoting the time of the action, it can be regarded as a time adverb.

5. Currently we are working on the objectives of the thesis.

The adverb here in this sentence is ‘currently’ and to be more specific it is a time adverb because it is revealing to us when we are working on the objectives of the thesis by describing the verb ‘are working’.

Can an adverb be a time adverb?

The definite answer to this question is ‘yes’ as an adverb can be a time adverb.

Example: Early tomorrow, Rakshit will leave to his native place.

The adverb utilized in the above sentence is ‘early tomorrow’ because it is telling us additional information about the verb ‘will leave’. In particular, this adverb ‘early tomorrow’ can be referred to as a time adverb because it is describing when the action of leaving to native place by Rakshit will take place or happen.

Hence, an adverb can obviously be a time adverb.

How can an adverb be a time adverb?

Well, adverb is a broad term given for words that modify the verbs, other adverbs and adjectives. But however, based on how they qualify and what additional information they give, they are classified into the following types.

• Adverbs of Time (Time Adverbs)
• Adverbs of Place
• Adverbs of Frequency
• Adverbs of Manner/Quality
• Adverbs of Quantity/Degree
• Adverbs of Reason
• Adverbs of Affirmation and Negation.

Example: Sheetal looked for the keys everywhere.

‘Everywhere’ is the adverb as it is giving us extra information about the action (verb) ‘looked’ by telling us where (place) Sheetal looked for the keys and thus, ‘everywhere’ is an adverb of place or place adverb.

Example: Smitha answered all the questions clearly.

‘Clearly’ is the adverb here because it is providing us additional information about the action (verb) ‘answered’ in the sentence. The adverb ‘clearly’ answers the question ‘how (in what manner) Smitha answered all the questions?’. Hence, ‘clearly’ can be called as an adverb of manner.

Example: Last year, we went on a tour to Manali.

‘Last year’ is the adverb here because it is providing us additional detail about the action (verb) ‘went’ in the sentence. The adverb ‘last year’ answers the question ‘when (time) did we go on a tour to Manali?’ thus making it an adverb of time or time adverb.

Thus, an adverb can be a time adverb if it answers the question ‘when the action happened / is happening / will happen’ in any sentence.

Why can an adverb be a time adverb?

An adverb can be a time adverb as time adverbs qualify the action in sentences by saying us the time when the action took place.

Example: Since last week, Monisha has not been eating well.

In this sentence, ‘since last week’ is the adverb, that is, the time adverb as it is qualifying the action ‘has not been eating’ by saying us the time since when the action of not eating well has been taking place.

Where can an adverb be a time adverb?

An adverb can function as a time adverb in any part of the sentence (anywhere in a sentence) – beginning, middle or end until it modifies the verb by revealing us the time when the action happened, is happening, or will happen.

Example: Yesterday, Vaishali came home to meet you.

In this sentence, the time adverb ‘yesterday’ is placed in the beginning and it is telling us when Vaishali came (verb) home to meet you.

Example: Lakshith has to arrive soon so that the meeting is not delayed.

The time adverb ‘soon’ is placed in the middle of the sentence here and it tells us when Lakshit has to arrive for the meeting to start in time.

Example: We shall discuss about this matter later.

The time adverb ‘later’ here is modifying the verb ‘shall discuss’ and it is placed in the end of the sentence. ‘Later’ is conveying to us when we shall discuss about this matter.

Time adverb examples

We will be going through a few example sentences that have time adverbs in them.

• 1. Last month, I met Kanishka at our school alumni meet.
• 2. My mother makes me eat at least one vegetable every day.
• 3. Once upon a time, our family lived in this big mansion.
• 4. We are now making desserts for dinner.
• 5. Our grandparents go on a temple yatra every year.
• 6. If we start immediately, there are chances that we catch the flight.
• 7. Suhal has mailed me the reports day before yesterday.
• 8. Do not worry, I will reach home today evening.
• 9. Every week, Kamal cleans his car without fail.
• 10. You can complete your work later, please do take care of your health now.
• 11. Tonight, my colleague has invited me for a party at his house.

Time adverb examples with detailed explanations

Here we will pick out the time adverbs in each sentence and check out how and why they are used in every sentence.

1. Last month, I met Kanishka at our school alumni meet.

‘When did I meet Krishna at our school alumni meet?’, the answer we get to this question is ‘last month’. Thus ‘last month’ is the time adverb in this sentence as it is giving us the time when the action of meeting happened by modifying the action word (verb) ‘met’.

2. My mother makes me eat at least one vegetable every day.

‘Every day’ is the time adverb here because it is qualifying the verb ‘makes me eat’ by giving us additional information about when (time) my mother makes eat at least one vegetable.

3. Once upon a time, our family lived in this big mansion.

‘Once upon a time’ is the adverb in the above sentence because it is describing the action word (verb) ‘lived’ by saying us the time when our family lived in this big mansion. Since, ‘once upon a time ’, is denoting the time of the action ‘lived’, it can be regarded as a time adverb.

4. We are now making desserts for dinner.

‘When are we making desserts for dinner?’, the answer we get to this question is ‘now’. Hence ‘now’ is the time adverb in this sentence as it is telling us the time when the action of making desserts is happening by modifying the action word (verb) ‘making’.

5. Our grandparents go on a temple yatra every year.

‘Every year’ is the adverb here since it is giving us additional detail about the action (verb) ‘go’ in the sentence. The adverb ‘every year’ provides answer to the question ‘when (time) do my grandparents go on a temple yatra?’ thus making it an adverb of time or time adverb.

6. If we start immediately, there are chances that we catch the flight.

‘Immediately’ is the time adverb in the above sentence because it is qualifying the action word (verb) ‘start’ by giving us extra information about when (time) should we start to catch the flight.

7. Suhal has mailed me the reports day before yesterday.

‘Yesterday’ is the adverb utilized in this sentence. To be more specific ‘yesterday’ is a time adverb since it is giving us additional information about the time when Suhal mailed me the reports by modifying the verb ‘has mailed’.

8. Do not worry, I will reach home today evening.

‘Today evening’ is the time adverb in the above sentence as it is qualifying the action word (verb) ‘will reach’ by giving us extra information about when (time) will I reach home.

9. Every week, Kamal cleans his car without fail.

‘Every week’ is the adverb here since it is providing us additional detail about the action (verb) ‘cleans’ in the sentence. The adverb ‘every week’ provides answer to the question ‘when (time) does Kamal clean his car without fail?’ thus it is a time adverb.

10. You can complete your work later, please do take care of your health now.

‘Later and now’ are the time adverbs in the above sentence. ‘Later’ modifies the action ‘can complete’ by telling us when can you complete your work and ‘now’ qualifies the action ‘do take care’ by telling us when you have to take of your health.

11. Tonight, my colleague has invited me for a party at his house.

‘Tonight’ is the adverb utilized in this sentence. To be more particular ‘tonight’ is a time adverb since it is providing us with the additional information about the time when my colleague invited me for a party at his house by modifying the verb ‘has invited’.

Conclusion

Time adverbs can thus sometimes be specific to the time such as yesterday, last week, tomorrow, two years back and so on and can also be non – specific when they refer to a random time in the present, past or future such as later, once upon a time, soon and so on.