Is then a time order word

Here’s how to keep them straight. Than is used in comparisons as a conjunction (as in “she is younger than I am”) and as a preposition (“he is taller than me”). Then indicates time. It is used as an adverb (“I lived in Idaho then”), noun (“we’ll have to wait until then”), and adjective (“the then-governor”).

How do you use just then?

Use “just then” in a sentence | “just then” sentence examples

1. Just then, his mobile phone rang.
2. Just then the door opened and the cat whipped out, with the dog chasing it.
3. Just then a friend drove up and gave me a ride.
4. Just then a bus came by so we got on and rode home.
5. Just then there was a knock at the door.

What is then in grammar?

Then meaning ‘at that time‘
We can use then to mean ‘at that time’, referring either to the past or the future. In this case, it is usually at the end of the clause: A: When I was a child, I lived in Austria for a while.

What is just then meaning?

1. just then – at a particular time in the past; “just then the bugle sounded” Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection.

What does only then mean?

“Only then” means “only in this way”, or “only after has he has done this.” I would say it means “only afterward.” He needs to do this; only then will he be able to do that. –

Is then past tense?

Then is commonly used for things happened in both the past and future.

Is then a time word?

The time order words ‘first’, ‘after that’, ‘then’, and ‘finally’ help to bring the events together and tell you which ones happened first, second, third and last.While time order words can be placed anywhere in a sentence, they’re most commonly placed at the start of a sentence or paragraph.

Can a sentence start with then?

3 Answers. Yes, you can start a sentence with then. However, the clause that begins with then should go last: She asked, “Could I have a drink of your water?” I said, “No, you can’t.” Then she walked away.

What is first then next?

Sequencers are words that organize your writing and speaking, words like first , next , then , after that , and finally . We often use sequencers in English when we give instructions, describe a process, or tell stories.

How do you use after then in a sentence?

I went to the game, and then I came home. I went to the game, and after I came home. (The second example might sound a little weird, because only one event happened.

Which comes first next or then?

We use the sequence adverbs “first”, “next”, “then” and “finally” to describe the order in which two or more actions happen.

What is another word for just then?

What is another word for just then?

just	recently
freshly	newly
only	lately
latterly	a moment ago
a second ago	a short while ago

Is Just then an adverb?

Familiarity information: JUST THEN used as an adverb is very rare. The workman took off his coat leisurely and hung it on one of the spikes of the rail, saying something to a policeman who just then sauntered along.

Which word means to say something unexpectedly or abruptly?

sudden or unexpected: an abrupt departure. curt or brusque in speech, manner, etc.: an abrupt reply.

What does by then mean?

“By then” means that the action will not be a continuous action. It will be an action for a specific moment and it can be done at any time from now to “until then”.

Is it then only or only then?

Such a structure is a kind of pseudo-regionalism which is commonly followed and correctly understood by the locals. However, it is incorrect to use the word order ” then only” to convey the meaning you intend here — “only then” is the correct phrase. If he comes, only then I will go. If he comes I will go.

What is the meaning of no sooner?

Definition of no sooner
—used to emphasize the short time in which something happens I had no sooner walked through the door when the phone rang.No sooner did I walk through the door than the phone rang.

Can we use and then?

Never use ‘and then‘. However, my word processor auto-corrects ‘then’ to ‘and then’. Perform task 1, task 2, then task3. works either way when ‘then’ is an adverb.

Can I end a sentence with then?

The word ‘then’ has many meanings. In some of its meanings, it is perfectly grammatical at the end of a sentence.

Is then a conjunction?

Then is a conjunction, but it is not one of the little conjunctions listed at the top of this page. We can use the FANBOYS conjunctions to connect two independent clauses; usually, they will be accompanied (preceded) by a comma.

Do it then meaning?

adv. 1 at that time; over that period of time.

So you have some curiosity about time order words? The short answer is that time order words establish the sequence in which events happen and are some of the most important words in the English language.

What are Time Order Words?

Time order words set the scene in academic writing as well as fiction. They are the compass and the time keeper to help keep the listener on track. The most popular place to find time order words is at the start of a paragraph, but they can come anywhere in a sentence.

So maybe you’re still wondering why time order words are important? They provide the context and grounding in the English language. Without them, you are most likely to be a little bit lost and possible assume something that is not true or part of the story.

Time Order Words List

Here are some examples broken down into categories to help make some sense of time order words.

BEFORE

• Earlier
• Formerly
• In the past
• Not long ago
• Once
• Preceding
• Previously
• Prior to
• Up until that time
• Yesterday

FIRST

• At first
• At the beginning
• At the onset
• Before
• Commence
• Embark
• From this point
• In the first place
• Starting with
• To begin

NEXT

• After
• After a few days
• After a while
• After that
• As soon as
• Consequently
• Following
• Henceforth
• In time
• In turn
• Later
• Momentarily
• Not long after
• Right after
• Second
• Third
• Shortly
• Since
• Soon
• Soon after
• Then
• Tomorrow
• When
• Presently

SOMETIMES

• At times
• From time to time
• Gradually
• Occasionally
• Periodically
• Rarely
• Seldom
• Some of the time

LAST

• Afterward
• At last
• At the end
• Eventually
• Final
• Finally
• Hereafter
• In conclusion
• In the end
• Last of all
• Later on
• Thereafter
• To conclude
• To finish
• Until

Time Order Sentence Examples

• In the past, I had been taught to bake cookies.
• At first, I was a bit nervous about speaking in front of the committee.
• The maiden has learned from her earlier experiences.
• Before they became trendy, overalls were formerly only worn by farm workers.
• We’re going to Thailand at the beginning of the winter to avoid the snow.
• Mary began to prepare the meal, starting with peeling the potatoes and carrots.
• Henceforth you must pay a toll to cross this bridge.
• If beaches are your jam, then you must go surfing with me.
• After a while, the conversation turns to the meaning of life.
• I like to eat ice cream for breakfast, from time to time.
• Let’s go to the concert first and then eat dinner afterward.
• To conclude, I agree with everything everyone has said here tonight.
• To begin with, I’m not always so scared of the dark.
• Not long ago I learned that most sharks are not predatory towards humans.
• As soon as I save up enough money, I’m taking a trip to Mexico.
• Periodically, I don’t like being around people and need to be alone.
• Eventually, the sun rose and everything was back to normal.
• Presently, we have enough grain to supply the farm for the rest of the month.
• From this point, let’s count our blessings and let go of the losses.

Time Order Words | Image

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Last Updated on June 22, 2022

Time Order Words or Phrases tell when events happen and in what order. Here are some useful time order words in English.

List of Time Order Words

These are time-order transition words in English you should know…

BEFORE

• Earlier
• Formerly
• In the past
• Not long ago
• Once
• Preceding
• Previously
• Prior to
• Up until that time
• Yesterday

FIRST

• At first
• At the beginning
• At the onset
• Before
• Commence
• Embark
• From this point
• In the first place
• Starting with
• To begin

NEXT

• After
• After a few days
• After a while
• After that
• As soon as
• Consequently
• Following
• Henceforth
• In time
• In turn
• Later
• Momentarily
• Not long after
• Right after
• Second
• Third
• Shortly
• Since
• Soon
• Soon after
• Then
• Tomorrow
• When
• Presently

SOMETIMES

• At times
• From time to time
• Gradually
• Occasionally
• Periodically
• Rarely
• Seldom
• Some of the time

LAST

• Afterward
• At last
• At the end
• Eventually
• Final
• Finally
• Hereafter
• In conclusion (In Conclusion Synonym)
• In the end
• Last of all
• Later on
• Thereafter
• To conclude
• To finish
• Until

Time Order Transition Words Examples

• In the past, the exam had been overemphasized.
• He was cross at first, but later he relented.
• The general had served as a soldier in the earlier war.
• Smocks were formerly worn by farm workers.
• We’re going to Japan at the beginning of July.
• Franco began to prepare the ground, starting with the Falange.
• Henceforth I expect you to be punctual for the meeting.
• She started to sing, and then the others chimed in.
• After a while, we naturally started talking about the children.
• I like to buy myself little luxuries from time to time.
• Let’s go to the theatre first and eat afterward.
• To conclude, I’d like to express my thanks to my family.
• To begin with, I don’t like his attitude.
• Not long ago I had read that each atom was a sort of solar system.
• As soon as we can afford it, we’ll move out to the suburbs.
• Periodically, Congress has made half-hearted attempts at finance reform.
• Eventually, Roberto backed down and apologized.
• Presently, a young woman in a white coat came in.
• From this point, we can apply our usual analysis.

Time Order Transition Words | Infographic

Useful List of Time Order Words in English

Last Updated on August 16, 2019

When describing a sequence of events, time transition words will help you order things chronologically. Without these time order words it can be difficult for your reader or listener to logically follow what you’re saying. They also help make your English more interesting!

Transition words, also known as discourse markers, are expressions we use in everyday speech and writing, as well as in more formal contexts like essays, articles, papers and presentations.

Whatever the situation, these sequencing transition words are essential for talking about the order in which things happened (or will happen).

We’re going to cover more than 100 time order transition words here! They are grouped logically according to which part of a sequence or what point in time they describe. We have included example sentences to show how they can be used, too.

Once you have found what you need here, you might enjoy some idioms about time as well.

Transition words to begin a sequence

It makes sense to begin with some transition words for the first event in a sequence. Some of these can also be used to commence an argument, discussion, or story.

• To begin with
• To start
• First
• First of all
• At first
• Firstly
• Originally
• Initially
• Once
• In the beginning
• Let’s begin with

“First of all, I’d like to address the matter of the parking permits.”
“Let’s begin with a look at our quarterly sales report.”
“Initially they wanted to buy a brand new car, but then they decided to purchase second-hand.”
“Once there was a princess who lived in a castle.”

Another time transition word which sounds like it should belong in this list is ‘in the first place’. This phrase actually means ‘before’, and is generally used to talk about something that should have happened earlier, but didn’t.

“We should have listened to her in the first place!”
“Why didn’t you tell me this in the first place?”

Continuing a sequence of events

After you have introduced the first point in a sequence or argument, you can continue chronologically with one of these transition words:

• Then
• Next
• After (this/that)
• Afterward
• Afterwards
• Subsequently
• Following (this/that)
• Until
• Till
• Second, third, fourth, etc.
• Secondly, thirdly, fourthly, etc.

“They were happy playing in the garden until it began raining.”
“After this meeting, let’s continue the discussion over lunch.”
“I need to pop to the shops this morning. Afterwards, I’ll tidy the house.”

A note on numerical transition words

Although numerical transition words (first, second, third, fourth, etc.) can, in theory, be continued indefinitely, in reality we rarely go beyond ‘third’ when speaking or writing.

If you list more than three points out loud when speaking, it might make it hard for your listener to follow along. And in writing, it would be more common to use a numbered bullet list for 4+ items, rather than writing a sequence of events or points using ordinal numbers.

The question often arises as to whether you should use ‘first, second, third’ or ‘firstly, secondly, thirdly’. Some style guides recommend using ‘first’ to begin a list, regardless of how you continue. If you are writing in a formal context then you should check whether there is a particular rule for you to follow.

In general, however, either format is acceptable as long as you are consistent. For example, you shouldn’t combine ‘first, secondly, third’.

Time order words to end a sequence

When you reach the last point on a list, the last event in a sequence, or the end of a presentation, you can use one of these to show you are concluding:

• Finally
• In the end
• Last
• Lastly
• Last of all
• At last
• In conclusion
• In summary
• To wrap up
• At the end

These should only be used to end a list or sequence containing more than two points. It’s not strictly necessary to end with one of these transition words; you could end with ‘then’ or ‘after’, for example. However, these ending words will help make it clear that you have reached your final point.

“In the end, we decided to go on vacation to Costa Rica.”
“Last of all, I’d like to toast the happy couple.”
“To wrap up, let’s break out into small groups and share what we’ve learned today.”

Check out some more transition words for concluding here.

Examples of sequential transition words

Here are some examples of these start, middle and end transition words for chronological order, in situations where you may often need them.

To outline a presentation, speech or report

“Firstly, we’ll look at the results of the research conducted, then we’ll examine the impact this is likely to have on the community. Finally, I will present a list of suggested actions. At the end there will be a chance for you to ask questions.”

To go through a list of numbered points

“First, we’re going to visit the castle. Second, we’ll stop at a monastery. Third, we’ll have lunch at a local restaurant, and last of all we’ll spend a couple of hours at the beach.”

To give an account of something that’s happened

“I arrived in the office as usual, and first of all I switched on my computer. After that, I went to the kitchen to make myself a coffee. Next I checked the mail, and when I returned to my office I saw that the safe was open and all the money was gone.”

Do you think that’s all there is to know about time transition words? We’re only just getting started! Next, let’s look at some sequencing transition words to talk about different points in time.

Time order words: past, present, future

In the past (ending before now)

The following time transition words can be used to talk about something that began in the past and finished before the current time, or which ended/will end before the next thing in the series.

• Prior
• In the past
• Formerly
• Previously
• Earlier
• Before

“In the past he was living homeless, but now he has made a good life for himself.”
“Before rolling out the dough, be sure to dust the worktop with flour.”
“Prior to becoming a teacher, I worked in a bank.”

You may also want to use some idioms to talk about the past.

Until now

What about something that began in the past but is still applicable at the present time, or as the next thing in the series begins? Try one of these:

• Until now (past: until then)
• Up to this point (past: up to that point)
• Up to the present time
• So far

“So far I’m enjoying my job, but I have only been here for 2 weeks.”
“At age 36 he decided to travel the world. Until then, he had been working in a factory.”

Present time

You might want to emphasis that you are referring to the current moment in time using one of these time words:

• At the moment
• At this time
• At this point
• At this point in time
• At the present time
• At present
• Currently

“At this point in time I’ve decided to focus on my family rather than looking for work.”
“She said she isn’t hungry at the moment.”

Using any of these suggests that the situation may change soon and the current state is only temporary.

See some idioms about the present time, or learn some phrases to describe change.

In the future

Here are some phrases you can use to talk about something starting at the current time and extending into the future:

• From now on (past: from then on)
• From this point forward (past: from that point forward)
• From today (past: from that day)
• Henceforth
• Now that
• Going forward
• In future

“I had a bit of a health scare last month. From now on I’m going to exercise every day.”
“From that day forward, he decided to dedicate his life to helping others.”
“In future, we should be more careful about the clients we take on.”

And yes, there are idioms about the future too!

Concurrent events

What if you need to talk about two things happening at the same time? The following time order transition words show that one thing takes place at the same time as another:

• Concurrently
• At the same time
• Meanwhile
• In the meantime
• During
• While

“He fell asleep during the movie.”
“Please could you investigate the drop in traffic to our website? In the meantime, I’ll speak to our Sales team.”
“I don’t know how you can work while you’re listening to that music!”

How soon will it happen?

Next, we have some transition words and phrases, most of which are adverbial, to add a sense of timing to an action. Will it happen very soon or not for a while?

These are listed more or less in order from the soonest to the furthest away. However, many of them have a similar meaning so there is not a strict distinction between every one.

• Straightaway
• Immediately
• Instantly
• This instant (past: that instant)
• Forthwith
• Without delay
• Presently
• Shortly
• Quickly
• Soon
• After a while
• Later
• By the time
• In due time
• In due course
• In time
• Sometime
• Sooner or later
• Eventually
• At long last

“I’ll take care of that without delay.”
“They took a stroll through the woods and after a while came across a mysterious shack.”
“At long last we found the campsite, but it was already dark.”

See also: Confusing adverbs and A while vs awhile

Showing surprise at the timing of an occurrence

• Suddenly
• All of a sudden
• All at once
• Out of the blue
• No sooner … than …
• As soon as

“No sooner had he passed his driving test than he wrecked his car.”
“I had a phone call from an old school friend out of the blue.”

Time transition words to describe frequency

Finally, you might want to say how often something occurs. Again, these are listed roughly in order from most to least frequent.

• All the time
• Often
• Regularly
• Frequently
• Occasionally
• Sometimes
• Now and again
• Now and then
• From time to time
• Once in a while
• Hardly ever
• Rarely

“I like to get my hair cut regularly.”
“I often eat out but I hardly ever cook a meal from scratch.”
“She visits her grandparents from time to time.”

You can learn about the difference between sometimes and sometime here, if you’re unsure.

Note that ‘all the time’ is usually not taken literally to mean ‘constantly’. Instead, it means ‘very often’.

“I go past that shop all the time but I have never been inside.”
“My mum phones me all the time, it’s so annoying!”

And that’s all we have to say about time transition words! If you’d like to discover some more transition words to use in written or spoken English, check out these other articles:

Transition words for addition
Transition words for cause and effect
Transition words to compare and contrast
Transition words for similarities
Transition words for giving examples

Presentation on theme: «Time-Order Words.»— Presentation transcript:

1

Time-Order Words

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A time-order word or phrase tells when events happen and in what order.
first last as soon as before second finally one day after third yesterday the next day now next today last night then tomorrow in the meantime meanwhile a long time ago

3

Look for time-order words or phrases in the following paragraph
Look for time-order words or phrases in the following paragraph. How do they help you understand the sequence of events? Last summer, my family went on vacation to an amusement park. As soon as we arrived, I headed for the long line at the roller coaster. After several rides, my parents convinced me to see a show. Before lunch, I rode on a water ride and got soaking wet! Finally, it was time to head back to the hotel. The next day, I was first in line for the roller coaster.

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Last summer, my family went on vacation to an amusement park
Last summer, my family went on vacation to an amusement park. As soon as we arrived, I headed for the long line at the roller coaster. After several rides, my parents convinced me to see a show. Before lunch, I rode on a water ride and got soaking wet! Finally, it was time to head back to the hotel. The next day, I was fist in line for the roller coaster.

5

Find the time-order words or phrases in each sentence.
Before our vacation, I helped plan the trip. First, we looked through travel brochures to find a location. Then, I showed my parents the amusement park I wanted to visit.

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Finally, we agreed that the park was the perfect destination.
My father called for hotel reservations the next day.

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Fill in the blank with a time-order word.
I’m planning to go on a trip _______. _______ I wrote a list of items to pack for the trip. I always check my packed belongings _______ I lock the suitcase.

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This will be the _______ trip I take before school starts.
_______ it will be time to head for the airport.

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Put the following sentences in order.
At last, the car was fixed, and we arrived at our hotel. Next, we loaded the suitcases into the car and drove away. Yesterday was the first day of our trip. Oh my, after several hours of driving, the car broke down! Before leaving home, I made sure we packed everything.

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Yesterday was the first day of our trip
Yesterday was the first day of our trip. Before leaving home, I made sure we packed everything. Next, we loaded the suitcases into the car and drove away. Oh my, after several hours of driving, the car broke down! At last, the car was fixed, and we arrived at our hotel.

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Due Tuesday, November 30 Write a journal entry about something that happened to you on a trip or a vacation. Tell how you felt about the trip and what made it a memorable experience. Include at least three time-order words or phrases in your writing. Highlight the time-order words. *Remember to use capital letters at the beginning of all sentences and punctuation at the end. You WILL be marked down if you don’t.*