Time order word examples

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.

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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

List of Time Order Words

What is a time order transition word?

Time-order transitions signal changes in time. You can include these words in your narrative or explanatory writing to show the order in which things happen. Anytime you are asked to describe an event or process in chronological (time) order, these words can help you.

What are some transition words for time?

Transitional expressions

LOGICAL RELATIONSHIP	TRANSITIONAL EXPRESSION
Time	after, afterward, at last, before, currently, during, earlier, immediately, later, meanwhile, now, recently, simultaneously, subsequently, then
Example	for example, for instance, namely, specifically, to illustrate

How do you teach transition words to third graders?

First, kids learn letters. Second, they learn words. Then, they use phrases. Afterward, they use sentences….There are a variety of strategies that we can employ to help students learn their transition words.

1. Write a Class Story Together.
2. Use Your Fingers.
3. Create a Simple How-To Book.
4. Video the Outcome.

What is an example of time order?

Here’s a time order example: 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.

Before	First	Sometimes
Preceding that	To begin with	Some of the time
Yesterday	At the outset	Every so often
Last time	Before all else	On occasion
Until that time	In the first place	Every now and then

What is a time order text?

Time order words signal the order in which events happen. They allow readers to understand a sequence of events. These words work in academic writing, fiction writing, professional writing, and technical writing. Keeping a time order words list nearby will help you move an essay or story forward.

How do you introduce transition words?

Transitional words are separated from the sentence by a comma. When used to combine sentences consisting of independent clauses, transitional words have to be preceded by a semicolon. Introductory words and phrases introduce quotations and paraphrases.

A time order is a way of asking the court to give you more time to pay, if you have fallen behind with the payments on your mortgage or secured loan. A court can change the amount you have to pay each month, and how long your agreement will last.

What is the time order sequence?

Posts Tagged ‘time-order sequence’ In a chronological sequence the author uses the order of events, or chronology, to inform readers about events or content. The events may be organised by time or date, by arranging events as a series of steps or by following a list-like structure.

What are some time order words?

The list is organized by common time order words such as first, next, last, sometimes, and always, with more specific word options given.

What are all time order words?

Time Order Words in English Earlier Formerly In the past Not long ago Once Preceding Previously Prior to Up until that time Yesterday

What does time order words mean?

Time order words signal the order in which events happen. They allow readers to understand a sequence of events. For example, “First, we measured the perfume into the beaker .

Which transition words or phrases indicate a time relationship?

Transition Words and Phrases. To indicate a time relationship after, afterward, after that, at first, at this time, before, beginning with, beyond, during, earlier, ending with, eventually, finally, following, from then on, in the meantime, last, later, meanwhile, next, now, since, soon, then, until, while.

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

Do your children find it challenging to tell events that happened in order? Sometimes, little ones do not know words to describe the order of events with correct vocabulary. Therefore, it is essential to teach time order words to kids. Teaching these vocabulary words for kids help them to understand the events in chronological order. They learn to narrate the stories from beginning to end with a clear understanding.  

Contents 

• Time Order Words List for Kids
• List of Time Order Words of Before, First and Next
• List of Time Order Words of Sometimes and Last
• Examples of Time Order Words in Sentences
• Ways to Teach Time Order Words for Kids
• Benefits of Learning Time Order Words for Kids
• Frequently Asked Questions on Time Order Words

Young children pick up words quite quickly. You can use this opportunity to teach time order words to enhance your child’s vocabulary and language development. Teaching words for kids help them make meaningful sentences for others to understand. For example, First, I went to the market to purchase chocolate. After that, I went to my tuition classes. Finally, I completed the lessons and left for my home. If you’re looking for the time order words list for kids? We are here to help you provide the list of time order words to help children learn new vocabulary words. 

Check word related articles:

Time Order Words List for Kids

Using appropriate time order words enables children to narrate events meaningfully. People listening to the stories will relate and understand the information they are trying to convey. Apart from two, three or four letter words, you can also teach time order words for kids to enhance their English language skills. Here is a list of time order words for kids given below:

List of Time Order Words of Before, First and Next 

Before	First	Next
Earlier	At first	After
Formerly	At the beginning	After a few days
In the past	At the onset	After a while
Not along so	Before	After that
Once	Commence	As soon as
Preceding	Embark	Consequently
Previously	From this point	Following
Prior to	In the first place	Henceforth
Up until that time	Starting with	In time
Yesterday	To begin	In turn
In advance	Initially	Then
Last time	At the outset	Soon after
Previous to	Before all else	Right after

List of Time Order Words of Sometimes and Last

Sometimes	Last
At times	Afterward
From time to time	At last
Gradually	At the end
Occasionally	Eventually
Periodically	Finally
Rarely	Hereafter
Seldom	In conclusion
Some of the time	In the end
Every so often	Last of all
On occasion	Later on
Every now and then	Thereafter
Intermittently	To Finish
Once in a while	Ultimately

Refer to 3 letter words for kids to build their vocabulary knowledge. 

Example of Time Order Words in Sentences 

Some of the samples of time order words used in the sentences to make them meaningful are mentioned below:

• Earlier, I had three puppies.
• In the past, two children were staying in this house. 
• Previously, I had a lot of trouble around the house.
• Yesterday, I got some candies for my sister’s birthday.
• Last time, many people attended my birthday party. 
• Up until that time, I had beautiful peacock feathers in my notebook.
• Prior to this, many children were playing on the ground. 
• Initially, I thought of going to my grandma’s house near the countryside. 
• Originally, I was planning to meet my friends.
• To start with, pour some water into the jar.
• From this point, I would not like to go out. 
• In the beginning, it was difficult to understand the concept. 
• Then, take some salt and add it to the water.
• You can take all the materials afterwards from the store. 
• After that, take some time to complete your lessons. 
• After a few days, the temperature started reducing. 
• At times, we forget to do what is required. 
• Occasionally, I go out for lunch with my friends.
• I rarely visit my grandparent’s home in the countryside. 
• I keep looking for my glasses every now and then. 
• I eat ice cream once in a while. 
• Finally, I had an opportunity to meet my favorite actor. 
• Ultimately, it was fun playing with my friends in the pool.
• The overall experience of hiking in the mountains was incredible. 
• It was eventually time for everyone to leave the stadium after a musical concert.
• After that, things started getting better in the town. 
• In the end, we decided to leave the place.
• At the onset of summer, the temperature of the atmosphere gets warmer.  
• I will not eat chocolates from this point. 

Ways to Teach Time Order Words for Kids

At times, little kids might ignore learning words if not presented in an engaging way. Therefore, you can teach time order words for them to tell or narrate the events meaningfully. To help them learn new vocabulary words, you can conduct exciting activities for kids. Some of the interesting ways to teach time order words for kids are mentioned below:

• Use chart: This is the best way to teach kids time order words. You can hang or paste the chart related to time order words in your child’s study room. They will keep track of all the words as and when they come across the charts on the wall. These charts for kids are extremely useful in learning words to enhance their communication skills. 
• Show flashcards: Using flashcards enable kids to learn words faster. They tend to concentrate on the visually appealing words mentioned in the flashcards. You can show the flashcards and ask kids to recite and write sentences with words in them. 
• Dictate words: Apart from recitation, it is essential for kids to learn to spell to write the sentences correctly. They will think and write the spelling of the given words correctly. They can enhance their spelling skills by dictating time order words. 

Benefits of Learning Time Order Words for Kids 

Some of the benefits of learning time order words for kids are mentioned below:

• It develops vocabulary and language skills in children.
• It enables children to make meaningful sentences for communication.
• It allows children to use time order words appropriately in the events they are narrating. 
• It boosts the confidence of children to speak, listen, read and write effectively. 
• It enhances the learning experience of children.
• It minimizes the errors they make while communicating with others. 

We hope this article on time order words were useful to you. To learn more about activities, worksheets and games, explore literacy games for kids, puzzles for kids, kids learning sections at Osmo. 

Frequently Asked Questions on Time Order Words

What are some of the time order words?

Some of the time order words for kids are before (earlier, last time, prior to, previously, yesterday, etc.) first (at first, starting with, initially, from this point, at the beginning, etc.), next (after a while, after a few days, consequently, henceforth, then, etc.), sometimes (occasionally, from time to time, gradually, once in a while, rarely, etc.) last (finally, at the end, hereafter, eventually, at last, etc.)

What are the examples of time order words used in sentences?

Some of the examples of time order words used in sentences are; From this point, I would not like to go out. Initially, I thought of going to my grandma’s house near the countryside. Previously, I had a lot of trouble around the house and I eat ice cream once in a while.