UNIT 2:

POINTS OF TIME

The narrator may be starting the narration from different points of time. The following
is a guide to the use of adverbs of time according to the focus of the narration.

A . Focus of narration: NOW (present)

To refer to before NOW To refer to after NOW

an hour ago now in an hour

2 hours ago in two hours’ time
a moment ago in a moment

yesterday today tomorrow

yesterday morning this morning tomorrow morning

yesterday afternoon this afternoon tomorrow afternoon
yesterday evening this evening tomorrow evening
last night tonight tomorrow night

2 days ago the day after tomorrow

in two days’ time

5 days ago in 5 days’ time

last week (*) this week next week (*)

last Thursday/Wednesday, etc (*) on Thursday

on Thursday last week this coming Thursday, etc
(Thursday this week)
next Friday (*)
(Friday next week)

on Friday 2 weeks ago Friday two weeks from now

two Fridays ago

the week before last the week after next

2 weeks ago in 2 weeks’ time

last month (*) this month next month (*)

the month before last the month after next
in 2 months’ time
3 months ago in 3 months’ time

last January (*) next January (*)

last year (*) this year next year (*)

in a year’s time

the year before last the year after next

2 years ago in 2 years’ time
(*) No article before “last” or “next”. Compare with Spanish “la semana pasada”, “el
mes que viene”, “la próxima semana”, “el mes próximo”, etc.

B. Focus of narration: THEN, THAT TIME (past or future)

To refer to To refer to
before THAT TIME after THAT TIME

an hour earlier at that moment an hour later

at that time
2 hours earlier 2 hours later
in 2 hours’ time

the day before that day the following day

a day earlier the day after
2 days earlier 2 days later
in 2 days’ time

the previous morning that morning the following morning

the previous afternoon that afternoon the following afternoon
the previous evening that evening the following evening
the previous night that night the following night

the week before that week the following week

(during the week) (during the week)

the month before that month the following month

(during the month) (during the month)

the year before that year the following year

(during the year) (during the year)

a week earlier a week later

a week before in a week’s time
(7 days before) (7 days later)

2 weeks earlier 2 weeks later

2 weeks before in 2 weeks’ time

a month earlier a month later

a month before in a month’s time

2 months earlier 2 months later

2 months before in 2 months’ time

a year earlier a year later

a year before in a year’s time

2 years earlier 2 years later

2 years before in 2 years’ time
C. Frequency adverbs (not modified by focus of
narration)

every minute/hour/day/week/fortnight/month/year
every Monday/February

every 2 minutes/hours/days/weeks/months/years

every other day/Wednesday/week/month/year

(skipping one day/Wednesday/week/month/year)

Examples:

I arrived yesterday.
He mentioned he had arrived the day before

They are quite pleased; they finished the arrangements two days ago.
They were quite pleased; they had completed the arrangements two days earlier.

We have decided to leave tomorrow.

They decided to leave the following day.
They will be arriving on Monday and leaving the following day.

They are leaving tomorrow morning

They were delighted; they were leaving the following morning.

I promise to finish everything next Friday; I’ll be terribly busy this week.
They promised to finish the following Friday; they were terribly busy that week.

The doctor asked her to see him every other week until she felt better.

Tomorrow, we will all be discussing what we will be doing in 2 days´ time.

I would like to know what I will be doing in 2 days´ time.
He insisted he would do it in 2 days´ time.