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TM

Innovation in Learning

A A VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT

Time
UPPER INTERMEDIATE

1 Warm-up
Put the periods of time in order from the shortest to the longest.

a decade a century a millennium a generation

a fortnight a year a split second

Answer the questions below using your own ideas.

1. What event typically lasts a fortnight?

2. What spanned a millennium?
3. What changes every generation?
4. What takes a split second?

2 Time adjectives
Complete the sentence with the adjectives below.

brief eternal long-term temporary timeless

1. Repairing your laptop again is just a solution. You really need to buy a new one.
2. The band's music is . Almost every generation can enjoy it.
3. Many religions believe in life after death.
4. Scientists are researching solutions to the problem of global warming.
5. For a moment, you could see dolphins in the distance.

Now match the synonyms below to the adjectives above:

momentary permanent provisional everlasting enduring

Choose five adjectives from this exercise and create your own sentences.

You can review this worksheet online at www.linguahouse.com/ex 1/3

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 lingua house
TM
Time
Innovation in Learning

A A A A VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT

3 Time phrases
Complete the phrases in bold with suitable prepositions and match them to their definitions below.

after at (x2) by for in (x2) on

1. The doctor told me to rest at home the time being.

2. He can get a bit annoying times.
3. the time we were ready to leave, it had started to rain.
4. They entered the building, one a time.
5. When we arrived, the match hadn't quite started yet. We got there just time.
6. He makes the same mistakes time time. He'll never learn.
7. He arrived just a few minutes after I called him. He got here no time.
8. We're going to be late again. The bus is never time!

a. for the moment

b. in single file
c. not late, with a little time to spare before a specific deadline
d. occasionally
e. punctual, neither early nor late
f. repeatedly
g. very quickly
h. when

4 Practice
Complete the sentences with the time phrases:

1. I've told them to stop sending me emails. But I still receive their adverts
in my inbox.
2. I live very near you, so I can get to your place .
3. There is only enough space to enter the building .
4. Jack is hardly ever . He'll never get a promotion.
5. We arrived just for dinner.
6. I think I'll keep my old phone . I'll think about buying a new one next
month.
7. Although it does rain , the weather in my country is generally dry and
sunny.
8. we arrived at the party, Jane had already left.

You can review this worksheet online at www.linguahouse.com/ex 2/3

photocopiablebw.pdf
Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.
c Linguahouse.com
 lingua house
TM
Time
Innovation in Learning

A A A A VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT

5 Idioms with time

Match the underlined idiomatic expressions with their correct meaning below.

1. Brazil will win the World Cup again in the future. It's just a matter of time.
2. He didn't have the chance to travel much in his twenties, so he's making up for lost time now.
3. I need to move abroad. The time has come.
4. The prisoner is currently on death row. He's living on borrowed time.
5. It was a race against time to finish the project before the end of the week.
6. Jane spent the whole afternoon reading a novel just to kill time.
7. Instead of studying medicine, she decided to become an actress. Time will tell whether it was the
right decision.
8. The Beatles have stood the test of time. Their music is still very popular.

a. a rush/hurry to do something before a deadline

b. certain to happen
c. do something while you are waiting for time to pass
d. enjoying something that wasn't possible earlier in life
e. it is necessary to wait to find out
f. not expected to live much longer
g. now is the moment (for action)
h. remained popular for a long time

6 Talking point
Discuss any of the following questions:

1. What do you do to kill time?

2. Can you think of something or someone else that has stood the test of time?
3. Describe a situation in which you were in a race against time.
4. Can you think of another situation or event that is `just a matter of time'?
5. Are you planning to make up for lost time in the future?
6. Can you give another example of `living on borrowed time'?

You can review this worksheet online at www.linguahouse.com/ex 3/3

photocopiablebw.pdf
Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.
c Linguahouse.com
 lingua house
TM
Time - Key
Innovation in Learning

A A A A VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT

1- Warm-up

a split second > a fortnight > a year > a decade > a generation > a century > a millennium

Brainstorm ideas. Focus on the time period verbs, e.g. `span'. Possible answers:
1. a tennis tournament
2. the Roman Empire (Western and Byzantium)
3. music tastes
4. a digital photo

2- Time adjectives

1. temporary
2. timeless
3. eternal
4. long-term
5. brief

momentary - brief; permanent - long-term; provisional - temporary; everlasting - eternal; enduring - timeless

3- Time phrases

Students can work individually and check in pairs. PHRASES: for the time being, at times, by the time, one at a
time, in time, time after time, in no time, on time
1. a 2. d 3. h 4. b
5. c 6. f 7. g 8. e

4- Practice

1. time after time

2. in no time
3. one at a time
4. on time
5. in time
6. for the time being
7. at times
8. By the time

5- Idioms with time

1. b 2. d 3. g 4. f
5. a 6. c 7. e 8. h

You can review this worksheet online at www.linguahouse.com/ex i

photocopiablebw.pdf
Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.
c Linguahouse.com