Timing by adjuncts

5.69 In many statements, it is the adjunct rather than the tense of the verb which carries the time reference. For this reason, many adjuncts can be used with more than one set of tenses, because they refer to time and not to tense.

For example, a common use is to put adjuncts which normally refer to future time with the present tense when it is used to refer to future actions, including habitual actions. They can also be used with references to the future that are made in the past.

West Germany celebrates its fortieth birthday tomorrow.

After all, you're coming back next week.

The farmer just laughed and rode away. So the next week I tried my luck at another farm.

We arranged to meet in three week's time.

The adjuncts 'now', 'today', 'tonight' and those involving 'this' refer to a period of time which includes the present moment. They are used fairly commonly with all tenses. This is because an event can be located before, during, or after the time specified by the tense of the verb.

I was now in a Scottish regiment.

Your boss will now have no alternative but to go to his superiors and explain the situation.

One of my children wrote to me today.

I will ski no more today.

It's dark today.

'I went to the doctor this morning,' she said.

He won't be able to fight this Friday.

I'm doing my ironing this afternoon.

5.70 If you want to refer to a period of time in relation to another period of time, or in relation to an event, you use an adjunct. For example, you can use an adverb such as 'soon' or 'later' to refer to time which follows a particular event or period of time, and you can use an adverb such as 'beforehand' or 'earlier' to refer to time which preceded a particular period of time or an event.

Sita was delighted with the house and soon began to look upon it as home.

It'll have to be replaced soon.

He later settled in Peddie, a small town near Grahamstown.

I'll explain later.

I was very nervous beforehand.

You'll be having a bath and going to the hairdresser's beforehand.

She had seen him only five hours earlier.

This type of time reference is common with past and future tenses. It is sometimes used with present tenses when they are used to refer to past, future, or habitual actions.

We don't clean out beforehand because it only gets any again.

I remember the next day at school going round asking the boys if they'd ever seen a ghost.

But afterwards, as you read on, you relate back to it.

Here is a list of adjuncts which are used to refer to time in a relative way:

afterwards at once before long eventually finally immediately in a moment instantly later later on presently shortly soon

suddenly within minutes within the hour ~ the next day the next week the next month the next year the following day the following week the following month the following year the day after

the week after the month after the year after ~ beforehand early earlier earlier on in advance late one day on time punctually

Note that in this list 'presently' means 'soon'.

You can use 'early' to indicate that something happens before the expected or planned time, and 'late' to indicate that it happens after that time. 'On time', and 'punctually' are used to say indicate that southing happens at the planned time.

These adverbs come after the verb and at the end of the clause.

Tired out, he had gone to bed early.

I arrived at Paddington early and had a first-class compartment to myself.

He had come to the political arena late, at the age of 62.

We went quite late in the afternoon.

If Atkinson phoned on time, he'd be out of the house in well under an hour.

He arrived punctually.

With 'early' and 'late' you can also use the comparative forms 'earlier' and 'later'.

I woke earlier than usual.

Later, the dealer saw that it had been sold.

Note that 'early', 'late', and 'on time' are also used as complements.

The door bell rang. Barbara was appalled, 'They are early.'

The Paris train was slightly late.

What time is it now? This bus is usually on time.

For more information on complements, see paragraph 3.128.

5.71 You can also specify a time by relating it to an event, using a qualifying expression or a relative clause after the time expression.

I didn't sleep well the night before the prosecution.

I called him the day I got back.

5.72 You can also use some prepositions to relate events to each other, or to particular periods of time. These prepositions are listed in paragraph 5.99, and there is a full explanation in paragraphs 5.102 to 5.107.

Over the Bank Holiday, Mr Palumbo spent time relaxing at his estate.

A British paratrooper returns to a gloomy tower block in the East End after active service in the Falklands.

5.73 If you want to refer to a 'necessary time', beyond which an event will no longer be relevant, useful, or successful, you can use 'in time' as an adjunct or a complement.

I would have to do some fast hiking over the hills to reach the rendezvous in time.

He leapt back, in time to dodge the lashing hooves.

If something happens before the necessary time, you can use 'too early', and if it happens after the necessary time, you can use 'too late'. 'Too early' and 'too late' may be used as adjuncts or as complements.

Today they hear too much about sex too early.

It's much too early to assess the community service scheme.

They arrived too late for the information to be any good.

It's too late to change that now.

5.74 If the time you are referring to in the past of future has already been mentioned, you can use the adverb 'then'.

We kept three monkeys then.

We were all so patriotic then.

It'll be too late then.

To be more specific, you can use 'that' with the name of a day, month, season, and so on, of with a general time word.

William didn't come in that Tuesday.

So many people will be pursing other activities that night.