Time
This page explains the difficulty of the word time for English language learners.
Time is one of the most common words in the English language. It is used in various ways, and this means that it can be quite difficult to know whether to use an article ( a/the ) or not.
Quiz
1. Decide which article, if any, is needed in the gaps in the following sentences:
- What's ......... time? - It's almost 6 o'clock.
- What ......... time did you say it was?
- I came to Germany ......... long time ago.
- Sorry, I haven't got ......... time to help you now.
- It's ......... time to go now!
- By ......... time I got home, everyone had finished dinner.
- There will come ......... time when you will regret doing that!
- Once upon ......... time there was a little girl called Red Riding Hood.
- Are you enjoying yourself? - Yes, I'm having ......... great time!
- Do you remember ......... time when you had a beard?
- ......... last time I saw him he had a beard.
- I cannot remember ......... time when petrol was so expensive as it is now.
- Just try to get it right ......... next time!
- What's the time? - It's almost 6 o'clock.
- What .. time did you say it was?
- I came to Germany a long time ago.
- Sorry, I haven't got .. time to help you now. (or: the time ..)
- It's .. time to go now!
- By the time I got home, everyone had finished dinner.
- There will come a time when you will regret doing that!
- Once upon a time there was a little girl called Red Riding Hood. (This is the usual way to start telling a fairy story!)
- Are you enjoying yourself? - Yes, I'm having a great time!
- Do you remember the time when you had a beard?
- The last time I saw him he had a beard.
- I cannot remember a time when petrol was so expensive as it is now.
- Just try to get it right .. next time! ( the next time . . is possible)
2. Which preposition, on or in, is needed in front of time in these sentences?
- Why does the bus never come ......... time?
- Please make sure you are ......... time. We can't start without you!
- Please make sure you come ......... time to get a good seat.
- ......... time I began to realize what a stupid thing I had done.
- Please hurry up, or we'll never get to the station ......... time.
- I was going to tell him what I thought of him, but I stopped myself just ......... time!
On time means at the right time, neither early nor late. In time means with enough time, the opposite of too late.
- Why does the bus never come on time?
- Please make sure you are on time. We can't start without you!
- Please make sure you come in time to get a good seat.
- In time I began to realize what a stupid thing I had done.
- Please hurry up, or we'll never get to the station in time. (or: on time ..)
- I was going to tell him what I thought of him, but I stopped myself just in time!