Skip to main content

Learning English Grammar | time words


English grammar common mistakes | using time words

The effects will only be seen over a long duration. [incorrect]
The effects will only be seen over a long period of time. [correct]

Managers are expected to work for a long time. [incorrect]
Manageres are expected to work long hours. [correct]



We use hours to talk about the time during the day or week when something usually happens, especially the time when someone works or when something is open:

working hours, office hours, opening hours
Most nannies work long hours for low pay. [=they work many hours a day]

We use period or period of time to talk about a particular length of time:
Sales rose by 20% over a six month period / over a period of six months.
Sportsmen can earn a lot of money, but only for a relatively short period of time.

We use duration in formal writing to talk about how long something lasts:
Make sure that your visa is valid for the duration of your stay.

The timing of something is when it happens within the context of other events:
He said the timing of the announcement is not related to next week's board meeting.

Time is also used in a number of common expressions:
How do people spend their spare time / free time / leisure time?
We spent most of the time on the beach. [not most of the times]
We haven't seen each other for a long time. [not for long time]

See more common English grammar mistakes

Popular posts from this blog

Cambridge 11 Test 1 Writing Task 1 | Writing Practice for IELTS

How would you answer this Cambridge 11 Test 1 Writing Task 1 question? Task 1 Question How to Answer Task 1 Questions Sample Answer Cambridge 11 Writing Task 1 IELTS Writing Task 1 (Academic) tests your written communication skills - how well you can report/describe information. Cambridge 11 Writing Task 1 (Test 1) IELTS Writing Test Task 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The charts below show the percentage of water used for different purposes in six areas of the world. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. International English Language Testing System How would you answer this IELTS 11 Writing Task 1 question about water used for different purposes? Writing Practice for IELTS Task 1: Sample Answer (useful vocabulary is highlighted ) The pie charts illustrates water usage in six different regions around t...
Read more

How To Answer Cambridge IELTS 8 Speaking Test 1 | IELTS Exam

Cambridge 8 Speaking Test 1 How to give your opinion in English Here are some questions from Cambridge IELTS Book 8 Speaking Test 1 . They include the IELTS Cue Card Describe a time when you were asked to give your opinion in a questionnaire . A native English speaker gave these sample answers to show you what someone might say. Remember, you can answer these questions in many different ways. Cambridge IELTS 8 Speaking Test 1 Tips for IELTS Speaking Do NOT try to memorize full answers - this is unnatural and IELTS examiners are trained to identify memorized answers. Cambridge IELTS 8 Test 1 Speaking Questions & Answers Part 1 Topic | Neighbours How well do you know the people who live next door to you? I know them quite well because we’ve lived beside each other for a couple of years now. The people who live to the right of me, well, it’s a family wi...
Read more

Cambridge 11 Test 2 Writing Task 1 | How to Answer This Question

How would you answer this Cambridge 11 Test 2 Writing Task 1 question: The charts below show the proportions of British students at one university in England who were able to speak other languages in addition to English, in 2000 and 2010? How to answer Cambridge 11 Test 2 Writing Task 1 Question This is a question that many people ask when they are doing IELTS exam prepartion . IELTS Writing Task 1 Structure If you want to do well in IELTS writing, it's important that you know how to answer Task 1 correctly! In this post, we will discuss some of the basics and give advice on how to write your answers for Task 1. IELTS writing Task 1 pie charts are an important part of the IELTS writing task. Pie charts have three main components: a title a description (including what the pie chart is showing) labels for each slice Pie Chart Task 1 Writing Tips Describing pie charts in the IELTS writing test Pie charts have three main parts: a title, desc...
Read more