5.41 types of adjuncts

Adjuncts of time can refer either to a specific time, or to a more general indefinite period of time.

The lists below give the most common adjuncts of indefinite time which are used mainly with past tenses. With the exception of 'since' and 'ever since' which come at the end of a clause, you put them after the auxiliary or modal in a verb group which has more than one word. If you use them with the simple past, you put them in front of the verb.

The words in the following list can be used with all past tenses:

• again, already, earlier, ever since, finally, first, in the past, just, last, previously, recently, since

The words in the following list can be used with all past tenses except the present perfect:

• afterwards, at one time, eventually, formerly, immediately, lately, next, once, originally, subsequently

Note that 'once' here means 'at some time in the past'. For its uses as an adverb of frequency, see paragraph 5.115.

For the uses of 'since' as a preposition in adjuncts of time, see paragraph 5.137.

Some adjuncts used with past tenses are more specific. If you want to be more exact about the time reference, you use adjuncts which include the word 'yesterday', and those involving time expressions such as 'ago', 'other' and 'last'. Note that 'ago' is placed after the noun group.

• I saw him yesterday evening.
• We bought the house from her the day before yesterday.
• Three weeks ago I was staying in San Francisco.
• I saw my goddaughter the other day.
• It all happened a long time ago.