英语中表示时间的词语主要分为以下几类：时间点、时间段、动作发生的频度、动作或事件发生的先后。 一般可用单个副词来表示， 也可以用带有介词in、 at、on和for的短语来表示。 此外，一些不带介词的短语也可以用来表示动作(事件)发生(状态持续)的时间。
一、单个副词表示时间
1. 表示动作(事件)发生的时间
这类副词常见的有：ago, before, lately, later (on), now, recently, then, today, tomorrow, tonight, yesterday等。
1) It’s beginning to rain now! (时间点) 现在开始下雨了！
2) I haven’t seen her recently. (时间段) 最近我没见到她。
3) Will you be free tonight? (时间段) 你今晚有空吗？
4) See you later. (时间点) 回头见。
2. 表示频度
这类副词常见的有:always, constantly, continuously, continually, ever, frequently, generally, hardly ever, much, never, normally, occasionally(偶尔), often, periodically(定期地,偶尔), rarely, regularly, repeatedly, seldom(很少), sometimes, usually, now and then(偶尔,有时)等。
1) Tom is constantly changing her mind. (频度副词constantly)
2) They do meet now and then, but not regularly. (频度副词regularly)
3) Mary rarely left her room. (频度副词rarely)
3. 其他一些表示时间的副词
主要有：already, early, finally, first, immediately, just, late, long, presently, shortly, since, soon, yet等。
1) I’ll be back presently(shortly).
2) What decision did you finally arrive at?
3) Nancy was up early.
4) He has just had an operation.
二、前面带有介词in, at, on和for表示时间的短语
1.泛指"在早上、在下午、在晚上"应用in the morning(afternoon，evening)。
The students often play football in the afternoon.
2.表示"在某一季节"。
In spring，the trees turn green and flowers come out.
3.表示在某一年或某一月。
in 2003；in February
4.表示"从现在起一段时间以后"
She will be back in three days.
in a flash(瞬时), in a lucky hour(在幸运时刻),
in an evil hour(在不幸的时刻), in a minute,
in a second, in a short time,
in a while, in advance(预先),
in an instant, in broad day(在大白天),
in due course(及时地), in future,
in good season(及时地), in no time(马上),
in one’s childhood, in one’s spare time,
in one’s teens, in one’s youth,
in re-cent years, in some cases(有时候),
in spring, in the beginning,
in the daytime, in the end,
in the long run(最后), in the meantime,
in the
morning, in the past,
in this period, in those days,
in time等。
2. 带有介词on的时间短语
(1).表示"在星期几"或"星期几的上午、下午或晚上"等。
on Monday；on Wednesday morning
(2).表示"在具体某一天"或"在具体某一天的上午、下午或晚上"等。
on October 1,1998;on the afternoon of May 1
(3).表示"在某一节日"。
on Teachers' Day
on a certain day, on Christmas Day,
on night shift, on one’s birthday,
on schedule(按时), on Sunday,
on the moment, on that date,
on the eve of, on the following day,
on the Monday morning, on the New Year’s Eve,
on the point of(正在……时候), on this day,
on this occasion, on time
1) There are varieties of celebrations on Christmas Day.
2) When he heard the bad news, he burst into tears on the moment.
3) He always arrives on time in time of an appointment.
3. 带有介词at的时间短语
(1).用在具体的某一时刻前。
I get up at six o'clock in the morning.
(2).用在特定的时候(时节、时机)前
We were out at that time.那时我们出去了。
(3).表示"在中午"、"在夜晚"、"在周末"常用at。
Do you have a rest at noon?
Most of us work in the day and sleep at night.
at a time(在某时), at a wedding(婚礼),
at all times(一直), at any moment,
at Christmas, at dark (天黑时),
at dawn(在黎明), at daybreak,
at dinner-time, at dusk(在黄昏),
at first sight, at first,
at last, at night,
at nightfall, at noon,
at present, at six o’clock,
at sunrise, at sunset,
at that moment, at that time,
at the age of, at the beginning of ,
at the end of, at the last minute,
at the moment, at the same time,
at the stage(眼下), at the start,
at this point(此时), at this sea-son,
at times(有时)
1)At that time, Mary earned so little money that she could hardly afford a coat like this.
2)At times, Robert is seen to be walking along with a beautiful girl.
3)At the stage, Tom doesn’t have enough time to write such a long paper.
句1)中的at that time(那时)表示某种境遇存在的时间段；
句2)中的at times(有时)表示事件发生的频度；
句3)中的at the stage(眼下)表示离说话前后不久的一段时间。
4.“介词for +
表示时间的名词短语”表示动作持续或状态存在的时间段:
for ten seconds, for five minutes,
for an hour, for two days,
for six months, for a year,
for a decade, for a whole century,
for a long time, for a short while
1) On hearing the news, Helen stood there for ten seconds without saying a word.
2) I feel as if I had left school for a whole century.
三、不带介词的表示时间的短语
just now, so far,
last night, right away,
the day after tomorrow, the day before yesterday,
five days ago, five days before,
this week, next week,
a week ago, a week before,
last month, next month,
this year, next year,
three months ago, this century,
last century
1)The old couple haven’t heard from their son so far.
2) Susan will take the college entrance examination the day after tomorrow.
3) He said his father had died three years before.
句1)中的so far(到目前为止)是副词短语,表示到现在为止的时间段； 句2)中的the day after tomorrow(后天)表示事件将要发生的时间； 句3)中的three years before(三年前)表示过去某件事发生的时间,用于间接引语中。
用来表示时间的短语:
right now 现在，马上;
soon 很快，一会儿;
in a minute 立即，马上;
at the moment 此刻;
sooner or later 迟早;
shortly 不久，马上;
in the future 将来;
in a few days 过几天，几天之后;
the other day 不久前的某天，几天以前;
in the past 过去;
a long time ago很久以前