Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
The time words that anchor your sentences: yesterday, today, tomorrow, now, nowadays. Where they sit in a sentence, and which tense they like.
What Are Time Adverbs?
The when words
Time adverbs answer when: yesterday, today, tomorrow, now, next week, nowadays. Easy words with one job — telling the listener when your sentence happened, happens, or will happen.
Past words
yesterday · last night · two days agoI saw her yesterday
Now words
now · today · nowadays · these daysI am busy now
Future words
tomorrow · next week · soonWe will travel next week
One anchor per sentence
pick one when, not threeI will call you tomorrow
⚠️ Yesterday → past. Today → now. Tomorrow → future.
The Formula
End first, start second
The natural home of a time adverb is the end of the sentence. When you want to highlight the time, move it to the front — the rest of the sentence stays exactly the same.
Wewatcheda movielast night
TomorrowIwill callyou
Common Mistakes
Three slips with the when words
Time adverbs are easy words with stubborn habits: they do not go in the middle, and one per sentence is usually enough.
I saw yesterday her.
I saw her yesterday.
💡 Time adverbs go at the end — never in the middle.
We are watching a movie now today.
We are watching a movie now.
💡 One when per sentence — pick one time word.
She called me last night evening.
She called me last night.
💡 Last night already says it — no extra word needed.
Quick Quiz
Test what you just learned
Three minutes, five questions — check what stuck. No essay questions, we promise.
We ___ a great time yesterday.
💡 Extra info1 sections
The When Words
One chart, all the whens
The complete starter set of time adverbs, sorted by the tense they travel with.