Non-specific times

5.99 If you want to be less precise about when something happened, you can use an approximating adverb or approximating expression. It is also possible to use prepositions to relate events to less specific points or periods of time, for example when the exact time of an event is not known, or when events happen gradually, continuously, or several times.

At about four o'clock in the morning, we were ambushed.

The device that exploded at around midnight on Wednesday severely damaged the fourth-floor bar.

The supply of servants continued until about 1950, then abruptly dried up.

He developed central chest pain during the night.

For, also over the summer, his book had come out.

One morning before dawn Ark was beginning to wake me up as usual.

Here is a list of approximating adverbs and expressions:

about almost around

just after just before nearly

round about shortly after shortly before

soon after thereabouts

'About', 'almost', 'around', 'nearly', and 'round about', are usually used with clock times or years. With 'about', 'around', and 'round about', the preposition 'at' can often be omitted in informal English.

Then quite suddenly, round about midday, my mood began to change.

About nine o'clock he went out to the kitchen.

Here is a list of prepositions which are used to relate events to a non-specific time:

after before

by during

following over

prior to

WARNING 5.100 'Almost' or 'nearly' can only be used after the verb 'be'.

5.101 You can also use 'or thereabouts' after the time expression.

Back in 1975 or thereabouts someone lent me an article about education.

...at four o'clock or thereabouts.

'during' for periods of time 5.102 'During' can be used instead of 'in' with periods of the day, months, seasons, years, decades, and centuries.

We try to keep people informed by post during September.

She heated the place during the winter with a huge wood furnace.

During 1973 an Anti-Imperialist Alliance was formed.

During the Sixties various levies were imposed.

During the seventh century incendiary weapons were invented.

They used to spent the whole Sunday at chapel but most of them behaved shockingly during the week.

5.103 'During' can be used with most event nouns to indicate that one event takes place while another is occurring:

During his stay in prison, he has written many essays and poems.

...trying to boost police morale during a heated battle with rioters.

The water-holding frog appears above ground only during the brief and infrequent rain storms.

Some families live in the kitchen during a power cut.

During the journey I came to like and respect them.

WARNING 5.104 'During the week' means on weekdays, in contrast to the weekend.

'over' for events 5.105 'Over' can be used with 'winter', 'summer', and special periods of the year to indicate that an event occurred throughout the period or at an unspecified time during it.

...to help keep their families going over the winter.

My friends had a marvellous time over the New Year.

'Over' is also used when referring to a period of time immediately before or after the time of speaking or the time being talked about.

The number will increase considerably over the next decade.

They have been doing all they can over the past twenty-four hours.

We packed up the things I had accumulated over the last four years.

'Over' can be used with meals and items of food or drink to indicate that something happens while people are eating or drinking.

Davis said he wanted to read it over lunch.

Can we discuss it over a cup of coffee?

5.106 You can also be more general by stating the relationship between an event and a period of time or specific point in time.

'Before', 'prior to', and 'after' can be used to relate events to a time.

She gets up before six.

If you're stuck come back and see me before Thursday.

...the construction of warships by the major powers prior to 1914.

City Music Hall is going to close down after Easter.

Clean up the kitchen after the weekend.

They can also be used to relate one event to another.

I was in a bank for a while before the war.

She gave me much helpful advice prior to my visit to Turkey.

Jack left after breakfast.

He was killed in a car accident four years after their marriage.

After much discussion, they had decided to take the coin to a jeweller.

'Following', 'previous to' and 'subsequent to' can also be used with events.

These features increase the chances that we will be able to see and think clearly following a physical attack.

He suggests that Ross was prompted previous to the parade.

The testimony and description of one witness would be supplied prior to the interview; those of the other two subsequent to it.

5.107 'Before' and 'after' can also be used to indicate the order of events when the same person does two actions or two people do the same action.

I should have talked about that before anything else.

He knew Nell would probably be home before him.

I do the floor after the washing-up.

You can also sometimes use 'earlier than' or 'later than'.

Smiling develops earlier than laughing.

5.108 To indicate that two or more events happen at the same time, the adverbs 'together' and 'simultaneously', or the adjuncts 'at the same time' and 'at once' can be used:

Everything had happened together.

His fear and his hate grew simultaneously.

Can you love two women an the same time?

I can't be everywhere at once.

5.109 You can also indicate what order things happen in using adverbs such as 'first', 'next', and 'finally'. 'Simultaneously', and 'at the same time' are used in a similar way to link clauses. This dealt with in paragraph 10.78.

'by' for specific time 5.110 'By' is used to emphasize that an event occurs at some time before a specific time, but not later. 'By' is also used to indicate that a process is completed or reaches a particular stage not later than a specific time.

By eleven o'clock, Brody was back in his office.

The theory was that by Monday their tempers would have cooled.

By 1985 there will be 5,000 robots on the job.

Do you think we'll get to the top of this canyon by tomorrow?

By now the moon was up.

But by then he was bored with the project.