Chunks for Time and Urgency: Mastering Time-Related Expressions
Introduction Time is an essential part of everyday communication. We talk about how things happen, how quickly they happen, how long they take, and how urgently something needs to be done. Instead of always using simple expressions such as slowly, suddenly, soon, or quickly , fluent English speakers often use natural chunks to express these ideas more precisely. For example: She gradually improved her English. can become: She improved her English bit by bit . And instead of: We don't have much time left. we can say: The clock is ticking. I n this post, you'll learn useful upper-intermediate and advanced chunks for talking about gradual change, sudden events, urgency, immediacy, deadlines and the passage of time. 1. Chunks for Gradual Progress Bit by bit Meaning: Gradually, in small stages. She improved her vocabulary bit by bit by reading English articles every morning. This is common in everyday English. Step by step Meaning:...