50 Advanced Prepositional Phrases Related to Time (B2–C1)
Time expressions are essential for clear communication. They help us organise events, describe duration, show sequence, and explain cause and effect.
In B2 First and C1 Advanced exams, using precise time phrases can significantly improve your range of vocabulary in essays, reports, reviews, and speaking tasks.
Instead of repeating simple words like before, after, or during, you can use more advanced prepositional phrases to sound natural, confident, and sophisticated.
Let’s explore 50 useful prepositional phrases related to time, grouped by meaning.
Before or Leading Up to Something
These phrases describe events happening before a specific moment.
| Ahead of | before a scheduled time | We arrived ahead of schedule. |
| In advance of | before something happens (formal) | Tickets were sold out in advance of the concert. |
| Prior to | before (formal) | You must read the contract prior to signing. |
| Before the advent of | before the arrival or development of something | Life was very different before the advent of the internet. |
| In anticipation of | expecting something to happen | Extra staff were hired in anticipation of increased demand. |
| Leading up to | during the period before | The days leading up to the wedding were incredibly busy. |
| Preceding | coming before in time | The preceding week had been unusually quiet. |
| On the eve of | just before an important event | The announcement came on the eve of the election. |
| Ahead of time | earlier than planned | She completed the task ahead of time. |
| In the run-up to | in the period before (British English) | There were protests in the run-up to the summit. |
During or At the Same Time
These expressions describe events happening within a period or simultaneously.
| In the course of | during | Several changes occurred in the course of the year. |
| At the time of | when something happened | I was abroad at the time of the announcement. |
| At the height of | during the most intense period | At the height of summer, the city feels unbearable. |
| At the outset of | at the beginning of | Expectations were high at the outset of the project. |
| In the midst of | in the middle of | He made the decision in the midst of confusion. |
| At the point of | just about to | She was at the point of giving up. |
| During the course of | while something is happening | During the course of the lecture, students took detailed notes. |
| Simultaneously with | at the same time as (formal) | The alarm rang simultaneously with the power cut. |
| At the time when | during the moment that | At the time when I called, she was unavailable. |
| In the middle of | halfway through | He interrupted us in the middle of dinner. |
After or Following an Event
These phrases describe events happening after something else.
| In the aftermath of | after a major event | In the aftermath of the crisis, new policies were introduced. |
| Following on from | as a consequence of | The improvements followed on from the new strategy. |
| As of | starting from a specific date | As of Monday, the office will operate remotely. |
| From that point onwards | from that time forward | From that point onwards, everything changed. |
| Subsequent to | after (formal) | Subsequent to the meeting, several changes were made. |
| After the fact | after something has happened | They apologised after the fact. |
| Since the beginning of | from the start until now | She has worked here since the beginning of the year. |
| Since the dawn of | from the very beginning of history | Humans have told stories since the dawn of time. |
| Thereafter | after that (formal) | He retired in 2001 and lived quietly thereafter. |
| In retrospect | looking back afterwards | In retrospect, we should have acted sooner. |
(Note: “In retrospect” is correct; “in retrospect of” is not natural.)
Frequency and Repetition
These phrases describe repeated actions or long-term duration.
| From time to time | occasionally | We meet from time to time. |
| Every now and then | occasionally | She calls every now and then. |
| At regular intervals | repeatedly at fixed times | The train stops at regular intervals. |
| Over the years | during a long period | Their friendship deepened over the years. |
| On a daily basis | every day | The system is checked on a daily basis. |
| At intervals | repeatedly with gaps | He glanced at his phone at intervals. |
| At hourly intervals | every hour | The equipment is inspected at hourly intervals. |
| Over the course of | during a period | Over the course of the semester, he improved significantly. |
| At one time | once in the past | At one time, she considered moving abroad. |
| Time after time | repeatedly | Time after time, he proved his reliability. |
General Time Reference
These phrases describe duration, speed, or timing in general.
| As early as | earlier than expected | The shop opens as early as 6 a.m. |
| As late as | later than expected | He arrived as late as midnight. |
| As long as | for the duration | You may stay as long as you like. |
| At all times | always | Staff must wear badges at all times. |
| For the duration of | throughout the entire time | She remained silent for the duration of the meeting. |
| Up to the point of | until | He worked up to the point of exhaustion. |
| In due course | at the appropriate time | You will receive a response in due course. |
| Over time | gradually | Her confidence improved over time. |
| In no time | very quickly | We’ll finish in no time. |
| At the last minute | very late | They cancelled at the last minute. |
Why These Phrases Matter (Exam Tip)
In Cambridge exams, advanced time expressions:
- Improve your lexical range
- Help structure essays clearly
- Make reports sound more formal
- Add sophistication to speaking answers
Instead of writing:
Before the exam, I was nervous.
You can write:
In the run-up to the exam, I felt increasingly anxious.
That small change makes a big difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are prepositional phrases related to time?
Prepositional phrases related to time are expressions that show when something happens, how long it lasts, or the relationship between events.
What is an example of a prepositional phrase of time?
Examples include “in the course of,” “at the outset of,” “in the aftermath of,” and “in the run-up to.”
Are prepositional phrases important for B2 and C1 exams?
Yes. Using advanced time expressions improves your lexical range and helps structure essays more clearly.
What is the difference between ‘during’ and ‘in the course of’?
“During” is more common and neutral, while “in the course of” is slightly more formal and often used in academic writing.
Related posts:
Words and phrases to use for summarising
Making generalisations in English
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50 Prepositional Phrases with AT - My Lingua Academy · 3 Feb 2026 at 10:03 am
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