A. Periods of time – words and typical contexts

the Ice Age, the Stone Age, the Middle Ages, the computer age [major historical/geological periods]

• After the war, a new era of stability began. [long period, perhaps several decades]
• A spell of hot weather [indefinite but short period] – He’s had a couple of spells in hospital in the last two or three years.
• The city went through several stages of development to become what it is today. [period of development or particular time in a process]
• Most teenagers go through a phase of being lazy. [a period which is part of a longer period; phase can also mean the same as stage]

B. Useful expressions with time

• During the 1980s I lived in Barcelona for a time. [vague, indefinite period]
• The doctor says you should stay in bed for the time being. [for now, not specific]
• She can get a bit bad-tempered at times. [occasionally / now and then]
• By the time we get home this pizza will be cold!
• I’m not in regular contact with her; I just send her an email from time to time. [sometimes but not often]
• One at a time, please! I can’t deal with you all together.
• We arrived just in time to hear the Prime Minister’s speech. [at the right time / with enough time to do something]
• Our plane was on time and she was waiting for us at the airport. [punctual / neither early nor late]
• I’ve told you time and time again not to ring me at the office! [many times; very emphatic and usually in negative contexts]
• The city has changed a great deal over the course of time / over the course of the last two centuries. [used about long periods of time]

C. Verbs associated with time passing

• 2002 → 2012 Ten years had elapsed since they last saw each other. [normally used in the perfect or past, without adverbs; formal]
• Time seems to fly as you get older. [pass very quickly]
• This film lasts for three hours.
• The meeting went on / dragged on for two hours. [suggests longer than expected or desired; drag on is stronger]

D. Adjectives describing duration (how long something lasts)

• There was a momentary loss of electrical power and the data was lost. [very brief]
• I just got a fleeting glimpse of the President as his car drove past. [very short and quick]
• Venice has a timeless beauty.