Time Order Words List

Time order words signal the order in which events happen. They allow readers to understand a sequence of events. For example, "First, we measured the perfume into the beaker. Following that, we poured it into its designated bottle. Finally, we labeled the bottle for display."

Time order words establish clarity in our writing and take readers on a clear and cohesive journey. These words work in academic writing, fiction writing, professional writing, and technical writing. Keeping a time order words list nearby will help you move an essay or story forward.

List of Time Order Words

Time order words can be placed anywhere in a sentence. Their most popular placement is at the start of a paragraph. When they come at the start of a sentence of paragraph, they're typically followed by a comma. For example, "In conclusion, the final product was spectacular," or, "Consequently, it went on to become an international bestseller."

Here are some time order words to consider for your next piece of writing:

Before	First	Next	Sometimes	Last
Earlier	To begin	After	At times	Finally
Previously	Starting with	Consequently	From time to time	In conclusion
Formerly	Initially	Following	Occasionally	To conclude
Previous to...	Originally	In turn	Periodically	In the end
In the past	At the onset	Second	Rarely	Ultimately
Prior to...	At the beginning	Soon after	Seldomly	To finish
Preceding that	To begin with	Then	Some of the time	At the end
Yesterday	At the outset	Henceforth	Every so often	Lastly
Last time	Before all else	Third	On occasion	At last
Until that time	In the first place	Subsequently	Every now and then	In the long run
In advance	To start with	Later	Intermittently	At long last

Sequence words have a related function to transition words. Time and transition words prevent our writing from sounding stilted or choppy. They sew our lines and paragraphs together, making our writing flow smoothly. For more on that, here are some examples of transitional words and phrases.

Sample Sequence Sentences

Ready to see these time order words in action? Examining them within the context of a sentence may show just how powerful they can be.

Earlier, I thought I saw you sitting in the courtyard.
Consequently, I ran down the stairs to find you.
In the end, it wasn't meant to be.
She was writing a book but, preceding that, she was practicing law.
She was very happy, at the beginning, until she wasn't.
I find that, every so often, we could be happy if we practiced gratitude.
Ultimately, life is what we make of it.
Now we are free, at last.
At the onset, my horse was trotting along happily.
Periodically, he'd stop to pick a berry off a tree.
At long last, we arrived at the castle.
Every now and then, I find myself dreaming about those soft, golden fields.

Order Your Story

At the onset of this article, we wanted to make it clear that time order words develop a natural pattern in our writing that aids readers in their journey. Every so often, it's wise to include these words in your academic writing. It'll tie your paragraphs together with concision and ease.

Ultimately, it's up to you where and when to place them. But, in the long run, we know you'll be a tremendous success. If you'd like to have some fun and translate your transitions into a short story, enjoy Get Creative: How to Write a Short Story.