EX 348 PERIODS OF TIME Translate into Uzbek and learn by heart.
Lengths of time There are only a small number of words referring to exact periods of time.
They are (from largest to smallest):
Millenium (1000 years) week
Century (100 years) day
Decade (10 years) hour
Year (365 days) minute
Month(12 months in a year) second
Fortnight (2 weeks)
A century, year and hour are often divided into halves or quarters:
The political changes of the last quarter century.
Prices rose again in the first quarter (of the year).
A generation is 25-30 years:
It will take a generation for the new trees to grow.
Some of these words are also used to talk about approximate time periods, and to emphasise how long or short a period is meant:
At this rate it’ll take hours/days/weeks/monthsto finish the project.
He’s been doing the same job for years.
You’re late – I’ve been waiting (for) ages!
Filling in these forms seems to take forever/an eternity.
I’ve had these old boots for quite a while.
Will builders be here long? They only started a short time ago.
She’ll be here in a second/moment/minute.
Can you wait a minute, I’ll be with you presently/shortly (=soon).
