Written by Gabriela Estrada

When we talk about time in English, "time" y "weather are words that can generate confusion for those learning the language. Although both are related to the concept of "time" in Spanish, their meaning is completely different. To refer to the timeline, we use the word timeand to refer to the weather, we use the word weather.

In this article, we will talk about the timeline in Englishhow to correctly use terms such as fortnight, decades and millenniaand why this skill is the key to fluent communication. Read with me to the end and learn the correct vocabulary - let's get started!

English vocabulary for the timeline 

Words related to the time line (time) are those we use to identify specific time periods or intervals. These are:

• Days (days). Common use: planning daily or study activities, also short-term work events. For example: The delivery will arrive in three days(The delivery will arrive in three days).

• Week (week). Common use: to organize weekly agendas or set short goals. For example: We'll finish the project by the end of the week.We'll finish the project by the end of the week.

• Fortnight (fortnight). Common usage: used more in British or Australian English for intermediate terms, but not for Canada or the United States. For example: This task will take a fortnight to complete.(This task will take a fortnight to complete).

• Month (month). Common use: to plan medium-term goals. For example: I'll start my new job next month(I'll start my new job next month).

• Year (year). Common use: to speak of long-term achievements or events. For example: It's been a year since I moved to Canada.It's been a year since I moved to Canada.

• Decade (decade). Common usage: referring to historical or generational periods. For example: A lot of changes happened during the past decade.(A lot of changes happened during the past decade).

• Century (century). Common usage: to speak of history or evolution. For example: The city was founded more than two centuries ago.(The city was founded more than two centuries ago).

• Millennium (millennium). Duration: 1000 years. Common usage: referring to broad historical periods. For example: Many traditions have lasted for a millennium.Many traditions have lasted for a millennium.

Common difficulties when using some of these terms

As for spelling, millennium has double "l" and "n", but many times students write the word with only one of these consonants, and this is a spelling error.

On the other hand, it is important to differentiate between long periods of time ( (millennium) and generational gaps (millennials). These words look alike, but are completely different in meaning.

Cultural understanding is decisive in terms such as fortnightwhich is rarely used in Canadian and American English, but is common in British English.

Strategies for talking about time: the timeline

English learners can place terms on a timeline to visualize their duration and understand how they fit into different scenarios. For example:

Day → Week → Fortnight → Month → Year → Decade → Century → Millennium.

In addition, listening and writing practice avoids confusion when pronouncing and writing these terms. To do this, listen and write each word in real sentences. Be sure to repeat your pronunciation to perfect it.

Use real examples and create your own timeline of events in your life. For example, in your English journal, write how long ago you graduated. Or reinforce knowledge of your country's culture, something like "the tradition of carnivals in my country has lasted for centuries." This will help you build a solid foundation for using the terms clearly and confidently. 

Learn English with Planeta Immiland Education

At Planeta Immiland Education, we offer English and French courses for beginners, intermediate and advanced learners. If you would like to learn more about our school's learning strategies, please contact us at and we will be happy to help you with whatever you need. Also you can explore our English programs from scratch here.

I hope this topic will be useful to organize your life according to the timeline. Thank you very much for reading. 

See you in the next blog!

With love, 

Planeta Immiland Education