TOEFL Vocabulary: Time and quantity 40 easy-tier words, each with a short plain-English definition, followed by a quick quiz to check what stuck.
Test Ninjas Research · Updated October 1, 2026
Frequency adverbs, sequence words and simple amounts: rarely, previous, current, several, enough, average. Small as they are, these words decide many detail questions — whether something happens weekly or monthly, before or after.
Most useful for: Complete the Words · Read in Daily Life · Listen to an Announcement · Listen and Repeat .
Time and quantity is one of the easy themes in our
TOEFL vocabulary list , where you can also find how the tiers work.
The 40 words Time and quantity — Easy tier # Word Meaning Tier 1 today the present day Easy 2 tomorrow the day after today Easy 3 yesterday the day before today Easy 4 recently not long ago Easy 5 soon after a short time Easy 6 later after the present time Easy 7 before earlier than a time or event Easy 8 after later than a time or event Easy 9 during within the time of an event or period Easy 10 while at the same time as something else Easy 11 until up to a particular time Easy 12 since from a past time to a later time Easy 13 always on every occasion Easy 14 usually on most occasions Easy 15 often many times Easy 16 sometimes on some occasions Easy 17 rarely not often Easy 18 never at no time Easy 19 first coming before all others Easy 20 last coming after all others Easy 21 next following immediately after Easy 22 previous coming before the current one Easy 23 current happening or existing now Easy 24 future time that has not happened yet Easy 25 past time that has already happened Easy 26 hour a period of sixty minutes Easy 27 minute a period of sixty seconds Easy 28 daily happening each day Easy 29 weekly happening each week Easy 30 monthly happening each month Easy 31 annual happening once a year Easy 32 several more than two but not many Easy 33 few a small number Easy 34 many a large number Easy 35 enough as much as is needed Easy 36 extra more than the usual or needed amount Easy 37 total the amount after all parts are added Easy 38 average a value representing a group of numbers Easy 39 half one of two equal parts Easy 40 double twice as much or as many Easy
Self-check: match the meaning Cover the table above. Here are 8 of the 40 time and quantity words, starting with today : choose the word each definition describes.
the present day today usually daily enough Show answer A. today
after the present time first later few double Show answer B. later
up to a particular time future average until soon Show answer C. until
on some occasions weekly yesterday while sometimes Show answer D. sometimes
following immediately after next many after often Show answer A. next
a period of sixty minutes half hour always last Show answer B. hour
happening once a year recently never annual past Show answer C. annual
more than the usual or needed amount during current monthly extra Show answer D. extra
Using time and quantity words on the test In Listen to an Announcement, recently and until tend to mark the key change or instruction, so note them when you hear them. In Read in Daily Life, words like never and past tell you what a notice or email wants you to do, so read them as clues to the writer's purpose. In Complete the Words you see only the first letters of a word, so practice spelling several and half as well as knowing what they mean. In Listen and Repeat, practice saying later and always inside a full sentence so the stress and endings stay intact. Other easy themes
Previous ← Problems and solutions Next Features and relationships → Frequently Asked Questions How many words are in the time and quantity list? + 40, from today to double, all in the easy tier of our TOEFL list. The self-check quiz on this page tests 8 of them, beginning with today.
Where do time and quantity words appear on the TOEFL? + Language like this is most useful in Listen to an Announcement, Read in Daily Life, Complete the Words and Listen and Repeat. These are everyday words worth being able to use, not just recognize.
Which time and quantity words should I learn first? + Start with later (after the present time); sometimes (on some occasions); hour (a period of sixty minutes). In Listen to an Announcement, recently and until tend to mark the key change or instruction, so note them when you hear them.