English Language Arts
Grade 4
15 min
Identify time-order words
Identify time-order words
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Define time-order words and their purpose in a text.
Identify at least five different time-order words in sentences and short paragraphs.
Explain how time-order words help readers understand the sequence of events.
Categorize time-order words as signals for the beginning, middle, or end of a sequence.
Use time-order words to correctly arrange jumbled sentences into a logical paragraph.
Write a short paragraph that correctly uses at least three time-order words to show sequence.
How does a comic strip tell a story in the right order? 🦸 It uses secret signal words to guide you from one panel to the next!
In this lesson, we will become detectives and learn to spot special words called 'time-order words'. These words are clues that show the sequen...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Sequence of EventsThe specific order in which events happen in a story or a set of instructions.In 'The Three Little Pigs,' the sequence is: the pig builds a straw house, the wolf blows it down, the pig builds a stick house, the wolf blows it down, the pig builds a brick house, the wolf cannot blow it down.
Time-Order WordsWords or phrases that act like signposts to show the reader when something is happening. They are also called signal words or transition words.Words like 'first,' 'next,' 'then,' and 'finally' are time-order words.
Chronological OrderArranging events in the order they happened in time, from the beginning to the middle to the end.A timeline of a historical event is in chronological order.
Beginning W...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The Comma Rule
When a time-order word or phrase starts a sentence, it is almost always followed by a comma.
Use this rule to help you spot time-order words. If you see a word like 'First' or 'Next' at the beginning of a sentence with a comma right after it, it's a big clue that it's a time-order word.
The Story Guide Rule
Time-order words guide the reader through the text like a map.
When you are reading, actively look for these words. They will help you keep track of the plot in a story or the steps in a set of directions, preventing confusion.
The Category Rule
Time-order words belong to different categories: beginning, middle, and end.
Understanding which category a word belongs to helps you predict what's coming next. 'Firs...
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Challenging
You are given four sentences from a story. Based ONLY on the time-order word in each, which sentence MUST be the very last one in the paragraph?
A.little later, the sun began to set.
B.Then, the stars started to appear.
C.First, we found a good spot to watch the sky.
D.Ultimately, we saw a shooting star.
Challenging
A student wrote this paragraph: 'First, I put on my shoes. Second, I tied the laces. Third, I opened the door.' Which set of time-order words would make the sequence sound more like a story and less like a numbered list?
A.1., 2., 3.
B.Firstly, Secondly, Thirdly
C.To begin, After that, Finally
D.One, Two, Three
Challenging
A story uses the time-order words 'Initially,' 'Later,' and 'In the end.' What can you correctly infer about the story's structure?
A.The story describes three events happening at the exact same time.
B.The story is organized chronologically with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
C.The story is confusing because the time-order words are all 'middle' words.
D.The story is most likely a set of instructions for a recipe.
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