grammar · neutral

It is high time + subject + past simple

Band 6-7speakingtask2

Says that something should happen now; often shows annoyance. Use past simple after 'high time' even for present situations.

Examples

“It's high time the school updated its curriculum.”

“Honestly, it's high time we stopped making excuses.”

“It's high time he apologised for his behaviour.”

Band 8 sentence

“Frankly, it's high time universities updated their curricula to prepare students for the modern job market.”

Collocations

  • It is high time + we/they/he/she/you + past simple
  • It's high time that + clause (past simple)

Common mistakes

It is high time to do something.→It is high time we did something.

It is high time we stop complaining.→It is high time we stopped complaining.

Say it for a higher band

5Now it's time to + V→6It's time to + V→7+It is high time + subject + past simple

Synonyms

It's about time + clause

Easily confused

It's about time + clause

“It's about time the government acted on air pollution.”

Related words

By the time + clause, clauseWhether + clause (or not)So + adjective + that + clauseEven if + clause, clauseSuch + (a/an) + noun + that + clauseIf + past perfect, would have + past participleOn the one hand + clause; on the other hand + clauseGiven that + clause, + clause

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In Complex sentences

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