Mastering “In the Meantime”: A Simple Grammar Guide for English Learners
Are you waiting for something to happen? What do you do during that waiting period? In English, we have a perfect phrase for this exact situation: in the meantime. Understanding how to use adverbial phrases like this one is a key step toward improving your sentence structure and achieving fluency in English. This simple guide will explain its meaning, grammar rules, and provide sentence examples to help you use it with confidence.
Table of Contents
- What Does “In the Meantime” Mean?
- What Type of Adverbial Phrase Is “In the Meantime”?
- Example Sentences with “In the Meantime”
- When and How to Use “In the Meantime”
- Summary and Practice Tip
What Does “In the Meantime” Mean?
The phrase “in the meantime” means during the period of time between two events, or while you are waiting for something else to happen.
Its function is to modify a verb by telling us when an action takes place. It connects what you are doing now with what you are expecting to happen later. Think of it as a bridge between a waiting period and a future event. Using it helps make your sentences more detailed and natural.
More: Mastering 'In Recent Months': A Simple Grammar Guide
What Type of Adverbial Phrase Is “In the Meantime”?
As a verb modifier, in the meantime is classified as an adverbial phrase of time. It answers the question, “When?”
Grammatical Structure
Let's break down its parts:
- Preposition:
in - Article:
the - Noun:
meantime
The word “meantime” refers to an intervening period of time. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, "meantime" is a noun that means "the time while something else is happening."
Position in a Sentence
This phrase is flexible. You can place it in a few different positions:
- At the beginning:
In the meantime, I will prepare dinner. (This is very common and requires a comma.) - At the end: I will prepare dinner
in the meantime.
Here are some simple sentence patterns:
In the meantime, Subject + Verb + Object.- Subject + Verb + Object +
in the meantime.
More: Mastering 'Since That Night': Grammar Guide for English Learners
Example Sentences with “In the Meantime”
Seeing this phrase in context is the best way to learn. Here are a few sentence examples that show its natural use.
- The movie starts at 8:00 PM. In the meantime, let's walk around the mall.
- My computer is updating. I’ll check my emails on my phone in the meantime.
Here is how it sounds in a short conversation:
- Person A: "The meeting was postponed until next Friday."
- Person B: "Okay. In the meantime, we should gather the necessary data for the presentation."
More: Mastering 'During the Lecture': An ESL Grammar Guide
When and How to Use “In the Meantime”
This adverbial phrase is useful in many situations, from professional emails to casual conversations. It helps manage expectations and describe how you use your time.
Formal vs. Informal Use
- Formal: In an email, you might write, "Your request is being reviewed. In the meantime, please feel free to browse our FAQ section."
- Informal: When talking to a friend, you could say, "My train is late. In the meantime, I'm just listening to music."
Related Phrases & Common Mistakes
A common synonym is "meanwhile." It can often be used interchangeably. For example, "The doctor will see you soon. Meanwhile, please fill out this form."
A frequent point of confusion is the spelling. Is it “meantime” or “mean time”?
- Correct:
in the meantime(one word) - Incorrect:
in the mean time(two words)
While “mean time” appears in older texts, the modern and standard spelling for this phrase is the single word meantime. Stick to the one-word version for clear and correct ESL writing.
Summary and Practice Tip
To summarize, in the meantime is an essential adverbial phrase of time. It clearly communicates what someone is doing while waiting for a future event. It’s versatile, fitting into both formal and informal contexts, and is a great tool for improving your English grammar and fluency.
Your turn to practice! Think about the last time you had to wait for something—a bus, a friend, or a file to download. What did you do? Write your own sentence in the comments below using in the meantime.
