# ago

/əˈɡoʊ/ (US) · /ɐɡˈəʊ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ago
Updated: 2026-05-01

## Senses

### 1. before now

adverb · CEFR A1

in the past, counting back from the present time.

For teachers: at a specified distance in the past from the moment of speaking. It functions as a postpositional adverb following a noun phrase of duration.

- I finished my homework two hours ago and now I am watching TV.
- The company was founded over a century ago by a group of local merchants who saw a gap in the shipping market.

Usage: Always follows the time expression (e.g., 'ten minutes ago', not 'ago ten minutes').

### 2. gone or passed

adjective · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary · Dialect

gone or finished in the past.

For teachers: denoting a time or state that has passed or departed. This use is largely restricted to fixed literary phrases or specific regional dialects.

- In the days long ago, people traveled everywhere by horse.
- The old traditions are now long ago, replaced by the rapid pace of modern industrial life.

Usage: Usually appears as a post-positive adjective or as the variant 'agone'.

## Examples

- I finished my homework ten minutes ago.
- The company moved its headquarters to this city five years ago to reduce operating costs.
- While the initial discovery occurred decades ago, researchers only recently secured the funding necessary to conduct a comprehensive study of the site's historical significance.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.