Soon

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Soon can function both as a temporal adverb and an adverb of degreeaffecting how quickly an action is perceived.
2. In different contexts'soon' can convey varying degrees of urgencyfrom casual to more pressing expectations.
3. The word soon can also be influenced by the context in which it is used; for example'I will finish my homework soon' implies a different timeframe than 'The train will arrive soon.'
4. 'Soon' is often used with verbs of action to indicate that the action will commence shortly after the present moment.
5. In literary contexts'soon' can be employed to create suspenseas it hints at impending events or developments.

Review Questions

• How does the adverb 'soon' differ from other temporal adverbs like 'later' and 'eventually' in terms of urgency and time frame?
  • 'Soon' implies a shorter and more immediate time frame than 'later' or 'eventually.' While 'later' suggests a postponed action and 'eventually' indicates something that will happen at an unspecified future time'soon' conveys a sense of urgency and expectation for something to occur in the near future. This distinction is essential when conveying the timing of events or actions in writing.
• Discuss how the meaning of 'soon' can change based on context and its impact on reader expectations.
  • 'Soon's meaning can shift significantly depending on the context in which it appears. For instancein a conversation about an upcoming meetingsaying it will happen 'soon' might suggest it will start within minutes. Howeverin a more relaxed context like planning a vacation'soon' may imply within weeks. This variability influences how readers perceive timelines and can heighten anticipation or tension in narratives.
• Evaluate the role of 'soon' in narrative writing and its effectiveness in building suspense or foreshadowing future events.
  • 'Soon' plays a crucial role in narrative writing by creating a sense of immediacy and foreshadowing upcoming events. When authors use 'soon,' they set up expectations for the reader about what is to comeallowing them to anticipate actions or outcomes. This technique effectively builds suspense by hinting that something significant will happen shortlyencouraging readers to stay engaged as they await developments in the story.