B: Time Lines

BSL does not use tenses that show past, present and future in the same way as English or many other spoken languages. Instead BSL uses signs that move through space to show time. These movements are called timelines.

Timeline A: Signs that point over the shoulder are used to show that something happened in the past. To show the future signs move forward from the shoulder.

Timeline B: the lower arm and hand are used to indicate weeks or short lengths of time.

Timeline C:

Timeline D:

Next – C: Telling the Time