It's high time meaning in English

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Definition

It's high time (you met my mother!): You should have (met my mother) before now!, It is late, but not too late (for you to meet my mother)! idiom
In a construction introduced by the phrase "it's time" or "it's high time", we use a verb in the subjunctive past tense to complete the construction. The subjunctive past tense is identical to the simple past for all verbs except "to be".

Examples

  • "I think it's high time that companies took some responsibility for their practices."
Exercise 1
Susan says she thinks it is high time for companies to take responsibility for their actions.

Susan means for companies to behave responsibly.
Susan says she thinks it is high time for companies to take responsibility for their actions.

Susan means now is the time for companies to behave responsibly.
now is the time: This is correct. Susan says "it's high time that companies took some responsibility for their practices" meaning that this is their last chance. "It's high time (you saw the doctor)" means you should have seen the doctor a long time ago. Example: It is high time that the question of illegal immigration was resolved.
it is too soon: This is incorrect. The expression "it's high time" does not mean that it is too soon. Susie thinks that companies should have taken action earlier, not that it is too soon for them to take action.
it is too late: This is incorrect. The expression "it's high time" does not mean that it is too late. Susie thinks that companies should have taken action earlier, not that it is too late for them to take action now.

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