This paper builds on previous research that has established the spoken nature of learner writing by providing quantitative and qualitative accounts of time and place adverbs of student writing in comparison to published academic English writing and native English conversation. The paper shows that the frequency differences among learner groups are not nearly as great as the frequency differences between student writing and conversation. The qualitative analyses point to some L1-L2 differences, particularly with respect to here. The other most pronounced differences were not found as L1-L2 differences but instead showed evidence of divergence due to language background.