#!/bin/bash

TIME_LIMIT=10
INTERVAL=1

echo
echo "Hit Control-C to exit before $TIME_LIMIT seconds."
echo

while [ "$SECONDS" -le "$TIME_LIMIT" ]
do
if [ "$SECONDS" -eq 1 ]
then
units=second
else
units=seconds
fi

echo "This script has been running $SECONDS $units."
# On a slow or overburdened machine, the script may skip a count
#+ every once in a while.
sleep $INTERVAL
done

echo -e "\a" # Beep!

exit 0