Temporal Linkers

Temporal Linkers

One thing before another

Before	+ Noun Phrase	Before going to work I wrote some letters.
	+ Clause	Beore I  went to work I wrote some letters.
Prior to	+ Noun Phrase	I had written to her prior to meeting  the committee.
Prefiously		It was nice to be in Rome. Previously I had only been in Venice.
Earlier on	(informal)	I was in the office from 2.30. I was out earlier on.
Formerly	(formal)	The city is now called Thatcherville. Formerly it was Grabtown.

Things that happen at the same time

While		While I waited , I read the newspaper
As		As I was driving to work, I saw an accident.
Whenever		Whenever I watch a sad film, I cry.
Just as		I saw her just as she was turning the corner.
During	+ Noun Phrase	During the war, I lived in Dublin.
Throughout	+ Noun Phrase	Throughout the war, food was rationed.

One thing after another

After	Clause	After I had locked up, I went to bed.
	Noun Phrase	After looking up, I went to bed.
After that,		First we went to the theatre. After that, we had a meal.
Then		First we went to the theatre. Then, we had a meal.
Afterwards		He fell ill was admitted to hospital. He died soon afterwards.
Following	(formal)	Following my visit to Beijing, I bought several books about China.

Time when

When		When I’m rich and famous. I’’ll buy a yacht.
As soon as		As soon as we’ve packed we can leave.
Once		Once we’ve finished we can go and have a coffee.
The moment / the minute		The moment/ the minute I saw his face I knew I’d met him before.
On that occasion	(formal)	I met Polly at Ken’s wedding. On that occasion she was with a different man.

Connecting two periods or events

In the meantime		Dinner will be ready in about an hour. In the meantime, relax and have a drink.
Till then		The new computers are arriving soon. Till then, we will use the old ones.
Since then		I last met him in 1985. Since then I haven’t seen him.
By the time		By the time I retire, I will have worked here 26 years.

Online exercises 1
Online exercises 2
Slideshare 1


Exercise 1: Complete with a temporal linker

a. Wait for me here ...... I go into the Post Office to buy some stamps.
b. I didn't see her, because I arrived ............ she had left.
c. Don't worry, I'll do it .............. I can.
d. We can't leave .................. the taxi comes.
e. I'll buy a new car.......... I sell the old one.
f. They had an accident ............ they were driving home.
g. You must finish your homework .............................. you go out.
i. ................................. he rings me up, I'm in the bath.

Exercise 2: adverbial clause of time

A bird-lover has been watching some birds (swallows) which travel from Africa to Europe every spring.

Complete her diary by putting a word or phrase from the box in each gap.

after     as soon as      since      till

This year the swallows did not arrive _______________________ 2nd June. _______________________ they got here they started building their nests _______________________ . The other flies backwards and forwards to get food for the family. _______________________  it has brought back one mouthful it flies off for more without wasting any time at the nest.

The swallows wil be here _______________________ the end of September. _______________________  that they will fly off to Africa, and it will be another six or seven months _______________________  I see them again. I have been watching swallows every year _______________________  I came to live in this village. That was four years ago. I wonder if it is the same birds which have been coming back _______________________  the first year I was here? _______________________  seeing them return to my house year after year I feel as if they were old friends of my family.

Exercise 3: Fill in the spaces in the sentences with one of these words

when	after
as soon as	as
whenever	while
before	until

1. Arthur promised to pay the rent ______________________________ he got his salary.
2. The news is always bad ______________________________ I read a newspaper.
3. In Britain you can’t get a driving licence for a car ______________________________  your are seventeen.
4. But you can ride a moped ______________________________  you are sixteen.
5. Mrs Harrison used to wash the clothes by hand ______________________________  she bought a washing-machine.
6. I read the newspaper ______________________________ I was waiting for a bus.
7. Don’t look at the answers ______________________________ you have tried all the questions.
8. Their first child was born three years ______________________________  they had got married.
9. She cut her finger ______________________________ she was peeling the potatoes.

Exercise 4. Fill the spaces in this letter with either the present tense or the future tense of the verb in brackets.

Dear Mother and Father,

When you (read) ______________________________  this letter, I (be) ______________________________ in London. I have decided to try and find a job there. I (stay) ______________________________ with a friend until I (start) ______________________________  to earn some money, but as soon as I (find) ______________________________  a job, I (look for) ______________________________ a cheap flat and (send) ______________________________  you the address. Perhaps you (come) ______________________________  to visit me when I (be) ______________________________ settled.

I hope you (not worry) ______________________________  about me I (write) ______________________________  to you again as soon as I (know) ______________________________  my new address.

Please look after the dog for me. I (miss) ______________________________  him.

With love from