time clauses 2014

Time clauses

Time linkers

Time clauses

� To say when something happens.

� Time clauses can refer to the past, present, or future.

� The verb in the time clause can be in a present or a past tense.

I look after the children while she goes to London.

I haven’t given him a thing to eat since he arrived.

� Never use a future tense in a time clause.

I will do it when I will finish. WRONG

� Use one of the present tenses instead.

I will do it when I have finished. RIGHT

� Present tenses:

As soon as I hear any news, I’ll let you know.

John will arrive while we are watching the film.

Let me know as soon as you’ve finished.

Time clauses

� Perfect tenses to emphasize completion (present perfect and past perfect)

Let me know as soon as you’ve finished.

As soon as he had arrived, we started the meeting.

� Sequence of events (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.).

� Events happening at the same time.

� Time clauses are introduced by time linkers.

Two events happen at the same time

AS

WHEN

WHILE

We arrived as they were leaving.

He was having his dinner when the telephone rang.

We had coffee while we were waiting.

One event happens before or after

AFTER

AS SOON AS

BEFORE

WHEN

I will get dressed after I have/have had a shower.

As soon as we get tickets, we’ll send them to you.

Can I see you before you go, Helen?

When he had finished reading, he looked up.

Situation which started in the past and

continued until a later time

SINCE

EVER SINCE

+ past simple

He hadn’t cried since he was a boy of ten.

I’d wanted to come ever sinceI was a child.

I’ve been in politics since I was at university.

Ever since you arrived you’ve been causing trouble.

Situation ends

TILL

UNTIL

+ present/past

tense

We’ll support them tillthey find work.

I stayed there talking to them until I saw Sam.

She waited until he had gone.

Something happens before or at a particular

time

BY THE TIME

By the time we arrived, the party had finished.

By the time I went to bed, I was exhausted.

It will be midnight by the time we finish /have finished.

Participle/noun/gerund

� Subject of the main clause and the time clause are the same.

The car was stolen while parked in a London street.

� Time word + noun.

Several people were arrested following the riots.

� Preposition + gerund.

After recovering from car sickness, you will feel better.

Rule of the sequence of tenses

Main clause Time clause

Present

Future

Imperative

Present simple

Present perfect

Main clause Time clause

Past simple

Past perfect

Past simple

Past perfect

Underline the correct tense

Underline the correct word

Put the verbs in brackets into the correct

tense

Complete each sentence with two to five

words, including the word in bold.

time clauses 2014

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