After
I studied Italian after I went to Italy.
Explain - Past tense
We take a clause:
I went to Italy.
Past
Now
Future
I went to Italy.
Add another clause:
I studied Italian.
To say this clause happened second we can use 'after'.
I studied Italian after
Past
Now
Future
I went to Italy.
I studied Italian after I went to Italy.
Explain - Present / Future tense
Let's take a clause:
I go to Italy.
Past
Now
Future
I go to Italy.
Add another clause and use 'after' to say it will happen second:
I will study Italian.
I will study Italian after
Past
Now
Future
I go to Italy.
I will study Italian after I go to Italy.
Rules
Past tense
Past tense clause after past simple clause
Present / Future tense
Present / Future tense clause after present simple / present perfect clause
Examples
Present clause: I want to eat after
Past
Now
Future
Present perfect: we've been to the cinema.
I want to eat dinner after we've been to the cinema.
Past tense clause: We went swimming
Past
Now
Future
Past simple: we got home from work.
We went swimming after we got home from work.
Past tense clause: I used to like a coffee
Past
Now
Future
Past simple: I got-up
I used to like a coffee after I got-up.
Present clause: I might have a drink after
Past
Now
Future
Present simple: (I have) dinner.
I might have a drink after (I have) dinner.
Note: we can remove the second 'I have' because it is repeated.
Drivers
Vocabulary - nouns
Vocabulary - verbs
Practice - Past tense
Yesterday
3:00pm - Natalia - her office
3:27pm - Naoko - the airport
4:06pm - Ben - a restaurant
4:42pm - Janice - a meeting across town
5:15pm - 5:45pm - break
6:19pm - Peter - his house
7:00pm - Jamie - the airport
Actions: Natalia / take & Naoko / drop off
Natalia / take
Past
Now
Future
Naoko / drop off
I took Naoko to the airport after I dropped off Natalia.
Actions: Ben / drop off & Janice / pick up
Ben / drop off
Past
Now
Future
Janice / pick up
I picked up Janice at a meeting across town after I dropped off Ben at a restaurant.
Answer
Actions: have my break & Peter / take
I took Peter to his house after I had my break.
Answer
Actions: Peter / drop off & Jamie / collect
I collected Jamie to go to the airport after I dropped off Peter.
Answer
Practice - Present / Future tense
Tomorrow
10:00am - Yasmine - from home to a meeting
10:30am - Kelly - hospital (very important)
11:15am - Ellie - shopping centre (95% certain to happen)
1:00pm - lunch
3:00pm - Penny - airport (100% certain)
Actions: Yasmine / collect / drop off & Kelly / take
I have to take Kelly to the hospital after I take Yasmine from her home to a meeting.
Answer
Actions: Kelly / drop off & Ellie / take
I'm going to take Ellie to the shopping centre after I drop off Kelly at the hospital.
Answer
Actions: lunch / have & Penny / take
I will take Penny to the airport after I have lunch.
Answer
Nouns / gerunds
We can make the second clause into a noun or gerund.
Rules:
-
Subjects on both clauses must be the same
-
The verb 'be' must be changed into the 'be' verb
Examples with gerunds
I have to pick up David after I drop off Ben at the airport.
-
Subjects on both clauses must be the same
-
The verb 'be' must be changed into the 'be' verb
I have to pick up David after dropping off Ben at the airport.
I dropped off Nick after I chatted with him about sports.
-
Subjects on both clauses must be the same
-
The verb 'be' must be changed into the 'be' verb
I dropped off Nick after chatting with him about sports.
She should know the way after she goes there once.
-
Subjects on both clauses must be the same
-
The verb 'be' must be changed into the 'be' verb
She should know the way after going there once.
The car looks good after it is cleaned.
-
Subjects on both clauses must be the same
-
The verb 'be' must be changed into the 'be' verb
The car looks good after being cleaned.
My colleague picked up Kevin after I dropped off Michael.
-
Subjects on both clauses must be the same
-
The verb 'be' must be changed into the 'be' verb
My colleague picked up Kevin after I dropped off Michael.
Examples with nouns
You can only use a noun when the associated verb is obvious. For example:
-
deliver / drop-off a parcel
-
drive the number 15 bus
-
eat / have lunch
I'm going to drop off this parcel after I drop off that parcel.
I'm going to drop off this parcel after I drop off that parcel..
I'm going to drop off this parcel after that parcel..
My friend is going to drive the number 23 bus after he drives the number 15 bus.
My friend is going to drive the number 23 bus after he drives the number 15 bus.
My friend is going to drive the number 23 bus after the number 15 bus.
The driver should pick up the parcel after lunch.
This is a noun: door.
It is not associated with or used mostly with any verb. You could: open, close, pull, push or hang a door.
This sentence is wrong:
I will put a jacket on after door.
It is wrong because the listener does not know which verb should go here:
I will put a jacket on after _______ door.
Putting 'After' at the front
I went to Italy...
Past
Now
Future
???????
What happened after you went to Italy?
After I went to Italy
Past
Now
Future
I studied Italian.
After I went to Italy, I studied Italian.
Examples
I studied Italian after I went to Italy.
After I went to Italy, I studied Italian.
I must take my mum to the supermarket after breakfast.
After breakfast I must take my mum to the supermarket.
In the morning, my dad will drive a lorry to Brighton after picking up lots of parcels.
In the morning, after picking up lots of parcels, my dad will drive a lorry to Brighton.
Practice
Swap the clauses in these sentences:
I usually fall asleep on the sofa after watching a film.
After watching a film I usually fall asleep on the sofa.
I picked up a customer after taking Lucy to the train station.
After taking Lucy to the train station I picked up a customer.
Answer
I have to drive the Central Line train this week after driving the District Line train last week.
After driving the District Line train last week I have to drive the Central Line train this week.
Answer
After - negative
To make the sentence negative, change the 2nd action.
I will not study Italian after
Past
Now
Future
I go to Italy.
I will not study Italian after I go to Italy.
I will not study Italian after going to Italy.
After I go to Italy, I will not study Italian.
After going to Italy, I will not study Italian.
After - questions (?)
To make the sentence into a question, change the 2nd action into a question.
Will you study Italian after
Past
Now
Future
you go to Italy?
Will you study Italian after you go to Italy?
Will you study Italian after going to Italy?
After you go to Italy, will you study Italian.
After going to Italy, will you study Italian.
Practice
Change these sentences into questions.
I need to pick up Tim after I drop off Steven.
Do I need to pick up Tim after I drop off Steven?
A driver must clean the car after driving it all day.
Must a driver clean the car after driving it all day?
Answer
I used to stay overnight after I drove lorries to France.
Are you going to prepare some of the food before grabbing the rest?
Answer
Examples with 'chunks'
I might go out for a drink after work tonight.
My mum used to clean the house for 3 hours after Christmas.
At the cinema, after watching the film, we always go to the pub to chat about it.
I go to the gym twice a week after going to work.
Every day, after work, I watch read the newspaper in the living room.
+ TIME CHUNK
+ DURATION CHUNK
+ LOCATION CHUNK
+ FREQUENCY CHUNK
+ LOCATION CHUNK
Conclusion
-
[2nd action] after [1st action]
-
After [1st action], [2nd action]
-
[1st action] can be in the gerund form if:
-
the subject is the same
-
the verb 'be' is changed to the 'be' form
-
-
[1st action] can be a noun if:
-
the subject is the same
-
the noun with the verb is obvious to the listener
-