Before
I studied Italian before 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 first we can use 'before'.
I studied Italian before
Past
Now
Future
I went to Italy.
I studied Italian before I went to Italy.
Explain - Present / Future tense
Let's talk a clause:
I go to Italy.
Past
Now
Future
I go to Italy.
Add another clause and use 'before' to say it will happen first:
I will study Italian.
I will study Italian before
Past
Now
Future
I go to Italy.
I will study Italian before I go to Italy.
Rules
Past tense
Past tense clause before past simple clause
Present / Future tense
Present / Future tense clause before present / future simple clause
Examples
Present clause: I have to buy new shoes before
Past
Now
Future
Present simple: I wear that dress.
I have to buy new shoes before I wear that dress.
Past tense clause: I liked this band before
Past
Now
Future
Past simple: they were famous
I liked this band before they were famous.
Past tense clause: I used to work in an office before
Past
Now
Future
Past simple: I became a teacher
I used to work in insurance before I became a teacher.
Present clause: I might have a drink before
Past
Now
Future
Future simple: (I have) dinner.
I might have a drink before (I have) dinner.
Note: we can remove the second 'I have' because it is repeated.
Vocabulary
meeting (noun) = two or more people come together to discuss something (formal)
sales (noun) = a department involved in selling goods / products
regarding (preposition) = formal for 'about'
website (noun) = a companies or persons internet presence (www.____.com)
Practice - Past Tense
Yesterday
9:00am - checked my emails
9:30am - prepared the presentation
11:00am - had a meeting with Jeff
1:00pm - grabbed lunch
1:15pm - responded to emails
2:00pm - phoned David in sales
3:00pm - spoke to clients regarding the website
Actions: checked emails & prepared the presentation
checked emails
Past
Now
Future
prepared the presentation
I checked my emails before I prepared the presentation.
Actions: prepared the presentation & had a meeting with Jeff
prepared the presentation
Past
Now
Future
had a meeting with Jeff
I prepared the presentation before I had a meeting with Jeff.
Answer
Actions: had a meeting with Jeff & grabbed lunch
I had a meeting with Jeff before I grabbed lunch.
Answer
Actions: phone David from sales & spoke to clients regarding the website
I phoned David from sales before I spoke to clients regrading the website
Answer
Practice - Present / Future Tense
Tomorrow
4:45pm - phone the bank (very important - bad if you don't do it)
5:30pm - finish work
6:00pm - meet Daisy for a drink (very likely)
7:00pm - have dinner
9:00pm - watch TV (might)
11:00pm - go to bed
Actions: phone the bank & finish work
I have to phone the bank before I finish work.
Answer
Actions: meet Daisy for a drink & have dinner
I'm going to meet Daisy for a drink before I have dinner.
Answer
Actions: watch TV & go to bed
I might watch TV before I go to bed.
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 cannot be the verb 'be'
Examples with gerunds
I used to work in an office before I became a teacher.
-
Subjects are both the same
-
The verb is not the verb 'be'