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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

before

Present clause: I have to buy new shoes before

Past

Now

Future

Present simple: I wear that dress.

Wedding Dress

I have to buy new shoes before I wear that dress.

Image by Casey Horner
Image by Hans Vivek

Past tense clause: I liked this band before

Past

Now

Future

Past simple: they were famous

Music Photographers At A Concert

I liked this band before they were famous.

Insurance Agent

Past tense clause: I used to work in an office before

Past

Now

Future

Past simple: I became a teacher

Young Teacher

I used to work in insurance before I became a teacher.

Red Wine

Present clause: I might have a drink before

Past

Now

Future

Future simple: (I have) dinner.

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'

I used to work in an office before becoming a teacher.

I'm going to phone my doctor before I grab a drink with Jamie.

  • Subjects are both the same

  • The verb is not the verb 'be'

I'm going to phone my doctor before grabbing a drink with Jamie.

She should respond to her emails before she prepares the presentation.

  • Subjects are both the same

  • The verb is not the verb 'be'

She should respond to her emails before preparing the presentation.

I was living in Spain before I was in America.

  • Subjects are both the same

  • The verb is not the verb 'be'

I was living in Spain before I was in America.

My father ate dinner before I went to see him.

  • Subjects are both the same

  • The verb is not the verb 'be'

My father ate dinner before I went to see him.

Examples with nouns

You can only use a noun when the verb is obvious. For example:

  • go to the gym

  • eat / have breakfast

  • go to bed

  • go to work

I wear my gym clothes before I go to the gym.

​

I wear my gym clothes before I go to the gym.

​

I wear my gym clothes before the gym.

My brother played on the computer before he had breakfast.

​

My brother played on the computer before he has breakfast.

​

My brother played on the computer before breakfast.

My children always brush their teeth and hair before bed. 

I might go to the gym before work.

This is a noun: door.

​

It is not 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 before door.

​

It is wrong because the listener does not know which verb should go here:

​

I will put a jacket on before _______ door.

Putting 'Before' at the front

I went to Italy...

Past

Now

Future

???????

What happened before you went to Italy?

Before I went to Italy

Past

Now

Future

I studied Italian.

Before I went to Italy, I studied Italian.

Examples

I studied Italian before I went to Italy.

Before I went to Italy, I studied Italian.

My boss prepared for his presentation before having lunch.

Before having lunch my boss prepared for his presentation.

In the morning, my boyfriend always checks his emails before having a shower.

In the morning, before having a shower, my boyfriend always checks his emails

Practice

Swap the clauses in these sentences:

I always read a book before going to bed.

​

Before going to bed I always read a book.

Tom checked the website before he went to the station.

Before he went to the station, Tom checked the website.

Answer

I'm going to phone the bank before I phone my friends.

Before I phone my friends, I'm going to phone the bank.

Answer

Before - negative

To make the sentence negative, change the 1st action.

I will not study Italian before

Past

Now

Future

I go to Italy.

I will not study Italian before I go to Italy.

​

I will not study Italian before going to Italy.

​

Before I go to Italy, I will not study Italian.

​

Before going to Italy, I will not study Italian.

Before - questions (?)

To make the sentence into a question, change the 1st action into a question.

Will you study Italian before

Past

Now

Future

you go to Italy?

Will you study Italian before you go to Italy?

​

Will you study Italian before going to Italy?

​

Before you go to Italy, will you study Italian?

​

Before going to Italy, will you study Italian?

Practice

Change these sentences into questions.

We should check the time of the meeting before we go.

​

Should we check the time of the meeting before we go?

Before responding to the email I could check the companies website.

Before responding to the email you could check the companies website?

Answer

I am going to prepare some of the food before grabbing the rest.

Are you going to prepare some of the food before grabbing the rest?

Answer

Builder / Construction

Vocabulary
Practice
Scaffolding

Before you

lift

must

Image by Lance Grandahl

wear

Before you lift a scaffolding pole you must wear gloves.

​

Before lifting a scaffolding pole you must wear gloves.

​

'a scaffolding pole' can be 'the' if the speaking is referring to one specific pole.

Answers
Image by Tekton

I

need

before

Table

build

I need a screw driver before I build the table.

​

I need a screw driver before building the table.

Answers
Notebook

read

Everyone

should

Fabric Machinery in Factory

before

use

Everyone should read the instructions before they use machinery.

​

Everyone should read the instructions before using machinery. 

Answers
Building a House

Before

build

I

Blueprint

will

read

Before I build the house I will follow the blueprints.

​

Before building the house I will follow the blueprints.

Answers
Image by Paweł Czerwiński

Before

fix

I

Image by Tekton

must

Sawing Together
Red Hammer

get

Before I fix the bookshelf I must get a screw driver, saw and hammer.

​

Before fixing the bookshelf I must get a screw driver, saw and hammer.

Answers

Examples with 'chunks'

At the beach, you should put on sun-cream before going into the sun.

​

I watched the film for two hours before I fell asleep.

​

On Sunday, before going to the supermarket, I made a delicious breakfast. 

 

I go to the gym twice a week before going to work.

​

Every Sunday, before the week starts, I prepare food.

+ LOCATION CHUNK

+ DURATION CHUNK

+ TIME CHUNK

+ FREQUENCY CHUNK

Conclusion

  • [1st action] before [2nd action]

​

  • Before [2nd action], [1st action]

​

  • [2nd action] can be in the gerund form if:

    • the subject is the same

    • the verb is not the verb 'be'

​​

  • [2nd action] can be a noun if:​

    • the subject is the same​

    • the noun with the verb is obvious to the listener

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