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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'