When
When I was young, I used to play a lot of football.
Pre-learning
Clauses
A clause is a sentence or part of a sentence. It has a subject and a verb / verb 'be'.
I was young. = clause
​
I used to play a lot of football. = clause
Other examples
I like cats and dogs.
I like cats and dogs. = clause
I like cats and dogs because they are fun.
I like cats and dogs = clause
​
they are fun = clause
I was eating my dinner.
I was eating my dinner. = clause
I was eating my dinner so we could go shopping later.
I was eating my dinner = clause
​
we could go shopping later. = clause
Review of grammar
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Present simple: I am, I have, She eats
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Past simple: I was, I had, She ate
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Future simple: I will be, I will have, She will eat
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Present continuous: I am having, She is eating
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Present perfect: I have been, She has eaten
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Future possible: I am going to, I might, She could, He may, They should
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Past continuous: I was having, She was eating
When + verb 'be' + noun
When subject + verb 'be' + noun
![8:00am](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/600d9c_409fe33b201b470ea6720aab6e93ef89~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_73,h_37,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/600d9c_409fe33b201b470ea6720aab6e93ef89~mv2.png)
8 o'clock
![10:00pm](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/600d9c_a0bc3d4e029f45288e2401aaa5b9b86e~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_71,h_44,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/600d9c_a0bc3d4e029f45288e2401aaa5b9b86e~mv2.png)
10 o'clock
![Evening](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_336a514b53555141626230~mv2_d_2000_3000_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_221,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/nsplsh_336a514b53555141626230~mv2_d_2000_3000_s_2.jpg)
![2021](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_4563677972794779676545~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/nsplsh_4563677972794779676545~mv2.jpg)
![Christmas](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_cb81cf10004848708ce649bd8ad6bf7b~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_93,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/11062b_cb81cf10004848708ce649bd8ad6bf7b~mv2.jpg)
![Halloween](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fa7b1bc2ad844b408e0f57cbd4ec27a2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_92,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/fa7b1bc2ad844b408e0f57cbd4ec27a2.jpg)
![Summer](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_c1580eb9f61140e2bdabfc2abd61ae95~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/nsplsh_c1580eb9f61140e2bdabfc2abd61ae95~mv2.jpg)
![Spring](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_734b4a377a53796c55616f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_92,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/nsplsh_734b4a377a53796c55616f~mv2.jpg)
![a child](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4bb2ab9005274890a8e6b2ddc8aeae68.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/4bb2ab9005274890a8e6b2ddc8aeae68.jpg)
![an adult](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_6aa54d734a3d4b949aab3df18215c3a0~mv2_d_6720_4480_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/11062b_6aa54d734a3d4b949aab3df18215c3a0~mv2_d_6720_4480_s_4_2.jpg)
![a doctor](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b924a917551eeef6441fed28011a5afb.jpg/v1/fill/w_120,h_180,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/b924a917551eeef6441fed28011a5afb.jpg)
![a teacher](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_b29bdba8d1664ffc889637cd1282a5a3~mv2_d_5760_3840_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/11062b_b29bdba8d1664ffc889637cd1282a5a3~mv2_d_5760_3840_s_4_2.jpg)
Examples
When it's 8 o'clock...
​
When it's Christmas...
​
When it was summer...
​
When it was 1998...
​
When it's Halloween...
​
When it's Tuesday...
​
When it was April...
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When I was a doctor...
​
When I am a teacher...
When + verb 'be' + adjective
When subject + verb 'be' + adjective...
![8-years-old](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4bb2ab9005274890a8e6b2ddc8aeae68.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/4bb2ab9005274890a8e6b2ddc8aeae68.jpg)
![24-years-old](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/83524445ca90408594501cacb2567307.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_132,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/83524445ca90408594501cacb2567307.jpg)
![42-years-old](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/bf0c67fd25074a289366d279be37f30d.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_129,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/bf0c67fd25074a289366d279be37f30d.jpg)
![72-years-old](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/63af4e0cb545211fd8cf6b7ba62a7160.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_145,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/63af4e0cb545211fd8cf6b7ba62a7160.jpg)
![Young](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/153132fcaff644d3a590600eaee93625.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_191,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/153132fcaff644d3a590600eaee93625.jpg)
![Old](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/dde81deff001c6ba0f0009b549e199d7.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/dde81deff001c6ba0f0009b549e199d7.jpg)
Examples
When I was 8-years-old...
​
When I was 24-years-old...
​
When I'm 42-years-old...
​
When I was young...
​
When I'm old...
When + verb phrase
When subject + verb phrase
Examples
![finish](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e35d2ccb0bad43dc99d74ba44e7876d5.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/e35d2ccb0bad43dc99d74ba44e7876d5.jpg)
![wear](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_6f52564237746352315949~mv2_d_6000_4000_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/nsplsh_6f52564237746352315949~mv2_d_6000_4000_s_4_2.jpg)
![speak](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1aa76b7f38e743de86ad2fc368d21662.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/1aa76b7f38e743de86ad2fc368d21662.jpg)
![start](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_74683934695a6345624a4d~mv2_d_3024_4032_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_196,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/nsplsh_74683934695a6345624a4d~mv2_d_3024_4032_s_4_2.jpg)
![work](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_55f7c58575ed416d81cd418c3e06dcdf~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/nsplsh_55f7c58575ed416d81cd418c3e06dcdf~mv2.jpg)
![live](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_48683138504f537835716b~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_87,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/nsplsh_48683138504f537835716b~mv2.jpg)
When I worked...
​
When I start...
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When I lived...
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When I joined...
​
When I wear...
Creating sentences
When + subject + verb 'be' + noun, clause
​
When + subject + verb 'be' + adjective, clause
​
When + subject + verb phrase, clause
When it's 8 o'clock
Past
Now
Future
I always have a cup of coffee
When it's 8 o'clock, I always have a cup of coffee.
When I was young
Past
I used to live in France
Now
Future
When I was young, I used to live in France.
When I live in Italy
Past
Now
I should speak Italian
Future
When I live in Italy, I should speak Italian.
Practice
Christmas / buy / for / When / my / it's / I / presents / family
When it's Christmas, I buy presents for my family.
I'm / travel / around the world / going / old / When / I'm / to
When I'm old, I'm going to travel around the world.
Answer
started / my / When / excited / very / I / new / was / job / I
When I started my new job, I was very excited.
Answer
speak / in front of / I / a / When / large / people / nervous / group / of / I / get
When I speak in front of a large group of people, I get nervous.
Answer
![when english grammar](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f69a2a7a84cc40f38069c602570fd0da.jpg/v1/crop/x_506,y_0,w_1606,h_2154/fill/w_51,h_68,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_3,enc_auto/kid%20superhero%20costume.jpg)
Halloween / costume / wear / should / you / it's / When / a / scary
When it's Halloween, you should wear a scary costume.
Answer
Swap the clauses
You can swap the clauses and the sentence means the same.
When it's Christmas, I buy presents for my family.
I buy presents for my family when it's Christmas.
Note: in the second sentence I removed comma (,). It's personal preference.
When I started my new job, I was very excited.
I was very excited when I started my new job.
When my sister was 17 she went to live in Spain.
My sister went to live in Spain when she was 17.
Note: the first pronoun needs to more specific than 'she'. Therefore we make sure first pronoun is specific.
When - negative
We make the 'non-when' clause negative.
When my sister was 17 she went to live in Spain.
When my sister was 17 she did not go to live in Spain.
When I started by new job, I was very excited.
When I started by new job, I was not very excited.
When I finish work, I often have a beer.
When I finish work, I do not often have a beer.
When - questions (?)
We make the 'non-when' clause into a question.
When my sister was 17 she went to live in Spain.
When my sister was 17 did she go to live in Spain?
When I started by new job, I was very excited.
When you started by new job, were you very excited?
When I finish work, I often have a beer.
When you finish work, do you often have a beer?
Useful tip for remembering how to use 'when...'
Think of 'when...' as a time chunk. Let's take the clause: "I went to Italy" and add some time chunks.
I went to Italy.
​
Last night I went to Italy.
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In 2019 I went to Italy.
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Two years ago I went to Italy.
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When I was 23 I went to Italy.
​
When I was a teacher I went to Italy.
​
When I worked as a doctor I went to Italy.
Accountant
Vocabulary - Verbs
Vocabulary - Nouns
![Exams](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/da73d02f0c124d16bc6f4ad456ce9b5f.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/da73d02f0c124d16bc6f4ad456ce9b5f.jpg)
![Clients](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_3b4e99f310fd4dfa99e671748074b123~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/11062b_3b4e99f310fd4dfa99e671748074b123~mv2.jpg)
Professional customers. People that use your service.
![Meeting](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/561197a90e6d4a6bb1cf92609952eb46.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/561197a90e6d4a6bb1cf92609952eb46.jpg)
![Accounts](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_6dd0686f46df414eaae0238e00f9be33~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/11062b_6dd0686f46df414eaae0238e00f9be33~mv2.jpg)
![Report](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_9b52a0adb0ac4756a04a9e7aeaa7ce3d~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_102,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/11062b_9b52a0adb0ac4756a04a9e7aeaa7ce3d~mv2.jpeg)
Simple clauses:
​
I have exams.
​
I prepare reports.
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I advise clients.
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I have meetings with clients.
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I balance the accounts.
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I write reports.
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I check the accounts.
When clauses:
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When it's the end of the year...
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When I was studying...
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When I get into the office...
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When clients ask...
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When it's Christmas...
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When the accounts are finished
Joined sentences
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I had exams when I was studying.
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When it's the end of the year I balance the accounts.
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When I get into the office I have meetings with clients.
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When clients ask I prepare reports.
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When it's Christmas I write reports.
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I advice clients when they ask.
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When the accounts are finished I will check them.