AV 11 - UNIT THREE - TEST 2 A

GRADE 11 – UNIT 3 – TEST 2
TIME CLAUSES




* We use time conjunctions such as AFTER, WHEN and BEFORE to connect two sentences and explain how they are related by time:
- We got to the campsite. We put our tent up.
→ We put our tent up when we got to the campsite.
* When the time clause is at the beginning of the sentence, we need a comma (,) between it and the main clause:
- When we got to the campsite, we put the tent up.
A. AFTER / WHEN / AS SOON AS / ONCE
We use AFTER, WHEN, AS SOON AS and ONCE to introduce the first action to happen in a series of actions:
- After / When / As soon as / Once we got to the campsite, we put up the tent.
(action 1 = arrive, action 2 = put up the tent)
* We usually use the past simple with `when`:
- When we arrived at the campsite …
* With AFTER, AS SOON AS and ONCE, we can also use the `past perfect`:
- After / As soon as / Once we’d arrived …
B. BEFORE / UNTIL / BY THE TIME
We use BEFORE, UNTIL and BY THE TIME to introduce the second action in a series of actions:
- We bought some fruit before we sat down to eat.
(action 1 = buy fruit, action 2 = sit down)
* UNTIL shows that the first action stops just before the second action starts:
- We waited until the rain stopped / had stopped.
You do not normally use UNTIL at the beginning of a sentence.
- By the time shows that the first action takes place at an unspecified time before the second action:
- The sky had cleared by the time we’d got back to the campsite. (We don’t know exactly when the sky cleared.)
* We normally use the past simple with `before`. We can use either the past simple or the past perfect with `until` and `by the time`:
- We waited until it stopped / had stopped raining.
- By the time we got / had got there, it had stopped raining.
C. AFTER / BEFORE + -ing
We can also form time phrases using `after` or `before` followed by verb + -ing:
- After we ate … → After eating, …
We only use the -ing form when the subject of the verb is the same for both phrases:
- After we had eaten, we played cards. (The subject is the same.)
→ After eating, we played cards.
- After we had eaten, the barman invited us to a game of cards.
(The -ing form is not possible without changing the meaning.)
* We use the time conjunctions WHEN, WHILE and AS to connect two sentences and show that the two actions happen at the same time:
- I was walking down the street. I saw the strangest thing.
→ I saw the strangest thing happen when/while/as I was walking down the street.
* We need a comma (,) after the time clause when it is at the beginning of the sentence:
- When/While/As I was walking down the street, I saw the strangest thing.
D. WHEN. We use `when` (and not `as` or `while`) to talk about a short action that happened at the same time as a longer action. We use the past simple for the short action:
- We were eating supper when it started to rain.
* WHILE. We usually use `while` (although `when` is also possible) to talk about two long actions that happened at the same time. Use the past continuous for both actions:
- While he was putting the tent up, the others were unpacking the car.
* AS. We use `as` to talk about two short actions that happened at the same time. Use the past simple for both actions:
- As I opened the door, I heard a noise.



E. WHEN / WHILE + -ing. You can form time phrases with when/while + verb + -ing.
We use `when` for a short action, and use `when` or `while` for a long action:
- When receiving the award, he smiled and shook her hand. (= at the moment when he received the award)
- When/While answering questions from the press, he took time to think carefully about his answers. (= during the whole time)
* We often use clauses with `when` + -ing`:
• to introduce a set of instructions:
- When speaking in public, always remember to speak slowly and clearly.
• to talk about habits:
- When talking to the camera, he always looked at