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Sequence of Tenses: A. Clauses of Time

This document discusses clauses of time and time conjunctions. It provides examples of time conjunctions such as when, as, while, before, after, until, till, by the time, just as, since, whenever and every time. It explains how to use these conjunctions to indicate events happening simultaneously or consecutively. It also discusses the sequence of tenses used with time clauses and provides warnings on incorrect usage of time conjunctions like will, until and during.

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96 views4 pages

Sequence of Tenses: A. Clauses of Time

This document discusses clauses of time and time conjunctions. It provides examples of time conjunctions such as when, as, while, before, after, until, till, by the time, just as, since, whenever and every time. It explains how to use these conjunctions to indicate events happening simultaneously or consecutively. It also discusses the sequence of tenses used with time clauses and provides warnings on incorrect usage of time conjunctions like will, until and during.

Uploaded by

Ricardo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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A.

Clauses of Time
Clauses of time are introduced by a conjuction:

When
As
While
As soon as
Before
After
Until
Till
By the time
Just as
Since
The moment (that)
Whenever
Every time

They can go before the main clause (separated by comma) or after the
main clause (no comma is required).

Sequence of tenses
Main clause

Time
clause

Examples

Present / Future

Present

Ill call you until he


arrives.

Past

Past

I waited until he called me.

Warning
We dont use will after conjunctions referring to future time:
When people walk into the room, they will feel something special.
Not: When people will walk into the room
I will call you as soon as I get to the office.
Not: as soon as I will get to the office.

Time Conjunctions
Conjunctions

use

Examples

When
As
While

For two events happening


at the same time

They arrived as we were


leaving. (time conjunction
meaning while or when)

Just (as)

For two short actions


happening at the same
time

Just as we got to the


museum, they closed.

When
Once
As soon as
Before
After

For events taking place


one after the other

When we were in Greece, we


went to as many islands as
possible.
They always close their
curtains once they get home
in the evening.
As soon as we hear any
news, well call you.

By the time

Meaning not later than

Until
Till

Meaning up to a certain
time

Warning:
We dont normally put
the until-clause before the
main clause:
No one left the

Im going to wait until the


January sales start to buy a
new jacket.
Lets wait here till the rain
stops. (till + subordinate
clause)

room until the talk ended.


Not: Until the talk ended no
one left the room.

Until: typical errors

We dont use until to


talk about things that will
happen before a particular
time or deadline; we use by.

We dont
use until or till to talk about
quantity; we use up to:

We dont
use until or till to talk about
distance; we use as far as.

All applications must be


received by Friday, 26 June
2009.
Not: until Friday, 26 June
2009.
The theatre can hold up to two
hundred people.
Not: The theatre can hold until
two hundred people.

We had to drive as far


as Liverpool for the last hockey
match that I played.
Not: We had to drive until
Liverpool

Take care to
spell until with only one l at
the end: not untill.
(Until from English Grammar
Today Cambridge University
Press.)

As a conjunction

The conjunction as has


several different meanings.
.
1 For two events
happening at the same
time.

1 They arrived as we were


leaving. (time conjunction
meaning while or when)

2 We use as to connect a
result with a cause:

2 I went to bed at 9 pm as I had


a plane to catch at 6
am. (reason and result meaning
because)

3 We also use as to mean

3 As the forecast predicted, the

While

in the way that:

weather was dreadful for the


whole of the weekend.
She arrived early, as I
expected.

We use while to show that


actions or events happen at
the same time in the past,
present or future.

Can you wait in the car while I


run into the shop?
They were talking while the
teacher was explaining the
activity.

Warning:
We dont use during instead
of while. During is a
preposition, not a
conjunction, and it must be
followed by a noun or a
pronoun.

I like to have the radio


on while I study.
Not: I like to have the radio on
during I study.

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