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Prepositions and
Conjunctions of Time 3 - before / after / as
/ as soon as
Before
Before is
used for something that occurs before a certain
time. For example:
- We should finish this exercise before
4.00.
- I need to buy a present before James
comes.
- Before starting any business, it's
a good idea to write a business plan.
Note that when a
preposition is followed by a verb, the verb
ends in ing. So for example:
- Where did you live before coming to
America? Correct
- Where did you live before to come
to America? Incorrect
After
After is used for something that occurs
after a certain time. For example:
- I'll see you after work.
- Camilla won't be home until after midnight.
- David got promoted after just two years
with the company.
As - Time
As is used
when two shorter actions happen together. For
example:
- I dropped my keys as I left my apartment.
As is also
used when two longer actions happen together.
For example:
- His health improved as he exercised
more.
- As time went by his English got better.
As is also
used when an action happens during a background
situation.
- I woke up as the sun was rising.
- She arrived as you were leaving.
As - Reason
As is often
used to show one thing is the cause of another,
like the word "because". For example:
- I'm going to bed early as I have to
get up early tomorrow.
- As we're not busy, let's meet this
afternoon for lunch.
As soon as
As soon as
is used when something happens immediately after
something else. For example:
- I'll give you a call as soon as I'm
finished.
- As soon as they go out let's eat lunch.
- We'll send payment as soon as you fax
the signed contract.
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