Connectors

 Grammar Check
Adverbs of Time and Verb Tense Shift Framed | Unframed 

 

 

Read & Contrast

 

WHEN  (SAME TIME) WHEN  (TWO TIME EVENTS)
SAME TIME 1ST EVENT SECOND EVENT
When I call the dog, he comes. When you take the dog inside the house, I will open the gate.
  When you [will] take   --  omit "will" I will open the gate.

 

These adverbs include two time events.  Note the verb tense use in each clause.

ADVERB 1ST EVENT SECOND EVENT NOTE

AFTER
After you  [will]   arrive,
After you arrived,  
we will watch a movie. (future)
we watched a movie.

Note the use of the present tense after the adverb in a future tense sentence.
BEFORE We will make popcorn
We made popcorn
 before you [will] arrive.
before you arrived.  		  
WHEN When [will] you arrive,
When you arrived,
When you arrived,   		we'll start the movie.
we started the movie.
we had already started the movie .
 Used for "at that time".
WHILE / AS While I was making the popcorn,
As I was making popcorn,
  		he was singing.
he was annoying me.
 Used for "during that time".
BY THE TIME By the time you [will] come,
By the time you came,   		we will be ready to watch the movie.
we had already finished the popcorn.
 Used for one event that is completed before another even begins.  Note the use of past perfect in the main clause.
SINCE I haven't seen Casa Blanca since I was little. Use for "that time until present".  Do not confuse with "since" = "because".
UNTIL Until the movie ends,   [will] we will be here. Use for "to that time and no longer".

AS SOON AS
ONCE

 As soon as the movie ends, [will]
Once the movie ends, 		we will go out to dinner.
we will go out to dinner.		 Use for sequencing events: "when one event ends, another will begin".  Note the use of the future tense in the adverb clause.
AS LONG AS As long as I can remember,   we have been friends.
 Use for "during all that time"
WHENEVER
ANYTIME		 Whenever we get together,
Anytime we get together, 		we have fun.
we have fun.		 "everytime"

THE FIRST TIME
THE SECOND
THE NEXT
THE LAST

The first time we had a "movie night", we watched 4 movies.  

 

 

 
 

Practice

 

 

  1. Choose the correct form of the verb. * indicates an incorrect answer.
  2. Then, Check your answer.
  3. Use the <Reset> button to erase your answers and retest yourself.
 

 

1. As soon as Jack saw the accident, he the police.

was telephoning telephoned had telephoned telephones

 

2. Before I entered college, I a lot of writing practice.

haven't had didn't have wasn't having hadn't had

 

3. Every time he thinks of his mother's cooking, he homesick.

will have felt felt feels is feeling

 

4. Since he left his country six years ago, he to visit his friends several times.

return will have returned am returning has returned

 

5. While I was doing my math homework, I a shortcut to solving the problems.

discovered was discovering is discovering has discovered

 

6. Yesterday while I was studying, my roommate a pie.

was baking had been baking has baked bakes

 

7. Bob to live in a big city until he lived in San Francisco. After he lived there for a while, he decided that he loved living there.

didn't want hadn't wanted wasn't wanting hasn't wanted

 

8. After spending a year there and always having to look for parking, he said, "

in another big city as long as I live!"

never live have never lived will never live don't live

 

9. The next time I to the city, I will visit the MoMA. (Museum of Modern Art)

will go go have gone will have gone

 

10. By the time I finish this semester, I all of the verb tenses.

will review will have reviewed am reviewing review

 

 

 

 
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Julie Sevastopoulos - ESL Department - College of San Mateo - San Mateo, CA 94402 USA