Page 197 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

A d v e r b i a l c l a u s e s or t i m e ( i j : v e m l e n s e ;
Adverbial
o r ime (1): verb Tense;
clauses
b e f o r e a n d u n t i l ; h a r d l y , e t c .
hardly,
etc.
and
until;
before
are some general rules to help you decide what verb tense to use in an adverbial clause
Here are some general rules to help you decide what verb tense to use in an adverbial clause
Here
after, as, as soon
as, before, until, when, or while.
beginning with after, as, as soon as, before, until, when, or while.
beginning with

to talk about the present or past, use the same tense you would use in a main clause:
@ to talk about the present or past, use the same tense you would use in a main clause:
I normally look after the children while she is practising.
• ¢ Inormally look after the children while she is practising.
she was overjoyed.
When she heard the results
• ¢ When she heard the results she was overjoyed.

@ to talk about the future, use a present tense:
to talk about the future, use a present tense:
Wait here
until you're ready to go.
2 • ¢ Wait here until you're ready to go.
I'll look after the children while you are making dinner.
• ¢ I'll look after the children while you are making dinner.

to talk about an action that is completed before another action described in the main
• * to talk about an action that is completed before another action described in the main
clause, use either simple or perfect tenses:
clause, use either simple or perfect tenses:
• As soon as you see / have seen her, come and tell me.
O @ + As soon as you see / have seen her, come and tell me.
She wrote to me after she spoke / had spoken to Jim.
• « ¢ • She wrote to me after she spoke / had spoken to Jim.
if we are talking about an action in the adverbial clause that takes place over a
However,
However, if we are talking about an action in the adverbial clause that takes place over a
of time, we generally prefer the present perfect:
period
period of time, we generally prefer the present perfect:
(rather than After I write...)
After I have written this book, I'm having a holiday,
• ¢ After I have written this book, I'm having a holiday. (rather than After I write...)
If the two actions take place at the same time, use a simple tense, not a perfect tense:
(rather than
You can go when you've typed these letters,
...when you type...)
• * You can go when you've typed these letters. (rather than ...when you type...)
a
same time,
use
simple tense, not a perfect tense:
place
at the
If the two actions take
left.)
Turn the light out as you leave,
(not ...as you have
• ¢ Turn the light out as you leave. (not ...as you have left.)
When I saw Kim, I asked her over for dinner,
(not When I had seen...)
• ¢ When I saw Kim, I asked her over for dinner. (not When I had seen...)

and until
f
Beore
IB Bie ad ut
use before if the
and
or no duration
little
has
event in the
main clause
does not
action or
We use before if the action or event in the main clause has little or no duration and does not
We
take place until the time represented in the adverbial clause:
take place until the time represented in the adverbial clause:
walked out before
I had
a chance to explain.
• ¢ She walked out before I had a chance to explain.
She
either until or before when
lasts
use
until a
a
often
situation described
main clause
in the
We can often use either until or before when a situation described in the main clause lasts until a
We can
indicated
adverbial clause.
In particular:
in the
time indicated in the adverbial clause. In particular:
time
It was three days until/before the letter arrived.
future event is:
to say how far away a
• * to say how far away a future event is: • * It was three days until/before the letter arrived.
I didn't think I'd like skiing until/before I tried it.
if the main clause is negative:
• * ifthe main clause is negative: • * I didn't think I'd like skiing until/before I tried it.
use
is positive:
of until and before when the
main clause
Compare the use of until and before when the main clause is positive:
Compare the
live with us until/before he moved down to London.
He used
• ¢ He used to to live with us until/before he moved down to London.
'up to the time'.
right
necessarily
Before means 'at some time
before
until means
(but not
Here, until means ‘up to the time'. Before means 'at some time before (but not necessarily right
Here,
If the
result of an action
in the
main
describes the
adverbial
clause
also
specified)'.
to the time
up
up to the time specified)’. If the adverbial clause also describes the result of an action in the main
clause, we use until:
clause, we use until:
He cleaned his shoes until they shone,
is the result of 'cleaning')
('shining'
• * He cleaned his shoes until they shone. ('shining' is the result of 'cleaning') sentences with
hardly, no sooner, and scarcely: Inversion => HIIIHWil lights went out. scarcely and a or before; after
Hardly, no sooner, scarcely
Hardly, no sooner, scarcely
immediately
say that
another we
can
after
use
we
one
event happened
When we say that one event happened immediately after another we can use sentences with
When
scarcely:
and
sooner,
hardly, no
all the
before
The concert had hardly begun
The concert had hardly begun before all the lights went out.
• ¢
I had no sooner lit the
barbecue than it started to rain.
• ¢ I had no sooner Jit the barbecue than it started to rain.
no
past perfect in the clause with
a
simple past in
sooner or
use
hardly,
often
We
We often use a past perfect in the clause with hardly, no sooner or scarcely and a simple past in
hardly and
begins with when
After
second clause.
scarcely the second clause
the second clause. After hardly and scarcely the second clause begins with when or before; after
the
In a
hardly / no
literary style, we often use the word order
sooner /
no sooner it begins with than.
no sooner it begins with than. In a literary style, we often use the word order hardly / no sooner /
(see Unit 120):
scarcely + verb + subject at the beginning of the first clause (see Unit 120):
scarcely + verb + subject at the beginning of the first clause
fighting.
stepped into the classroom when the boys began
• ¢
Scarcely had Mrs James
Scarcely had Mrs James stepped into the classroom when the boys began fighting.
dauses
(2)
ime
Adverbial time clauses (2) => Mllim Invesion = FETT
Adverbial MIRE
=>