Page 143 - Basic English Usage

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143 189 190

189 it’stime

1 Wecan use an infinitive after it’s time.
It’s time to buy anew car. It’s time for you to go to bed.

2 It’s time may also be followed by a special structure with a past
tense verb.

| it's time + subject + past verb... |

It's time you went to bed.
It's time she washed that dress.
I'm getting tired. It’s time we went home.
[> For other structures in which a past verb has a present or future meaning,
see 239.

190 last and the last
Last week, last month etc is the week or month just before this one. If |
am speaking in July, fast month was June; if | am speaking in 1985, /ast
year was 1984. (Note that prepositions are not used before these time-
expressions.)
|had acold last week. Were you at the meeting last Tuesday?
We bought this house last year.
The last week, the last month etc is the period of seven days, thirty days
etc up to the moment of speaking. On July 15th, 1985, the last month is
the period from June 15th to July 15th; the /ast year is the period from
July 1984 to July 1985.
I've had a cold for the last week. ( = for the seven days up to today)
We've lived here for the last year. ( = since twelve months ago)
Note the use of the present perfect tense (see 243) when talking about
a period of time that continues up to the present, like the last week.
[> For the difference between next and the next, see 220.

| HAD A COLD
LAST WEEK.