TIME AND SEQUENCE ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN USE PRE INTERMEDIATE

 

ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN USE PRE INTERMEDIATE UNIT 92 TIME AND SEQUENCE

 

A When / As soon as The meaning of these two time expressions is almost the same, but as soon as suggests something more immediate or important. I’ll phone my uncle when / as soon as I get home. As soon as / When you’ve finished this exercise, you can go home. Common mistakes   I’ll see you when I get there. (NOT I’ll see you when I will get there.) We don’t use a future form after when / as soon as. B Two things happening at the same time Violet got ready while I cooked the dinner. [two long actions] The accident happened while I was on my way to work. [a longer action ‘on my way to work’ and a short action ‘the accident’; we can also use when or as here.] I saw him (just) as I came out of the office. [two short actions happening at the same time; we can also use when here] C One thing after another We met the others in the café, and then / after that / afterwards we went to the match. I talked to Joe, and afterwards [at a later time but usually the same day] I came home. I was in Caracas for three months, and then / after that I went to Colombia. After my visit to New York, I decided to have a rest. We had something to eat before going out. Common mistakes   After seeing the film, we went home. (NOT After see the film, we went home.) D A sequence* of actions We had a really nice holiday. First of all / First we spent a few days in St Moritz. After that / Then we drove down the coast and stayed in Portofino for a week. Finally, we went back to Switzerland to stay with my uncle. (Finally is used here to introduce the last thing in a list.) * one action after another, and so on E At first … eventually To begin with, the two girls got on very well when they shared the flat. But after a while [a period of time], they started arguing about various things, and eventually [finally, after a long time or a lot of problems] Lauren walked out and found a new place. At first I enjoyed the classes, but after a while it got a bit boring, and in the end [finally, after a period of time or thought] I left. F A list of reasons We can use firstly / for one thing / for a start to introduce a first reason for something, and then secondly/besides/anyway to add a further reason. A: What’s wrong with her new dress? B: Firstly, it’s a horrible colour, and secondly, I don’t think it suits her. A: Why can’t we go out tonight? B: Well, for one thing / for a start, I’ve got a lot of work – and besides/anyway, I can’t afford it. EXERCISES 92.1 Find five more pairs of words/phrases that are similar in meaning. 92.2 Choose the correct word to complete the sentences. Sometimes both are correct. 1 I rang my mum when / while I was waiting for my train. 2 I’ll give them your message as soon as I get / will get there. 3 Maria cleaned the kitchen as / while I did the bathroom. 4 Before leave / leaving they went to an exhibition in a little gallery. 5 We can have lunch when / as soon as we’ve finished this. 6 The phone rang while / just as I was shutting the front door. 7 We spent the morning in the park and after that / afterwards we went home for lunch. 8 The letter arrived while / just as we were having lunch. 9 I met the others when / as I was on my way to the station. 10 After to clean / cleaning my room, I was exhausted. 92.3 Complete the dialogues. 1 A: Why do you want to stay in this evening, when we could go to Karl’s party? B: Well, ____ for one thing _______, I’d like to watch a programme on TV, and , I don’t think it’ll be a very good party. 2 A: What did you do in Portugal? B: Well, _______________ we flew to Lisbon and spent a few days there. _______________ we took the train down to Lagos and spent a week on the Algarve with a couple we met in London. And _______________ we went to Faro and flew back from there. 3 A: Did Matt enjoy his time in India? B: Well, _______________ I think he found it difficult because the food and weather are so different. But after a _______________ he got used to it, and didn’t want to come home. 4 A: Why can’t the company pay for me to go to the conference? B: Well, _______________ the boss doesn’t seem to think it’s very important, and _______________ we’re too busy at the moment to give anyone time off work. 5 A: Did the new company do well? B: Yeah, _______________ it did very well. But then the manager left, and after a _______________ they started losing money. _______________, they had to close down. 92.4 Complete the sentences in a suitable way.   1 We had a game of table tennis and afterwards ______we went for a drink. ______________ 2 I’ll give you the answers to this exercise when ________________________________ 3 I’ll text you as soon as ________________________________ 4 I must remember to lock the back door before ________________________________ 5 He thinks he dropped the letter as ________________________________ 6 I worked with a partner in class. I looked up half of the words while ________________________ 7 We were in a traffic jam for hours but eventually ________________________________ 8 If we phone his home, he probably won’t be there. Anyway, ________________________________

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