MULTIMEDIA-ENGLISH
ACTIVITY SHEET (created by the user: Profe)

Before doing this activity you may need to read the text you will find at the end


  SmartMemo
Time connectors (one action before the other)
Focus Grammar
Description Here we are going to practise how to express actions that happen one before the other. First action is marked 1 and second action 2, join them with the right connector.
Instructions 1- Look at the sentences and think of how to say that in English (or write it down) 2- Move your mouse over the black button to check your answer. 3- If you were right, click on the green button, if wrong, click on the red.
 
Item Match Comments
Después solo estaba yo, pero al principio también estaba John Afterwards, it was just me, but in the beginning John was there too
Cené temprano y después me fui al cine I had dinner early and, afterwards, I went to the cinema
Después de que nos marchamos llegó más gente After we left, some more people arrived
Nunca lo he hecho antes I've never done it before
No abras la puerta. Antes de eso, pregunta quién es Don't open the door. Before that, ask who it is
Yo estaba bien, pero después dolía un montón I was ok, but afterwards it hurt a lot
Intenta acabar antes de la cena Try to finish before dinner
Léete esto. Luego sabrás por qué. Read this. Then you'll know why.
Introduce dos monedas y luego pulsa el botón. Entonces puedes coger la lata. Insert two coins and then press the button. Then you can take the can.
Primero pidió té. Después se bebió un vaso de leche. First, he asked for tea. Afterwards, he drank a glass of milk.
Es difícil al principio. Después es mucho más fácil. It's difficult at first. Afterwards, it's much easier.
¿Fue antes o después de que me marchara? Was it before or after I left?
No estaba allí a las nueve. Fue más tarde, después del concierto. He wasn't there at 9. He went later, after the concert.
Hubo una explosión. Después, todo quedó en silencio. There was an explosion. Afterwards, everything was quiet.
Hubo una explosión. Entonces todo quedó en silencio. There was an explosion. Then, everything was quiet.
Vimos la tele después de que los niños se acostaran We watched TV after the children went to bed
Se fué a visitarla después de que yo se lo pidiera He went to visit her after I asked him
Piénsalo antes de que sea demasiado tarde Think about it before it's too late
Entra en la casa, pero antes tienes que desconectar el sistema de alarma Enter the house, but before, you have to disconnect the alarm system
Hubo una explosión. Luego, todo quedó en silencio. There was an explosion. Later, everything was quiet.
Después de subir al piso de arriba se acordó de que la puerta estaba abierta After going upstairs, he remembered the door was open
Después de que explotara la bomba, todo quedó en silencio After the bomb exploded, everything was quiet
Despiértame antes de irte Wake me up before you go
Antes de salir come algo Before going out, have something to eat
Nos peleamos, pero después de eso fuimos amigos otra vez We had a fight, but after that, we were friends again
No me gustó al principio. Después estuvo bien. I didn't like it at first. Afterwards, it was ok.
Él estuvo allí después He was there afterwards
Antes de venir, llámame Before coming, call me
No, no lo sabía. Lo supe más tarde. No, I didn't know it. I knew it later.
Le vi en Navidad. Después de eso no le he vuelto a ver. I saw him on Christmas. After that, I have never seen him again. also: ...I haven't seen him again.
Antes del verano tienes que acabar You must finish before the summer
Ella se pegó una ducha. Luego se fue de paseo. She had a shower. Later, she went for a walk.
Era azul. Después cambió a rojo. It was blue. Then it changed to red.
Luego, todo cambió Later, everything changed
Visité China. Luego fui a Japón y entonces volví aquí. I visited China. Then, I went to Japan, and then I came back here.
Salió después de la cena He went out after dinner
Antes de que ella me viera, la abracé Before she saw me, I hugged her
¿Fue antes? - No, fue después. Was it before? - No, it was afterwards.
Primero acaba los deberes. Entonces podrás salir con tus amigos. First, finish your homework. Then, you can go out with your friends.
Al principio es muy aburrida, pero luego se pone interesante At the beginning it's quite boring, but afterwards, it gets interesting
Total number of items: 40
This is an activity from Multimedia-English www.multimedia-english.com
 

TO INTRODUCE THE FIRST OF TWO ACTIONS
BEFORE (c.) (f.c.) (p.)
      Wake me up before you go (c.)
      Enter the house, but before, you have to disconnect the alarm system (f.c.)
      Don’t just open the door. Before that, ask who is knocking (f.c.)
      I met Charles before lunch (p.)

WHEN (c.)
      When I opened the door, the dog looked at me and went out  (First I open the door, then, the dog goes out)
 
If we want to emphasise that the second actions happens immediately after the first one:
 
AS SOON AS (c.)
THE MOMENT (c.)
      Phone me as soon as you see her
      The moment I saw her, I lost control

 

TO INTRODUCE THE SECOND OF TWO ACTIONS

AFTER (c.) (p.)
       After the bomb exploded, everything was quiet
       I went out after work
 
AFTERWARDS (f.c.)
THEN (f.c.)
LATER (f.c.)

Later suggests an interval of time between both actions. Afterwards and then can be used when there is an interval of time or when the second action takes place immediately after the first one.

      There was an explosion. Afterwards/Then, everything was quiet
      She had a shower. Later/Afterwards/Then, she went for a walk

If we want to show that the second action happens quickly and unexpectedly we use:
 
SUDDENLY (f.c.)
      I saw her. Suddenly, I lost control

 

  TO INTRODUCE THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF ACTIONS (2 or more)

FIRST (f.c.) often used with "then" or also with "second", "third", etc.
      First, go into the house, then, go upstairs and wait for me
      First, switch it on. Second, search for the channel, and last, adjust the volume

 

abbreviations:  (c.)= conjunction   (f.c.)= free connector  (p.)= preposition    (see the important difference here: Kinds of Connectors)

 

For Spanish Speakers

BEFORE (c.) (f.c.) = antes de que / antes,
WHEN (c.) = cuando
AS SOON AS (c.) = tan pronto como
THE MOMENT = nada más + inf. , en cuanto
AFTER (c.)= después de que
AFTERWARDS (f.c.) = después,
THEN (f.c.) =  entonces (después)
LATER (f.c.) = luego, más tarde
SUDDENLY (f.c.) = de repente
FIRST (f.c.) = primero,  (often used with "then")