Time Clauses
Time Clauses
Time Clauses
Remember that we do not use a future form, or conditional tense, in a time clause.
1. Each of the following future forms becomes a present tense when we put it in a time clause!
Future simple: You`ll be back soon. I`ll stay till then. I`ll stay till you get back.
Be going to: The parachutist is going to jump. Soon after he jumps, his parachute will open.
The present continuous, used as a future form, and the future continuous:
He`s arriving/He`ll be arriving at six but
When he arrives, he`ll tell us about the match.
Before he arrives, I`ll give the children their tea.
But the continuous tense can, of course, be used in time clauses when it indicates a continuous action:
Peter and John will be playing/are playing/are going to play tennis tonight.
While they are playing (during this time), we`ll go to the beach.
2. The future perfect changes to the present perfect, and the future perfect continuous changes to the
present perfect continuous:
I`ll have finished in the bathroom in a few minutes. The moment/As soon as I have finished, I`ll give you
a call.
3. A conditional tense changes to a past tense:
We knew that he would arrive/would be arriving about six. We knew that till he arrived nothing would be
done.
But when WHEN introduces a noun clause, it can be followed by a future or conditional tense:
He said: When will the train get in? He asked when the train would get in.
Clauses with SINCE
In clauses since is usually followed by the past tenses:
They have moved twice since they got married or Since they got married, they have moved twice.
It`s ages since I sailed/have sailed a boat.
I haven`t sailed a boat since I left college.
Clauses with AFTER
In clauses after is often followed by perfect tenses:
After/When he had rung off, I remembered
After/when you`ve finished with it, hang up.
HARDLY WHEN, NO SOONER THAN
The performance had hardly begun when the lights went out or
Hardly had the performance begun when the lights went out.
Note also: THE SOONER THE SOONER:
The sooner we start, the sooner we`ll be there.
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