Fundamentals Of English Grammar

EXERCISE 21. Past time. (Chapter 2)

Directions: Write a story that begins "Once upon a time,... ."

Choose one:

1. Invent your own story. For example, write about a lonely bee who finds happiness,
   a poor orphan who succeeds in life with the help of a fairy godmother, a hermit who
   rediscovers the joys of human companionship, etc. Discuss possible story ideas in class.


2. Write a fable that you are familiar with, perhaps one that is well known in your
   . culture.


3. Write a story with your classmates. Each student writes one or two sentences at a
   time. One student begins the story. Then he or she passes the paper on to another
   student, who then writes a sentence or two and passes the paper on-until everyone in the
   class has had a chance to write part of the story, or until the story has an ending. This
   story can then be reproduced for the class to revise and correct together. The class may
   want to "publish" the final product on the Internet or in a small booklet.

1 2-10 EXPRESSING PAST TIME: USING TIME CLAUSES
I
t ouse main clause
(a) I4ffm Ifinrrned my work,' 'I wenr w bed. I
main clause time clause
@) I I went to bed I Iqfter Ifinishod my work. I
(c) I went to bed 4frsr Ifinished my work.
(d) Befire I went to bed, I finished my work.
(e) I srayed up until Ifinished my work. *&!
(f) As soon as Ifinished my work, I went to bed.
(g) The phone rang while I war watching TV.

(h) When the phone rnw I was watching TV.

;,I ?r!: 1,awJ I lcij:,~ .!<;:: ,-, .$:n .. ..:...

(9 When the phone rang, I answered it.

(i) Whiie I was doing my homework, my

roommate was wutchingTV.

Afrer Ifinished my work = a time clause*

I went w bed = a main clause*

(a) and @) have the same meaning.

A time clause can

(1) come in •’rant of a main dause, as in (a).

(2) follow a main clause, as in (b).

These words introduce time dauses:

ltfro+ i.

until befm -+. &

as soon as 1 + :bject and werb = a time clause

while

when

In (e): und= "to that time and then no longer"**

In (f): as soon as = "immediately after"

PUNCTUATION: Put a comma at the end of a time

clause when the time dause comes first in a sentence

(comes in front of the main clause):

time clause + comma + main clause

main clause + NO comma + time clause

In a sentence with a time clause inuoduced by when,

both the time clause verb and the main verb can be

simple past. In this case, the action in the when-

clause happened first. In (i): Firsc The phone mng.

Then: I answered it.

In (i): When two actions are in progress at the same

time, the past progressive can be used in both parts

of the sentence.

'A ehurs is a suucture that has a subjen and a wrb.

"Until can alsa be used to say that something dm NOT happen befox a particular rime: I didn't go w bpd wLil Ifbruhed ny wrk.

,a,,. ..>I2 _ >.),,., I>,, '*"