13.
2 Prepositions of time part 2
Prepositions of time, use two!
[00:00:03] We just looked at the most important prepositions of time, in at and on. Now, we're
going to talk about the rest!
[00:00:10] During, while, from, since, until, before and after!
[00:00:15] Buckle up. Let's do it!
[00:00:17] During and while.
[00:00:19] We always use during with a noun, no exceptions. It means while something else is
happening, throughout the duration of another event or action. When talking about the past,
it's used to talk about two simultaneous events events. Happening at the same time, though
they don't have to have the same start and end point. It has the same meaning as while, but
while is only used with verbs. Here are sentences using both while and during to show you how
they're used differently.
[00:00:52] During school yesterday, I went to the bathroom three times.
[00:00:56] While I was at school yesterday, I used the bathroom three times.
[00:01:00] We can talk during the presentation to finalize the deal.
[00:01:03] We can talk while we're listening to the presentation to finalize the deal.
[00:01:06] While commuting to work, I always listen to podcasts.
[00:01:10] During my commute to work, I always listen to podcasts.
[00:01:13] For and since.
[00:01:15] I've already gone into quite a lot of detail about for and since in the present perfect
tense section. Because they are often, I guess overwhelmingly, used with the perfect tenses.
Watch those lectures if you need more information.
[00:01:28] We use since with a start date. Sometimes specific and sometimes more general, like
since Monday, since last year, since March 2018, since yesterday, since noon, since a while ago.
Since tells us when something started.
[00:01:43] For can describe the same amount of time, but it's used with a period of time, not the
start date! So, for two hours, for 10 years, for one day, for two decades, for a long time.
[00:01:58] I have been in France for two years.
[00:02:01] I have been in France since 2016.
[00:02:04] I've waited for you for two hours.
[00:02:06] I've waited for you since 9 a.m.
[00:02:09] From.
[00:02:10] We use from to describe a past completed action or a future action using a specific
start date and using to or until to describes the date or time that the action ended or will end. In
spoken English, until often turns into till. But both are very common, so use your favorite.
[00:02:31] We can't use since here, because that's always in a perfect tense, even though it also
uses a specific start date. So for from/to and from/until we use past simple, past continuous,
present simple, present continuous, or simple future. Almost everything except the perfect
tenses.
[00:02:52] How long are you in Mexico for?
[00:02:54] I am here from March to or until or till April.
[00:02:59] How long did you travel?
[00:03:00] I traveled from 2019 to/until/till 2020.
[00:03:06] I was traveling from 2019 to/until/till 2020.
[00:03:11] So you can use to or until or till it doesn't matter.
[00:03:15] How long have you/ how long did you?
[00:03:18] Often when you meet new people, they will ask questions about things you have
done in the past and things you have done more recently.
[00:03:24] So these questions will often be in the past simple and present perfect. So if you hear
'how long did you something', you will respond with the past simple or past continuous, and
probably use from and to/until/till to explain the duration.
[00:03:40] If you hear 'how long have you something', you will respond with a perfect tense,
most likely present perfect-use for with a period of time and since using a specific start date.
[00:03:53] Before and after.
[00:03:55] Before means prior to the action or event, proceeding.
[00:03:59] After means following the action or event, later.
[00:04:02] We can use both of them with nouns and before verbs. With nouns, we put the
action or event after before and after. So we put before and after before the noun. Let me show
you.
[00:04:15] Before work, I always drink coffee.
[00:04:17] After work, I always take a shower.
[00:04:20] Before the movie, I used the bathroom.
[00:04:22] After the movie, I washed my hands.
[00:04:25] Before I was 18, I couldn't buy cigarettes.
[00:04:28] After I was 18, I could buy cigarettes.
[00:04:30] Before and after with verbs.
[00:04:32] We also use before and after with verbs, but when we do, we have two options for
how to form the sentences. We can say before or after plus subject, plus conjugated verb, like.
[00:04:44] I'll call you before I go to the store.
[00:04:47] Or, let's do it after I return from work.
[00:04:50] Or we can say, before or after, plus the -ing form of the verb, the gerund.
[00:04:56] I'll call you before going to the store.
[00:04:58] Let's do it after returning from work.
[00:05:01] We don't state the subject before the -ing form, but it's understood. Thanks to
context.
