Unit 98: before / after / during / while

Master time conjunctions and prepositions

A. before / after / during

before the film

during the film

after the film

• Everybody is nervous before exams.
• I went to sleep during the film.
• We were tired after our visit to the museum.

B. before / while / after

before we played

while we were playing

after we played

• Don't forget to close the window before you go out.
• I often go to sleep while I'm watching television.
• They went home after they did the shopping.

C. during, while and for

We use during + noun (during the film). We use while + verb (while I'm watching):

• We didn't speak during the meal.
• We didn't speak while we were eating. (not 'during we were eating')

Use for (not 'during') + a period of time (three days / two hours / a year etc.):

• We played tennis for two hours. (not 'during two hours')
• I lived in London for a year. (not 'during a year')

D. You can use before/after + -ing (before going / after eating etc.):

• I always have breakfast before going to work. (= before I go to work)
• After doing the shopping, they went home. (= after they did)

Do not say 'before to go', 'after to do' etc.:

• Before eating the apple, I washed it carefully. (not 'before to eat')
• I started work after reading the newspaper. (not 'after to read')

before / after / during

nervous before exams
sleep during the film
tired after our visit

before / while / after + verb

close the window before you go out
go to sleep while I'm watching
went home after they did

during vs while

didn't speak during the meal
didn't speak while we were eating

before/after + -ing

have breakfast before going to work
after doing the shopping

98.1 Complete the sentences. Choose from the boxes.

before
after
during
while

the concert
the course
the end
the exam
lunch
the night
they went to Australia
you are waiting

Everybody was nervous before the exam.
I usually work four hours in the morning, and another two hours .
The film was very boring. We left .
Ann went to evening classes to learn German. She learnt a lot .
My aunt and uncle lived in London when they were younger. .
A: Somebody broke a window . Did you hear anything?
B: No. I was asleep all the time. .
'Are you going home now?' 'No, we're going to a restaurant .

98.2 Put in during/while/for.

We didn't speak while we were eating.
We didn't speak the meal.
George phoned you were out.
I stayed in Rome five days.
Sally wrote a lot of letters she was on holiday.
The students looked very bored the lesson.
I fell out of bed I was asleep.
Yesterday evening I watched TV three hours.
Don't open the car door the car is moving.
I don't usually watch TV the day.
Do you ever watch TV you are having dinner?

98.3 Complete the sentences. Use -ing (doing etc.).

After doing the shopping, they went home.
I felt sick too much chocolate.
I'm going to ask you a question. Think carefully it.
I felt awful when I got up this morning. I felt better a shower.
my work, I left the office and went home.
to a foreign country, it's a good idea to learn a few words of the language.

98.4 Write sentences with before + -ing and after + -ing.

They did the shopping. Then they went home.
After doing the shopping, they went home.
John left school. Then he worked in a bookshop for two years.
John worked .
I read a few pages of my book. Then I went to sleep.
I went to sleep .
We walked for three hours. We were very tired.
We were very tired .
Let's have a cup of coffee. Then we'll go out.
Let's have a cup of coffee .