10.22 Expressions of time sequence

Per a narrar una seqüència d'esdeveniments es pot fer servir then, first, second, etc., next, finally, afterwards, after, after that, before, p. ex.:

He made the coffee. Then he made the toast. (Va fer el cafè. Després va preparar les torrades.)

First, she checked her email. Next she made a couple of phone calls. Finally, she made a cup of coffee. (Primer, va mirar el correu electrònic. A continuació va fer un parell de trucades. Finalment, es va fer una tassa de cafè.)

He washed his shirts and socks. Afterwards he put them in the dryer. (Va rentar les seves camises i mitjons. Després els va ficar a l'assecadora.)

He washed his shirts and socks. After that, he put them in the dryer. (Va rentar les seves camises i mitjons. Després els va ficar a l'assecadora.)

After he washed his shirts and socks, he put them in the dryer. (Després de rentar les seves camises i mitjons, els va ficar a l'assecadora.)

Before he put his shirts and socks in the dryer, he washed them. (Abans de posar les seves camises i mitjons a l'assecadora, els va rentar.)

Error: He washed his shirts and socks. After he put them in the dryer.

Error: He put his shirts and socks in the dryer. Before he washed them.

Altres expressions temporals són: till/until, as soon as, when, while, p. ex.:

Wait here till/until I come back. (Espereu-vos aquí fins que torni.)

We left as soon as we had enough money. (Ens en vam anar tan bon punt vam tenir prou diners.)

When we saw them, we stopped the car. (Quan els vam veure, vam aturar el cotxe.)

The phone rang three times while I was having lunch. (El telèfon va sonar tres cops mentre dinava.)

Quan es fa referència al futur, en les clàusules temporals la forma del verb és el present simple, p. ex.:

We'll start when Mary arrives. (Començarem quan la Mary arribi.)

When Mary arrives, we'll start. (Quan la Mary arribi, començarem.)

Tell me as soon as they come. (Digues-m'ho tan bon punt vinguin.)

Wait here until I call you. (Espereu-vos aquí fins que us cridi.)