What is Before? General knowledge about Before in English

Before is a term that is simple and commonly used in English, so it's essential to have a good understanding of it to apply it effectively in communication. In today's article, PREP will provide you with a detailed overview of Before.

I. What is Before?

What is Before? Let's explore the concept of Before below!

1. What is Before?

Before /bɪˈfɔːr/ means "earlier" or "prior to." It is used in sentences in various roles, such as an adverb, preposition, or conjunction. For example:

• "Anna had known the news before John spoke." ➞ Before is a conjunction.

• "Jenny did her homework before going to school." ➞ Before is a conjunction.

• "I'm not too sure, but we have probably met before." ➞ Before is an adverb.

• "He needs to finish his work before lunch." ➞ Before is a preposition.

Furthermore, Before is used to "describe an action that occurred prior to another action." For instance:

• John washes his hands before he cooks. 

• Kathy cleans her room before leaving. 

II. The Position of the Before Structure in a Sentence

In a sentence, the clause containing the Before structure can appear either before or after the other clause. When the Before structure comes first, it is separated from the following clause by a comma. For example:

• Before John met Anna, he had been a very cheerful boy. 

• Harry locks the window carefully before he goes to work. 

II. How to Use Before

Let’s explore how to use Before below!

1. Before in the Past

Before is commonly used to describe an action that occurred prior to another action in the past. If the main clause is in the past perfect tense, then the clause containing "before" (the subordinate clause) will be in the simple past tense. For example:

Structure 1: Before + Simple Past, Past Perfect Tense. For example:

• Before Anna arrived at the party, Jack had already left. 

• Before Jack arrived at the store, Minhi had already left. 

Structure 2: Past Perfect Tense + before + Simple Past Tense. For example:

• John had finished his homework before he went out to play. 

• She had finished her homework before she went to the cinema.

2. Before in the Present

This use of Before is often employed to talk about someone's habits before doing something. If the main clause is in the simple present tense, then the subordinate clause containing "before" will also be in the simple present tense.

Structure 1: Before + Simple Present, Simple Present. For example:

• Before Jenny goes to bed, her mother usually tells her some stories. 

• Before she leaves for work, she drinks a cup of coffee. 

Structure 2: Simple Present + before + Simple Present. For example:

• Sara often has breakfast at home before she goes to school. 

• She usually reads a book before she goes to bed. 

3. Before in the Future

This use of Before is employed to describe an action or event that will occur before another action or event. If the main clause is in the simple future tense, then the subordinate clause containing "before" will be in the simple present tense.

Structure 1: Before + Simple Present, Simple Future. For example:

• Before Anna leaves, John will confess to her. 

• Before I leave the office, I will finish my work. 

Structure 2: Simple Future + before + Simple Present. For example:

• Jenny will be back home before her mother finishes lunch. 

• I will finish my report before I start the meeting. 

III. Some Words/Phrases That Go with Before

The Before term can also be combined with certain words or phrases to form idioms in English. Let’s explore some of the following phrases:

IV. Distinguishing Between Before and After

Before and After are often mentioned together for comparison. After has the opposite meaning of Before. While Before means "before," After means "after." Let’s explore the forms of the After structure in English below:

V. Một số lưu ý khi sử dụng cấu trúc Before

• The term Before can act as a conjunction and may also be used in inverted constructions. For example: "Never before had she met anyone as interesting as him."

• If a clause with Before is at the beginning of a sentence, it should be followed by a comma. For example: "Before Kathy decides on any issues, she will consider it carefully."

• When two subjects are the same, the subject and verb in the clause beginning with Before can be omitted, and the verb can take the -ing form. For example: "Anna finished the homework before watching TV."

• When using Before in the past, it is important to pay attention to verb tenses; the actions that occur before should be shifted back in tense. For example: "Peter had left before Jenny got there."

VI. Exercises on Before

Below is a small exercise to help you practice and know how to apply Before in English. After completing it, try to check your answers for accuracy:

1. Exercise: Use Before to fill in the appropriate verbs

1. John had come  to see Anna before he (board)_____the plane back home.

2. Sara (move) _____house before Peter found her.

3. Kathy (come) here _____ before her boyfriend.

4. John should wash his hands before (eat)_____.

5. Your child needs to (do) _____ homework before going to school.

6. He (finish)_____the cake before she returned.

7. The room will be cleaned before Anna (move)_____in.

8. Before (choose) _____a school, you need to determine your passions.

9. Change the bad habits before your life (ruin)_____.

10. Before (leave) _____ he said goodbye to each of them.

2. Answers

In this article, PREP has compiled full and useful knowledge about the concept, position, and usage of Before in English. If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and PREP will respond as soon as possible!