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Link words: expressing TIME - English lesson

Link words expressing TIME:  

 When they start learning a foreign language, beginners usually start building short sentences  following the pattern: 

 Subject + Verb + Complements (predicate),  and use juxtaposition.

Later, they start using very important words. Those words, named "connecting words" (connectors)  or "link words" are useful to connect simple sentences and turn them into a complex logical sentence. 

They are used to enrich and complexify the sentences. Every word we are to study today express the time of the action and this time has a duration and different steps. 

1)  STRUCTURING THE PROGRESS OF THE ACTION:

FIRST= To begin with

FIRST AND FOREMOST = as a very start

THEN = afterwards

LAST/ LATEST = the most recent one.

FINALLY/ EVENTUALLY / TO CONCLUDE/ = at last

- When he arrived, first she opened the door; then, she let him in, and finally, she offered him a drink. 

2)  THE BEGINNING OF ACTION: 

AS SOON AS = At that very moment. 

BEFORE= previous, ealier than...

ONCE = immediately, formerly. 

SINCE = starting from...

-As soon as she arrived, I ran towards her. 

-I realized I couldn't forgive her once she had told him the truth. 

3)   DURING AN ACTION:

AS = at the same time. 

AS LONG AS = during the time

FOR = a duration of time

MEANWHILE/ IN THE MEANTIME = during that time

NOT YET = will happen soon...

WHEN/ WHENEVER = at the moment; each moment. 

WHILE = an interval of time

- I won't go to visit him as long as he smokes like a chimney. 

 - Please, wash up for me and in the meantime, I 'll fill in this form for you. 

4)    ANNOUNCING THE END OF AN ACTION:

AFTER + V + ing/  AFTERWARDS  

AT LAST/ LASTLY/ EVENTUALLY 

TILL / UNTIL = up to the time of...

-Don't come in till you're asked to. 

  A few words of vocabulary to help you for the test:

To make up for lost time 

To catch up with someone/ something 

Well well! You are ready for the test, now!   You'll do well!    Good luck!  

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Going to the dentist’s.
Today, I feel like dealing with 'Time'. First and foremostEventuallyAs soon asAs long asI don't know because it's the focus of this lesson, and firstthenmeanwhilenot yetI don't know because, like most people, every day, I keep running after it. I start running as long asafterwardsas soon asmeanwhileI don't know I have set foot out of bed, I run to be on time for the different appointments, meetings and obligations expecting me on that day.
As soon asWhileWheneverAs long asI don't know I arrive early because I've run too much, or because the people receiving me are late, I have to wait.

WhileIn the meantimeSInceWheneverI don't know, I try not to waste my time whileas long asforsinceI don't know the person is trying to catch up with lost time, as if you ever could!

MeanwhileForAsSinceI don't know I settle on the dentist's chair, listening to the dentist saying that I'll suffer ' afterwardsforsincethenI don't know one minute', (that's 'a dentist's minute'), I'm starting to brace myself for a longer ordeal.

The dentist is eventuallyis sinceis finallyisn't ready yetI don't know and I'm telling myself that as soon aseventuallyas long aswhileI don't know he hasn't told me otherwise, I can keep my mouth shut and breathe calmly.
FirstMeanwhileThenNot yetI don't know, the barbaric instruments are working hard and meanwhileas soon aswhileafterI don't know they're drilling and probing, I keep my mouth wide open, my eyes closed and my fists clenched.

AfterWhileSinceEventuallyI don't know being really tortured for half an hour and being totally numb and insensitive because of repeated anesthesia, I'm feeling quite exhausted when I suddenly remember a philosophy lesson I attended years ago...

'Don't wait thenat lastuntilwheneverI don't know your teeth ache! Going to the dentist's is the most supreme act of intelligence: bearing a mild suffering to avoid a much more severe one later...' So happy my actions are found intelligent, sincefirst and foremostin the meanwhilefinallyI don't know...