Study Resource: List of English conjunctions of time
Conjunctions of time | Meaning | Examples | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
after | After introduces an event that happens earlier than the event in the main clause. | After I have cooked the dinner, I will do the dishes. I will play with you after I have done the laundry. Please do your homework after you have eaten your dinner. | After can also be a preposition of time. e.g. I’ll do that after dinner. |
before | Before introduces an event that happens later in time than the event in the main clause. | I need to clean the house before the guests arrive. Before the bus arrives, I need to get dressed. Remember to take your medicine before you go to bed. | Before can also be a preposition of time. e.g. I’ll do that before dinner. |
when | When is used to show how one event happens at the same time as another. When usually comes before events that we think of as complete, finished, single, or contained. | He’ll start working when he gets to the office. I was reading my book when the doorbell rang. I had a dog when I was little. I like to listen to podcasts when I walk to work. | The exact time relationship between two clauses depends a lot on the tenses in each clause and on the type of action described by the verb. |
while | While is used to show how one event happens during the whole time another is happening. While usually comes before events we think of as incomplete, repeating, or continuing. | I like to listen to podcasts while I walk to work. While I plan the party, can you tidy the house? I was reading my book while the doorbell rang. It started snowing while I was talking to the cat. | As can also be a synonym for while. |
as soon as | As soon as introduces an event that is completed directly before the event in the main clause. | He will start working on his art project as soon as he has finished his geography homework. As soon as I can, I will drive over. | Once and when can also be synonyms for as soon as. |
since | Since is used to talk about the quantity of time between one event and another. Since comes before the event at the beginning, and the main clause talks about what happened in the time between the first event and “now.” | She hasn’t seen her best friend since she moved away. Since I started doing regular exercise, I feel much healthier He’d been sleepy since he woke up. We have lived in Malaga since 2003. | You can use the expression ever since for extra emphasis. Since is often used when the main clause uses a perfect tense. Since can also be a preposition, e.g. I have been cleaning since noon. Since can also be a conjunction of reason, synonymous with because. |
until | Until introduces an event that causes the end of the action in the main clause. | She cooked the onions until they turned brown. I can’t go to bed until I have finished my homework. Until he leaves, I cannot rest. | In speech, we often use ’til/till instead of until. Until can also be a preposition, e.g. I slept until noon. |
whenever | Whenever introduces an event that causes or triggers the action in the main clause every time it happens. | I go to the gym whenever I get a chance. Whenever she sees a cat, she is so happy. | You can usually use when as a replacement where you can use whenever. |
