An eventful day!

Dear Graham
Im really sorry about lunch earlier today, but let me explain. I went shopping
at around nine this morning and just after I left the supermarket I had a car
crash. It was nothing serious and my local garage said they could fix it while I
was out during the day. I was due at the dentists at ten, but I was half an hour
late and then had to wait for another half an hour before he could see me. I
finally left at about quarter to twelve and just as I was leaving I met Angela,
who kept me talking for ages.
Anyway, I eventually got to the travel agent to pick up the tickets at one, only to
find theyd closed for training until two, so I decided to go to the bank to
change some money. I got back to the travel agents at two, thinking that Id
only be half an hour late to meet you, but they were late opening and then I had
to wait until theyd found the right tickets! And they werent even apologetic
about keeping me waiting since 2pm! Next time, I think Ill just get the tickets
online.
I ran to the restaurant, hoping to get there before about 2.30pm, but when I
arrived at the restaurant, not surprisingly, youd gone. I tried to ring you from
the restaurant to explain about all the awful things that had happened since I
left you last night, but I had no luck. Id forgotten my mobile so couldnt ring
you earlier. Anyway, I had to collect the car before 3.30pm and get home if Id
arrived after four Id have missed the taxi to the airport. Well, thats it. I have
to go now theyre calling my flight. Sorry again, and Ill see you next week.
All my love,
Maria xxx

Exercise 1
Maria has written a letter to her boyfriend. Read the letter and put the events into the correct
order. Then write approximate times next to them.
order
time
a She went to the travel agent's.
b She went to the restaurant.
c She took the car to the garage.
d She went to the airport.
e She met Angela.
She went to the supermarket.
f
g She went back to the travel agent's.
h She collected the car from the garage.
She went to the bank.
i
She saw the dentist.
j
k She went to the dentist's.
She had a car crash.
l
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An eventful day!
Exercise 2
Go through the text again and underline all these words that relate to time: after, as, before,
during, for, since, until, when, while. Then write the words which follow them.
after
...............................................................................

as

...............................................................................

before

...............................................................................

during

...............................................................................

for

...............................................................................

since

...............................................................................

until

...............................................................................

when

...............................................................................

while

...............................................................................

Exercise 3
Using the information in exercise 2, tick (9) the correct column.
can be followed by
a clause
a noun

after
as
before
during
for
since
until
when
while
Exercise 4
Match the two halves of each sentence to make suitable sentences.
1)
when most of the guests had left.
a)
The bus arrived
2)
as I walked in.
b)
The two girls were singing
3)
before the end of the holiday.
c)
I got to the party
4)
after I had been waiting for an hour.
d)
You really don't have time to shop
5)
for over two hours.
e)
We really must visit the sights
6)
when she's made a decision.
f)
He hasn't done anything like that
7)
while they were working.
g)
I've been waiting here
8)
until you're sure it's the right one.
h)
The room fell silent
9)
during the lunch hour.
i)
You mustn't make a decision
10)
since I've known him.
j)
She'll let you know the answer
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An eventful day!
Exercise 5
Choose the most suitable word for each gap.
a)

Why don't you make a cup of coffee .......................... (during / while / until) I'm finishing this?

b)

He's already waited .......................... (until / since / for) six weeks to find out.

c)

Can I read the book .......................... (while / before / when) you've finished it?

d)

You must have seen this sofa. I've had it .......................... (since / for / after) I moved here last
year.

e)

Don't interrupt her .......................... (while / for / during) her lesson.

f)

I knew him .......................... (before / since / while) I came here.

Exercise 6
Work in pairs.
Make one or two sentences from each set of prompts, using the prepositions and adverbs from
exercise 2 where possible, then read them to your partner. Student 1 can look at the prompts A,
student 2 at the prompts B.
Together the prompts make a story. Working with your partner, put them into the right order to
retell the story.

Exercise 7
Complete the sentences with a suitable preposition or adverb of time.
a)

Can you wait till the afternoon? I'll come .......................... lunch.

b)

She's been living in this house .......................... her husband died.

c)

I bought the perfume .......................... I was living in France.

d)

He got that wound .......................... the war.

e)

They were in the restaurant .......................... more than four hours.

f)

Will you do the tidying up .......................... your parents arrive? I'd like the place to look nice.

g)

I'd like you to meet my friends. Can you stay here .......................... they arrive?

h)

I only saw Len briefly. He arrived just .......................... I was leaving.

i)

Please don't talk to me .......................... Im on the phone!

j)

He didn't see all the film. He didn't want to wait .......................... the end.

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An eventful day!
Prompt sheet for task 6. Copy and cut up before distributing to students.

A
a) Carol / leave home / 9.45 / Saturday morning / to go / hairdresser / lunch
/ her boyfriend
b) Carol / leave / hairdressers, / she / slip / banana skin / fall over
c) she / arrive / hairdressers / 45 minutes late, / she / have to wait / stylist /
free
d) she / go to / bus station, / she / wait in the caf, / she write / long text
message / her boyfriend
B
e) she / open / car door, / she / drop / car keys / drain
f) she / arrive / restaurant / 2.00, / she / wait / 2.30, / but her boyfriend /
leave / 2.00
g) her arm / hurt badly, / so she / go to / doctors, but she / have to / wait /
1.30 to see him
h) she / decide / take / bus, but she / have to wait / about 35 minutes / bus /
come
A
a) Carol / leave home / 9.45 / Saturday morning / to go / hairdresser / lunch
/ her boyfriend
b) Carol / leave / hairdressers, / she / slip / banana skin / fall over
c) she / arrive / hairdressers / 45 minutes late, / she / have to wait / stylist /
free
d) she / go to / bus station, / she / wait in the caf, / she write / long text
message / her boyfriend
B
e) she / open / car door, / she / drop / car keys / drain
f) she / arrive / restaurant / 2.00, / she / wait / 2.30, / but her boyfriend /
leave / 2.00
g) her arm / hurt badly, / so she / go to / doctors, but she / have to / wait /
1.30 to see him
h) she / decide / take / bus, but she / have to wait / about 35 minutes / bus /
come
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An eventful day!
Teachers notes & key
Aim: To clarify the use of the most common time prepositions and adverbs (after, as, before,
during, for, since, until, when, while), and contrast the two.
Topics: Town facilities; accidents.
Lesson timings: Exercises 13: 25 minutes, Exercises 45: 10 minutes, Exercise 6: 15 minutes,
Exercise 7: 10 minutes. Total: 60 minutes.
Exercises 13
The letter in this section illustrates the uses of the time prepositions and adverbs practised here. The
first exercise focuses on comprehension, then the others analyse the uses. The students should find
exercises 2 and 3 quite easy.
1. Order followed by times in brackets. The times are given in the letter in some cases, but in
others they have to be worked out and are approximate.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)

g)
h)
i)
j)
k)
l)

7 (1.00pm)
10 (approx 2.30pm)
3 (approx 10.00am)
12 (approx 4.00pm)
6 (11.45am)
1 (9.00am)

9 (2.00pm)
11 (3.30pm)
8 (1.151.30pm)
5 (11.00am)
4 (10.30am)
2 (9.309.45am)

2. Check that the students have underlined the correct words.

after I left the supermarket / four
as I was leaving
before he could see me / about 2.30 pm / 3.30pm
during the day
for another half an hour / ages / lunch
since two / I left you last night
until two / they'd found the right tickets
when I arrived
while I was out
3. Check that the students understand the difference between a clause and a noun.

after
as
before
during
for
since
until
when
while

can be followed by
a clause a noun
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9

Note: during and while have the same meaning, but during can only be used as a preposition, and
while can only be used adverbially.

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An eventful day!
Exercises 45
This section is fairly simple and should only take about ten minutes.
4. Some phrases in this exercise can combine with more than one other. However, the answers
given below can be arrived at by elimination to make sense.
a) 4
f) l0
b) 7
g) 5
c) l
h) 2
d) 9
i) 8
e) 3
j) 6
5.
a) while
d) since
b) for
e) during
c) when (NB before is also possible
f) before
here, but when is far more likely)
6. This exercise uses the story from the letter as a model for the students to practise the prepositions
and adverbs and to create a story themselves.
Follow this procedure:
1. Divide the students into pairs, 1 and 2, and make sure they know which prompts to look at
(either A or B). Tell them not to show their prompts to their partner.
2. Tell them to write sentences from their prompts. Remind them to use the prepositions and
adverbs as they are making notes.
3. The students work in their pairs. Each student reads out their sentences.
4. In pairs the students piece the story together orally. Monitor for correct use of structure and
especially for use of the time adverbs for linking.
5. Ask one or two of the more confident students to narrate their story to the class. The other
students listen and correct if necessary.
The students could write the text message mentioned in d for homework.
Final story:
1 (a) Carol left home at 9.45am on Saturday morning to go to the hairdressers before lunch with
her boyfriend.
2 (e) As she was opening her car door, she dropped the car keys down the drain.
3 (h) She decided to take the bus, but she had to wait for about 35 minutes before the bus came.
4 (c) She arrived at the hairdressers 45 minutes late, so she had to wait until a stylist was free.
5 (b) As Carol was leaving the hairdressers, she slipped on a banana skin and fell over.
6 (g) Her arm was hurting badly, so she went to the doctors, but she had to wait until 1.30pm to see
him.
7 (f) She arrived at the restaurant at 2.00pm. She waited until 2.30pm, but her boyfriend had left
before 2.00pm.
8 (d) She went to the bus station, and as she was waiting in the caf, she wrote a long text message
to her boyfriend.
7. You may like to use this exercise as a test. Allow a few minutes for the students to do the test
and then mark it in class. Give marks out of ten.
a) after
f) before
g) until
b) since
c) while/when*
h) as
d) during/in**
i) when/while*
e) for
j) until
* Both adverbs are acceptable.
** In is possible here, though not focused on in this worksheet.
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