Exercise What to choose? Before, by, until or till. Using for, since, ago, by, until, after, later, on time, in time, finally, in the end, at the end, these days, once, one day, at once ... Interpretation of the preposition until

The simplest type designs "My name is…; I am working…,; I'm coming..." are studied in the very first English lessons. But such phrases are not enough to use the language at least at an intermediate level. For an interesting conversation and successful communication with foreigners, you need to learn how to compose detailed expressions from simple sentences. We will develop this skill today by studying subordinate clauses in English and conditional constructions. Knowledge of typical combinations and the ability to use them correctly will enrich and diversify our speech.

Meaning of subordinate clauses

Subordinate clauses are dependent constructions of complex sentences that help to expand the meaning of the main sentence, expressing any signs, causes, conditions, consequences, etc. The method of attaching an additional part of an expression to the main one can be different, but most often this always happens with the help of or allied words.

Dependent clauses in English can have different semantic meanings, and refer to any member of the sentence, both main and secondary. The most numerous category of subordinate constructions is the adverbial group. It carries the meaning of time, purpose, place, reason, etc., in general, all those topics for which the circumstance is responsible. In terms of construction, most of these additional sentences coincide with similar expressions in Russian. But two representatives of the adverbial group of English subordinate clauses sometimes have a tense form that is not typical for Russian-speaking people. We'll talk about them in more detail in the next section.

Subordinate clauses in English

These additional constructions contain explanations about when and for how long the actions and events referred to in the main sentence are performed or were/will be performed. In other words, they express the time of occurrence of events. Sentences explaining time are joined to the main part using conjunctions. Most often in English speech the conjunction when is used, which is why such subordinate clauses are often called: clauses with when. But for different shades of time, other conjunctions are also widely used, for example: assoonasuntil,since,after,till,before,bythetime.

• MyparentshadgonetothetheaterbeforeI came home– My parents went to the theater before I came home.
• Wewentforawalkintheparkafterthe snow had stopped We went for a walk in the park after the snow stopped falling.
• Myfatherhasn’ttseenhisparentssincehe moved to the Netherlands– My father has not seen his parents since he moved to the Netherlands.

In the above examples, the relative tenses used in English are not very different from Russian ones. What is their catch then? It lies in the construction of a practical construction that refers to the future tense. In Russian we will say " When I get home I will repeat this lesson" Notice that both parts are in the future tense.

Other English topics: Alternative question in English - examples, features, subtleties of use

In English speech, such a construction is impossible, because the rules of grammar do not allow the use of the future tense in additional constructions. This is precisely what distinguishes subordinate clauses of time and conditions from other subordinate clauses. They will use the Present tense to indicate future events or actions ( Present Simple orPresent Perfect to indicate the completion of an action). Please note that this rule only applies to a dependent structure; the main part can stand in any form, including in the future. Let's look at what this looks like in practice.

Note that the English language has unique punctuation rules, according to which a subordinate clause is separated by a comma only when it appears at the beginning of a sentence.

Let’s just add a few words about conditional sentences, since they are the only constructions that behave exactly the same when forming sentences with the future tense. As the name implies, these expressions reveal various probabilities, conditions, possibilities under which the events of the main statement can or cannot be fulfilled. The conjunctions by which they can be easily recognized are: if,unless,incase.

The condition in the English language is a voluminous and complex topic, since English grammar has several types of such constructions with different rules for their use. More information about all types of conditional sentences can be found in the adjacent material.

Other English topics: Impersonal sentences in English: structure and features of use

As we have already said, subordinate clauses can be of very different types. And here, too, there is a little English trick hidden, since different types of sentences can use the same conjunctions. For beginners learning English, such confusion sometimes puts them in an awkward position and makes them make mistakes. To avoid unpleasant situations in a conversation, you must be able to distinguish which part of the sentence the dependent construction belongs to. Let's look at why this is really important using example phrases.

As you remember, the rule about subordinate tenses states that the conjunction when in English requires the Present tense after it. But in the first sentence we used the future, is this a deliberate mistake? No. These are two completely different situations of using the conjunction: in the first case, it adds an addition construction ( doesn't know what?), and in the second situation when attaches an adverbial construction revealing the time of action ( won't know about it - when?). Let's give a couple more examples for better memorization.

• Theydon'twriteyetwhen they will arrive - They haven’t written yet (about what? - about...) when they will arrive.
• Nobodysayswhen we have to finish ourworks - Nobody says (what? – that...) when we have to submit our work.

• Iwillbehappywhen I pass thisexamverywell – I will be happy (when? – then...) when I pass this exam very well.
• Wewillhavesupperwhen guests arrive – We will have dinner (when? – then...) when the guests arrive.

This rule also applies to conditional constructions if a clause with if is used in a sentence as a complement.

This concludes the development of English subordinate clauses. We hope that you have learned the basic rules, learned to distinguish between cases of use and are ready to test your knowledge by completing exercises on the topic of subordinate clauses in English. Good luck in improving your foreign language!

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We continue to consider in detail the prepositions of time, which indicate temporary relationships and answer the questions: WHEN? HOW LONG? HOW MUCH TIME? SINCE WHEN? Prepositions of time can be divided into two groups.

The first group includes prepositions that indicate a point in time, which can be conditional. Such prepositions answer the question WHEN? or WHAT TIME? AT WHAT TIME? and so on.

The second group is prepositions that “responsible” for the period, length of time, the beginning of the period or the end of the period. Then the questions will be: HOW LONG? SINCE WHEN? HOW MUCH TIME? and so on.

Preposition of time FROM indicates the beginning of the period, the beginning of the countdown. Answers the question “FROM WHAT TIME?” or “Since when” and is translated - “FROM”, “FROM”, “STARTING WITH”.

I’ll write a few examples of phrases with the preposition FROM:

FROM the beginning of the year = WITH beginning of the year;

FROM the end of the year = WITH end of the year;

FROM Monday = WITH Monday;

FROM 8 a.m. = WITH eight o'clock in the morning;

FROM childhood = WITH childhood;

FROM the first of May = WITH first of May;

If there is an indication of the start (starting point, beginning point of the period), then there is an indication of the end of the period, that is, the point in time when the period ends. The end of the period is indicated by the preposition TILL, less often TO.

It turns out that we enclose a period of time in a time “frame,” indicating its beginning and end. Therefore, the preposition of time FROM is often used in conjunction with the preposition of time TILL (TO). “From beginning to end” - this is the meaning of this pair of prepositions FROM ... TILL.

I will write a few examples of phrases:

FROM morning TILL evening = WITH morning BEFORE evenings;

FROM 8 o'clock TILL 11 o'clock = WITH eight o'clock BEFORE eleven;

FROM Monday TILL Friday = WITH Monday BY Friday;

FROM dusk TILL dawn = FROM dawn BEFORE dawn;

FROM noon TILL evening = WITH noon BEFORE evenings;

FROM 1920TILL 1940 = WITH 1920 BEFORE 1940;

FROM beginning TILL end = WITH started BEFORE end;

I will write a few examples for three tenses:

He works FROM 8 TILL 5. = It works WITH eight BEFORE five.

He will be working FROM May TILL September. = It will work WITH May BEFORE September.

He worked in London FROM 2005 TILL 2010. He worked in London WITH 2005 BEFORE 2010.

The preposition of time FROM is often confused with the preposition of time SINCE, which is also translated as “C”, and answers the questions: “Since when?” or “Since when?”

Let's look at two sentences that can easily help you understand the difference between the prepositions FROM and SINCE.

He worked in London FROM 2005 TO 2010. = He worked in London FROM 2005 TILL 2010. = Here we are talking about the fact that he started working in London in 2005 and finished working in 2010, at the moment he is not working there. Even if the end of the period is not specified, it is always implied. For example: He has worked in London since 2005. = He worked in London FROM 2005.

He has been working in London since 2005. = He has been working in London SINCE 2005.= Here we are talking about the fact that he started working in London in 2005 and continues to work until now, until the moment of his statement.

Conclusion: prepositions of time FROM... TILL always define the boundaries of the period, these are the so-called start and end “limiters”. They almost always “work” in pairs, but they can also be on their own. When a sentence contains the preposition FROM, that is, a starting limiter, then the end of the period is implied. And vice versa, if the final delimiter is TILL , then the beginning of the period is also implied.

The preposition TILL is translated as - BEFORE, UP TO and has a similar preposition UNTIL. There is practically no difference between TILL and UNTIL, you just need to remember that UNTIL is more formal English.

I’ll write a few examples with the prepositions TILL (UNTIL):

I am going to stay here TILL (UNTIL) Monday. = I'm going to stay here (UNTIL) Monday. (That is, the beginning of the period is the moment of utterance: from the moment of utterance until Monday);

Please, wait TILL (UNTIL) tomorrow. = Please wait UNTIL tomorrow. (from the moment of statement until tomorrow);

I'll be here TILL (UNTIL) 5 o'clck. = I'll be here until 5 o'clock. (I will be here from now until five o'clock);

The preposition TILL (UNTIL) is confused with which also indicates approaching or proximity to some point in time. But the meaning of these prepositions is completely different.

The preposition of time TILL (UNTIL) is always associated with a period that “extends” before it, so to speak, limits the end point of this period. Answers the question: HOW LONG?

The preposition of time BY indicates a point in time, when approaching which some event will happen, has happened or is happening. Answers the questions: “WHEN?” or “BY WHAT TIME?”

Let's look at two sentences that show the difference between the time prepositions TILL and BY.

I shall be taking the exams TILL Friday. = I will take my exams BEFORE Friday.(I will stop taking exams on Friday. From the moment of the statement until Friday, during this entire period I will take exams. Question - How long will it take you to take exams?);

I shall have taken the exams BY Friday. = I will have passed my exams by Friday.(The action will be completed by a point in time and this point in time is Friday. Question - By what time will you pass the exams?)

The beauty of the English language is its simplicity. And this article proves it once again.

Friends, hello. Has it ever happened to you when you know complex words by heart, understand serious conversations in English, but begin to doubt the use of simple, colloquial words and expressions. So that you doubt less about such trifles, I want to teach you some similar examples. Namely, what is the difference between “by” and “until” and “raise” and “rise” and when it is appropriate to use them in sentences.

By and until.

So, "by" and "until"- both prepositions of time and during translation into Russian their difference does not always become clear. Both mean “before,” but if they are used incorrectly, the meaning of the sentence can radically change. However, there is no need to worry, because to understand such language nuances - how to learn to swim, drive a car or ride a bicycle, if you understand how once, then it will remain the same for the rest of your life.

Until/till– many probably had questions about “until” and “till”, because they are translated the same way. It's very simple - it's the same word, only "until" is used in formal settings, and "till" is more suitable for colloquial speech. As already mentioned, “until” is translated as “until,” but this means that we are talking about the end of the action at a specific time. For better understanding, the following examples are given.

He will stay at my house until 5 pm because plane flies at 8 pm.

(He will stay at my house until 5 o'clock in the afternoon because the plane leaves at 8 o'clock)

That is, he will leave after five o’clock; he is definitely not going to leave before that.

The play lasts till 9 pm.

(The performance will end at nine o'clock)

It will end by nine and not earlier.

By– and in this case, “until” means that the action must end before the end of a specific time.

I should return borrowed money by April 5th.

(I must repay the debt by April 5th)

That is, unlike “until”, “by” here means that the money must be returned before the fifth of April, that is, the fifth of April is the deadline.

Bob should finish his homework by 4 pm because at 6 we are leaving.

(Bob must finish his homework before four because we leave at six)

Four o'clock is Bob's deadline; if he doesn't make it, he won't go with them.

To clearly see the difference, let's look at the words "by" and "until" in the same sentence.

Luis will wait us until/by 8 o’clock.

With “by” this sentence would be translated as follows: “Louis will wait for us until 8 o’clock.” That is, as soon as it is 8 o'clock, he will no longer be able to wait and may even leave earlier.

And with “untill”, Louis could easily wait until eight, because he definitely wouldn’t go anywhere.

Raise and rise.

Now, we'll look at when and how to use "raise" and "rise". These two verbs mean to raise, but in sentences their incorrect use is a blunder. Firstly, it should be noted that in the past tenses they differ in that “raise” is a regular verb (Raise – Raised – Raised), and “rise” is an irregular verb (Rise – Rose – Risen).

Raise– a verb is used when there is a noun after it, that is, in a sentence you can ask the following question: “what/whom to raise?” This is a simple way to check which verb is correct:

I raised the pen from the floor.

(I picked up my pen from the floor)

As you can see, you can ask the question: “What did I raise?”

Your dog is raising that stick.

(Your dog picked up that stick) What did the dog pick up?

Rise– and in this case there should be no noun after “rise”. Test question – “What/Who is rising?

He is rising from his chair.

(He gets up from his chair) Nobody lifts him up, he gets up on his own.

The sun rises every day.

(The sun rises every day)

Nobody and nothing raises the sun, it rises/rises itself. To check, you can ask the question: “What rises/stands up?”

any action can be perceived as a result or as an activity.
before - result, until - activity
1. if the activity is up to the specified time - until.


4. if the result is received at the specified time - at.

now examples of the difference between before - until - by - at

1. if the activity is up to the specified time - until.
This meat is very hard. I will cook it until 6 / until you come.

2. if the result is anywhere in the time period - before.
If you want some soup, I will cook it before 6 / before you come.

3. if the result is obtained almost close to the end of the time period - by.
If you want it hot, I will cook it by 6 / by the time you come.

4. if the result is received at the specified time - at.
If you come at 6, we will have dinner together.

The result or activity is not always tied to a specific point on the time scale. for example, meat requires cooking for 2 hours.

5. result - This meat will be cooked in 2 hours.
6. activity - I will cook this meat for 2 hours.
let's take a closer look at this pair.

for - in. difference

There is something that will require 6 hours of time. this can be conveyed by 5 Russian prepositions: it will be clean IN..., they will clean FOR..., the workers will be involved ON..., they will clean here WITHIN..., they will work __ 6 hours. in English there will be 2 mentioned prepositions:

there is a shop manager, a foreman and workers Sergei, Vasya and Nikolai.
foreman to the shop manager: - through 6 o'clock everything will be clear,
behind 6 hours we will get an excellent result.
foreman to workers: - guys, take a smoke break and get ready
to a dirty but necessary process - during 6 hours
We will take it out, rearrange it, sweep it up.

the most important things about English prepositions

all English PREPOSITIONS are divided into THREE types:
space, time, nominal.
and when we translate from Russian into English “NA”, there is no need
immediately go to “ON”. ask yourself what type of excuse this is. If
1. spaces -> ON, if
2. time -> FOR, but what if
3. nominal, then its translation depends on the specific
noun, adjective or verb.
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