Difference between revisions of "Language/English/Vocabulary/Ago"
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[[File:English-Language-PolyglotClub.jpg|thumb]] | |||
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<div class="pg_page_title"> Ago</div> | |||
==Word order: six weeks ago== | |||
= | |||
Ago follows an expression of time. | Ago follows an expression of time. | ||
Example | ===Example=== | ||
I met her six weeks ago. | *I met her six weeks ago. | ||
== | ==Tenses== | ||
An expression with ago refers to a finished time, and is normally used with a past tense, not a present perfect. | An expression with ago refers to a finished time, and is normally used with a past tense, not a present perfect. | ||
Examples | ===Examples=== | ||
She phoned a few minutes ago. (not She has phoned) | *She phoned a few minutes ago. (not She has phoned) | ||
‘Where’s Mike? '‘He was working outside ten minutes ago.’ | *‘Where’s Mike? '‘He was working outside ten minutes ago.’ | ||
==The difference between ago and for== | |||
== | |||
Ago says how long before the present something happened; for (with a past tense) says how long it lasted. | Ago says how long before the present something happened; for (with a past tense) says how long it lasted. | ||
Compare | ===Compare=== | ||
He died three years ago. (= three years before now) (not He died for three years, or for three years ago.) | *He died three years ago. (= three years before now) (not He died for three years, or for three years ago.) | ||
He was ill for three years before he died. (= His illness lasted three years.) | *He was ill for three years before he died. (= His illness lasted three years.) | ||
== | ==Ago and before with time expressions: counting back== | ||
We use "ago" with a past tense and a time expression to ‘count back' from the present; to say how long before now something happened. | We use "ago" with a past tense and a time expression to ‘count back' from the present; to say how long before now something happened. | ||
| Line 41: | Line 37: | ||
We can use "before" in the same way (with a past perfect tense) to count back from a past moment. | We can use "before" in the same way (with a past perfect tense) to count back from a past moment. | ||
Compare | ===Compare=== | ||
*I met that woman in Scotland three years ago.(not three years before/ before three years) | |||
I | *When we got talking I found out that I had been at school with her husband ten years before, (not ten years ago.) | ||
==Other Lessons== | |||
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Diminutives|Diminutives]] | |||
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Not…as-such|Not…as such]] | |||
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Prepare-IELTS|Prepare IELTS]] | |||
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Colors|Colors]] | |||
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Animal-Sounds|Animal Sounds]] | |||
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/At-Home|At Home]] | |||
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Latin-Greek-Hybrid-Words|Latin Greek Hybrid Words]] | |||
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Language-registers|Language registers]] | |||
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/English-words-of-Arabic-origin|English words of Arabic origin]] | |||
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Although,-though,-but-and-however|Although, though, but and however]] | |||
<span links></span> | |||
Latest revision as of 10:24, 27 March 2023
Ago
Word order: six weeks ago[edit | edit source]
Ago follows an expression of time.
Example[edit | edit source]
- I met her six weeks ago.
Tenses[edit | edit source]
An expression with ago refers to a finished time, and is normally used with a past tense, not a present perfect.
Examples[edit | edit source]
- She phoned a few minutes ago. (not She has phoned)
- ‘Where’s Mike? '‘He was working outside ten minutes ago.’
The difference between ago and for[edit | edit source]
Ago says how long before the present something happened; for (with a past tense) says how long it lasted.
Compare[edit | edit source]
- He died three years ago. (= three years before now) (not He died for three years, or for three years ago.)
- He was ill for three years before he died. (= His illness lasted three years.)
Ago and before with time expressions: counting back[edit | edit source]
We use "ago" with a past tense and a time expression to ‘count back' from the present; to say how long before now something happened.
We can use "before" in the same way (with a past perfect tense) to count back from a past moment.
Compare[edit | edit source]
- I met that woman in Scotland three years ago.(not three years before/ before three years)
- When we got talking I found out that I had been at school with her husband ten years before, (not ten years ago.)
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Diminutives
- Not…as such
- Prepare IELTS
- Colors
- Animal Sounds
- At Home
- Latin Greek Hybrid Words
- Language registers
- English words of Arabic origin
- Although, though, but and however