Before + a time
(1) He got home at 7:30pm before I.
(2) He got home before I did at 9pm.
(1) means he got home at a specific time (7:30) and then I got there. (2) says he got home at an unspecified time and then I got there at 9.
Some of my non-native English speaking friends think my sentences are OK. I agree with them. But, others think they sound odd with a specific time given.
What is your opinion? Thanks a lot.
Top answer
ansonguy others think they sound odd with a specific time given. I am one of these others. When you combine 'before', 'after', 'until', etc.
- ansonguy others think they sound odd with a specific time given.
- I am one of these others.
- When you combine 'before', 'after', 'until', etc.
- with a specific time, your sentences start to sound very un-English — though there are ways of doing that which don't sound too awful.
- ansonguy (1) He got home at 7:30pm before I.
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ansonguyothers think they sound odd with a specific time given.
I am one of these others. When you combine 'before', 'after', 'until', etc. with a specific time, your sentences start to sound very un-English — though there are ways of doing that which don't sound too awful.
ansonguy(1) He got home at 7:30pm before I.
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