'in advance of; at an earlier time' paraphrases for 'ahead'

Question

Hi teachers,The context:‘We’re always three hours or more behind him,’ Felix said to Adam in the car. ‘We drive up and down the country, but Dinon always moves on before we get there.’Was Dinon always ahead of Felix and Dinon? Explain your answer.Yes, he was. He always moved on before they got to his location.Would, 'in advance of; at an earlier time' be appropriate paraphrases for 'ahead' in the question?I have no intention of substituting the paraphrases for the original one. It's just to explain the meaning to the students. Thanks in advance.

Tenacious Learner · Accepted Answer

Sorry I should have said paraphrases for 'ahead of'.
How about these ones in that context?
'earlier than; before; at a place before.'
By the way, Dinon is a fugitive and Felix and Adam are police inspectors looking for him.

TL

Surfer · Answer

Tenacious LearnerWas Dinon always ahead of Felix and Dinon? Explain your answer.
Yes, he was. He always moved on before they got to his location.

Would, 'in advance of; at an earlier time' be appropriate paraphrases for 'ahead' in the question?

Hello, TL.

I think of: moving/relocating earlier, more advanced.

I myself wouldn't ask "Was Dinon always ahead of Felix and Dinon?", for since they were chasing him, then it couldn't have been any other way than he was ahead of them - you can't be chasing someone and ahead of them at the same time, it's a contradiction.

If you want to emphasize the use of the word ahead, then you could ask:

Explain how Dinon was always ahead of Felix and Adam. Or,
How did Dinon manage to stay ahead of Felix and Adam?

He always moved before they got to his location.

Tenacious Learner · Answer

SurferI myself wouldn't ask "Was Dinon always ahead of Felix and Dinon?", for since they were chasing him, then it couldn't have been any other way than he was ahead of them - you can't be chasing someone and ahead of them at the same time, it's a contradiction.

Hi Surfer,
Thanks for your reply and comments.

But the question is based on what Felix said to Adam in the car. The tricky part is explaining why using the preposition 'ahead of'.
Is it that wrong?

TL

MIG · Answer

<img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/38.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/38.gif' alt='Emotion: rolleyes'/> "forrader of"?

Tenacious Learner · Answer

MIG"forrader of"?

Hi MIG,
Thanks for your reply. Isn't 'forrader' a very rare adverb? I mean, is it really used in everyday conversations?

The questions I ask in this forum are for beginners and pre-intermediate students.

TL

Surfer · Answer

Tenacious LearnerHi Surfer,Thanks for your reply and comments.But the question is based on what Felix said to Adam in the car. The tricky part is explaining why using the preposition 'ahead of'.Is it that wrong?

Hello, TL.

It's not wrong, it's just asking about what's naturally granted as common sense. When someone is running away from the police and they're lacking behind, following his trail and not being able to close in on him, then there is no describing that other than that he is ahead of them.., the reason why "Was Dinon always ahead of Felix and Dinon?" sounds a bit bizarre - of course he was, they were chasing him!

I hope one of the teachers will comment on this.

'in advance of; at an earlier time' paraphrases for 'ahead'

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