Sequencing Words
Let's briefly review the so called sequencing words (or sequence words) - the words that establish the
order, or sequence, in which the facts or events happen.
I know many of you have had problems with them! But, no more! Practicing and learning more English with LEP
will make things easier! :-)
Here is the drill:
First (or
First of
all, or
To begin with)
, I write the sequencing words in "sequence", of course. What happens
first, comes first. It's that easy! And I highlight them in yellow.
Secondly (or
Next), you read this.
Then you start understanding the sequence.
After that, you will remember that we use "that" after "after" (when we are
talking about sequence of facts), because "that" refers to what came before in the sequence. It's like saying: I
have
A, and B after
A = I have
A, and B after
that ("that" refers" to "A").
So we must use "that"! Example:
I went to the store and
after to the bank. =
INCORRECT!
I went to the store, and
after that to the bank.
PERFECT!
Or, we can use "someone or something" in place of "that". Observe these sentences
below:
 |
After the storm there is calm. ==> "the storm" is the noun that was not mentioned
before, so it cannot be replaced my "that".
BUT: The storm came fast, and after that, the calm. Here we use
"that" because it's referring to the "storm" that was mentioned before - and we don't want to
repeat it!
|
|
|
 |
After Paul arrived, we left.
BUT: Paul arrived, and after that we left.
|
Finally (or
Lastly,
or At last,), you might want to do some exercises to be sure you have got it right.
Choose the appropriate highlighted yellow words above to fill in the blanks below:
01) _________ I fed the kids, next I put the garbage out. _______ ______, we all left.
02) It's easier if you go first to the gas station, _________ go to the market, ________ _____ to the pharmacy,
and then to the post office. _________, you pick me up.
03) ________ I got home, and ________ I started studying. Later _______ _____, I fell asleep.
04) I'm finishing this work, ____ _____!
05) I'll call you first, ok? ____ we decide what to do.
Answers:
01)
First (or First of all, or To begin
with), I fed the kids, next I put the garbage out.
After that, we all left.
02) It's easier if you go first to the gas station,
secondly (or next) go to the market,
after
that to the pharmacy, and then to the post office.
Finally (or lastly, or at
last), you pick me up.
03)
First I got home, and
then I started studying. Later
after that, I fell asleep.
04) I'm finishing this work,
at last!
05) I'll call you first, ok?
Then we decide what to
do.
FUENTE:
http://www.liveenglishprogram.com/sequencing.html