讲一个有前情的故事
能讲一个故事，其中一部分事情说明了后来为什么会发生那件事。
标注的核心时长。核心模块中有两项未标注时长，因此实际课时比总和更长。
语法
14 分钟在第1课里，过去完成时和一般过去时一起出现在同一个句子里。真正的故事要长得多，里面三种过去时同时在起作用。每种时态各有分工；如果混在一起，听的人就搞不清哪件事先、哪件事后。
形式都学过。 一般过去时（A2 第1课）：I left、I didn't leave。过去进行时（A2 第2课）：I was leaving、They were talking。过去完成时（第1课）：I had left。
各自的分工：
| 时态 | 作用 | 回答什么问题 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Past Simple | 事件链 | 接下来发生了什么？ | I got up, had breakfast and left. |
| Past Continuous | 背景，那个时刻正在进行的过程 | 周围正在发生什么？ | It was raining, people were hurrying to work. |
| Past Perfect | 前情 | 在这之前发生过什么？ | I had forgotten my umbrella. |
可以把故事想象成一部电影。一般过去时推动情节：每一个新事件都是下一个镜头。过去进行时是布景，是镜头开始时已经在进行的事。过去完成时是短暂的回顾：这一场之前发生了什么，为什么这一场是这个样子。
怎样找到叙述点。 问问自己：我现在讲的是哪一个时刻？在这个时刻和之后发生的事，都用一般过去时；在这个时刻已经在进行的事，用过去进行时；在它之前就结束了的事，用过去完成时。叙述点随着情节移动，所以同一件事在故事开头用一般过去时，过了一段再回头提起时，就要用过去完成时了。
维持先后顺序的连词：
| 连词 | 意思 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|
| when | ……的时候 | When I got home, my sister had made dinner. |
| after | 在……之后 | After I had finished the report, I went home. |
| before | 在……之前 | I checked the windows before I left. |
| as soon as | 一……就…… | As soon as I saw the time, I jumped up. |
| by the time | 到……的时候 | By the time we arrived, the shop had closed. |
after 和 before 后面不一定要用过去完成时： 连词本身就说明了哪件事在先。 After I finished the report, I went home 和用 had finished 一样正确。用 as soon as 时，两个动词通常都用一般过去时：一件事紧跟着另一件事发生。
by the time 的主句几乎总是要用过去完成时。 它的意思是“到……的时候”，主要的那件事到这个时刻已经结束了： By the time we arrived, everyone had left.
比较三种回答：我回到家时，姐姐在做什么？
| When I got home, my sister made dinner. | 我回来了——她才开始做饭。 |
| When I got home, my sister was making dinner. | 她正在做饭。 |
| When I got home, my sister had made dinner. | 晚饭已经做好了。 |
开头一样，故事却有三个。区别只在动词的时态。
适度原则。 过去完成时是用来往回退一步的，不是用来停在那里的。很长的前情里，只在头一两句用它，后面就换成一般过去时——先后已经清楚了：
I had met Anna years before, in Edinburgh. We worked in the same café and shared a flat. Then she moved to Canada, and we lost touch.
两部分的顺序是自由的。 英语常常先说结果，再解释原因： I couldn't get in because I had lost my keys. 如果带连词的部分放在前面，后面要加逗号： By the time we arrived, the shop had closed.
不能这样说。 ✗ After I had finished, I had gone home → ✓ After I had finished, I went home。较晚的那件事就是叙述点，它用一般过去时。
自我检测。 When I got home, my sister had made dinner 是什么意思：她是当着你的面开始做饭，还是晚饭已经摆在桌上了？After I ___ (finish), I went home 里一定要用过去完成时吗？ by the time 的主句里通常用什么时态？
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中文母语者的常见错误
已针对你的语言编写by the time when。
✗ By the time when we arrived, the shop had closed
✓ By the time we arrived, the shop had closed
。“到我们到达的时候”里的“的时候”让人想加 when，可是 by the time 里已经包含了“……的时候”。
用一般过去时代替背景。
When I came in, everybody sat at the table and talked—— 在英语里意思是：我一进门，大家才坐到桌边开始聊天。要说“大家正坐着聊天”，得用 ✓ everybody was sitting at the table and talking。汉语的“在”“着”常常可以省掉，动词本身也不变；英语的背景必须用过去进行时。
讲着讲着换成了现在时。
✗ When I opened the door, my manager is standing by the board
✓ When I opened the door, my manager was standing by the board
。汉语讲故事时动词不变，英语的故事从头到尾都要用过去时，每个动词都要检查。
because 和 so 一起用。
✗ Because I had lost my keys, so I couldn't get in
✓ Because I had lost my keys, I couldn't get in
。汉语说“因为……所以……”，英语只用其中一个。而且英语常把结果放在前面：I couldn't get in because I had lost my keys。
发音
4 分钟长句要分成几个意群，意群之间稍作停顿：
By the time I got to the office ‖ the meeting had already started. I had set my alarm for half past six ‖ but I hadn't heard it.
停顿放在两部分的分界处，通常是书面上有逗号或连词的地方。主语和谓语之间不停顿。
第一部分的末尾语调稍微上扬——这是“还没说完”的信号。只有在整句话的末尾，语调才下降。如果在 By the time I got to the office 之后就把语调降下来，听的人会以为你已经说完了。
前情里的 had 弱读——/həd/，在代词后面就只剩 /d/： I'd set my alarm /aɪd ˈset maɪ əˈlɑːm/。
课文
5 分钟By the time I got to the office on Monday, the meeting had already started. It was not a good beginning to my first week in a new job.
I had set my alarm for half past six, but I hadn't heard it. The night before, I had worked on my presentation until two in the morning and had fallen asleep on the sofa with my laptop on my knees. When I finally woke up, the sun was shining and the birds were singing. It was ten to nine.
As soon as I saw the time, I jumped up, put on yesterday's shirt and ran to the bus stop. It was raining hard, and of course I had left my umbrella at the office on Friday.
When I opened the door of the meeting room, everyone turned round. My new manager was standing by the board, and somebody had already written half of the plan on it. I said sorry and sat down.
After the meeting had finished, my manager asked me to stay. I expected the worst. But she just smiled and said, "Don't worry. On my first day here, I came to work in my slippers."
练习
30 分钟1. 填空。
- By the time I (get) to the office, the meeting (start)
- When I came in, my colleagues (discuss) the new project
- I (not / hear) my alarm because I (work) until two
- It (rain) hard, and I (leave) my umbrella at the office the day before
- As soon as she (see) the time, she (jump) up
- When we got to the party, most of the guests (already / go) home
- While I (wait) for the bus, I (realise) that I (leave) my phone at home
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2. 选择。
- we got to the cinema, the film had already started. (by the time / as soon as)
- I saw the message, I called her back. (as soon as / by the time)
- I always check the windows I leave the house. (before / after)
- she had paid the bill, she left the restaurant. (after / before)
- I opened the door, the dog ran out into the street. (when / by the time)
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3. 合成一句。
- The shop closed. + We arrived. (by the time)
- I finished the report. + I went home. (after)
- Everyone left. + The police came. (by the time)
- She read the instructions twice. + She started. (before)
- The guests went home. + I finished the washing-up. (by the time)
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4. 改错。
- By the time when we arrived, the shop had closed.
- After I had finished, I had gone home.
- When I came in, she was cooked dinner.
- I couldn't get in because I have lost my keys.
- By the time we got there, the shop has closed.
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5. 改写，先说结果。
- I lost my keys, so I couldn't get in.
- She forgot her passport, so she missed the flight.
- We didn't book a table, so we had to wait.
- He worked all night, so he was exhausted.
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6. 把提示扩展成完整的回答
- Why was the street wet? (it / rain / in the night)
- Why didn't you recognise Tom? (he / grow / a beard)
- Why was Anna so happy? (she / pass / her driving test)
- Why were you late for the meeting? (I / miss / the bus)
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7. 译成英语。
1) 到我们到的时候，大家都已经走了。 2) 我进去的时候，大家正坐在桌边聊天。 3) 我一看到消息，就给他打了电话。 4) 我没听见闹钟，因为我工作到了凌晨两点。
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小结
本课已学：一个故事里的三种过去时，when、after、before、as soon as、 by the time，适度原则，“结果——原因”的顺序。下一课——第3课：完成时的准确界限。
核心内容结束
完成练习后即视为课程结束。此后的内容均为可选。
可选
词卡词汇
15 词- alarm /əˈlɑːm/ 闹钟
- set /set/ 设定，调好（闹钟等）
- presentation /ˌpreznˈteɪʃn/ 演示，展示报告
- fall asleep /ˌfɔːl əˈsliːp/ 睡着
- wake up /ˌweɪk ˈʌp/ 醒来
- jump up /ˌdʒʌmp ˈʌp/ 跳起来
- umbrella /ʌmˈbrelə/ 雨伞
- turn round /ˌtɜːn ˈraʊnd/ 转过身
- board /bɔːd/ 白板，黑板
- colleague /ˈkɒliːɡ/ 同事
- manager /ˈmænɪdʒə/ 经理
- as soon as /əz ˈsuːn əz/ 一……就……
- finally /ˈfaɪnəli/ 终于；最后
- expect the worst /ɪkˌspekt ðə ˈwɜːst/ 做最坏的打算
- lose touch /ˌluːz ˈtʌtʃ/ 失去联系
写作
写六到八句话——讲一个出了岔子的早晨或一天。三种时态都要用上：事件链、背景和前情。
范例： By the time I got to the airport, they had closed the check-in desk. I had left home early, but there had been an accident on the motorway. While we were sitting in the traffic, I was checking the time every minute. When I finally ran into the terminal, the screen said "Gate closed". As soon as I saw it, I called my sister. She laughed and said, "Come and stay with us instead."
检查清单：前情用了过去完成时，但不是每句都用？背景用了过去进行时？事件链用了一般过去时？ by the time 后面没有 when 吧？