Linking Sentences to Express Time

We have at least three situations where time is expressed in a number of linked sentences. We started the theme of linking sentences in our last lesson, but linking sentences to express time is our subject for today's lesson.

Coordination

i) We can have two sentences in coordination, in order to express a sequence of events. These sentences are equal in value. For example, if you enter a room and utter either of the sentences to an audience, they will understand both sentences equally.

[The doctor consulted the old man patiently] and [(then) he prescribed some medicine for his stomach ulcer.]

Subordination

ii) We can have the case of two sentences in subordination, in which case one of them depends on the other one in order to make sense.

[Sub] [After he paid for his new car in cash,] [Tony took it for a ride around the Eifel Tower, to impress his girlfriend to bits.]

The test for subordination is this: If you came into a room and uttered the first sentence, nobody would understand the complete meaning of the situation, until they listened to the second sentence.

Adverbial link

iii) A third situation for expressing a time connection between two sentences is the adverbial link:

[Adv] He talked on the phone for a long time. Then he turned to his wife, with a sad look on his face.