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before3 S1 W2
1 at an earlier time : 
Haven't I met you before somewhere?Never before had he seen so many people starving. She looked just the same as before.
Haven't I met you before somewhere?Never before had he seen so many people starving.She looked just the same as before.2 the previous day, week, month etc : She was in Paris last week and in Rome the week before.
the day/week/month etc before
She was in Paris last week and in Rome the week before.3 old use ahead of someone or something else : The king's herald walked before.
The king's herald walked before.WORD CHOICE: WORD CHOICE:
ago, before, previously Use ago to say how much time has passed from the time something happened to now, the time of speaking • I saw her a few minutes ago. • We went to Madrid two years ago.Use before to say how much time passed from the time something happened to a time in the past • We went to the same hotel where we stayed two years before.Previously is used in the same way, but is more formal • The meeting was a follow-up to one that had been held four days previously.GRAMMAR!! Do not use a preposition ('at', 'in', 'on' etc) before a phrase with ago • They first met fifteen years ago (NOT at/in fifteen years ago).!! Do not use 'since' or 'before' with ago • I came to the USA two months ago (NOT since/before two months ago).!! Use the past tense, not the present perfect, with ago • I started (NOT I've started) a new job a few weeks ago. ➔ See also agoWORD CHOICE:WORD CHOICE:
in front, opposite, faceIf something or someone is in front of a building, they are directly outside the front of it • Meet me in front of the station.If something or someone is opposite a building, they are outside the front of it on the other side of a street, area of land etc • the fields opposite the schoolUse the verb face to say that a building has something outside the front of it • My apartment block faces (NOT is in front of) the sea. • a house facing the square
in front of, before!! Use in front of not 'before', to talk about doing something so that people can see or hear you • I had to explain myself in front of (NOT before) the whole class.!! Use before, not 'in front of',to talk about the order in which things happen • Before starting (NOT In front of starting), let's list what we have to do. ➔ See also front
WORD CHOICE: ago, before, previously Use ago to say how much time has passed from the time something happened to now, the time of speaking • I saw her a few minutes ago. • We went to Madrid two years ago.Use before to say how much time passed from the time something happened to a time in the past • We went to the same hotel where we stayed two years before.Previously is used in the same way, but is more formal • The meeting was a follow-up to one that had been held four days previously.GRAMMAR!! Do not use a preposition ('at', 'in', 'on' etc) before a phrase with ago • They first met fifteen years ago (NOT at/in fifteen years ago).!! Do not use 'since' or 'before' with ago • I came to the USA two months ago (NOT since/before two months ago).!! Use the past tense, not the present perfect, with ago • I started (NOT I've started) a new job a few weeks ago. ➔ See also agoWORD CHOICE:
WORD CHOICE: in front, opposite, faceIf something or someone is in front of a building, they are directly outside the front of it • Meet me in front of the station.If something or someone is opposite a building, they are outside the front of it on the other side of a street, area of land etc • the fields opposite the schoolUse the verb face to say that a building has something outside the front of it • My apartment block faces (NOT is in front of) the sea. • a house facing the square
in front of, before!! Use in front of not 'before', to talk about doing something so that people can see or hear you • I had to explain myself in front of (NOT before) the whole class.!! Use before, not 'in front of',to talk about the order in which things happen • Before starting (NOT In front of starting), let's list what we have to do. ➔ See also front
