When
When I was young, I used to play a lot of football.
Pre-learning
Clauses
A clause is a sentence or part of a sentence. It has a subject and a verb / verb 'be'.
I was young. = clause
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I used to play a lot of football. = clause
Other examples
I like cats and dogs.
I like cats and dogs. = clause
I like cats and dogs because they are fun.
I like cats and dogs = clause
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they are fun = clause
I was eating my dinner.
I was eating my dinner. = clause
I was eating my dinner so we could go shopping later.
I was eating my dinner = clause
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we could go shopping later. = clause
Review of grammar
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Present simple: I am, I have, She eats
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Past simple: I was, I had, She ate
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Future simple: I will be, I will have, She will eat
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Present continuous: I am having, She is eating
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Present perfect: I have been, She has eaten
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Future possible: I am going to, I might, She could, He may, They should
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Past continuous: I was having, She was eating
When + verb 'be' + noun
When subject + verb 'be' + noun
8 o'clock
10 o'clock
Examples
When it's 8 o'clock...
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When it's Christmas...
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When it was summer...
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When it was 1998...
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When it's Halloween...
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When it's Tuesday...
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When it was April...
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When I was a doctor...
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When I am a teacher...
When + verb 'be' + adjective
When subject + verb 'be' + adjective...
Examples
When I was 8-years-old...
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When I was 24-years-old...
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When I'm 42-years-old...
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When I was young...
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When I'm old...
When + verb phrase
When subject + verb phrase
Examples
When I worked...
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When I start...
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When I lived...
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When I joined...
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When I wear...
Creating sentences
When + subject + verb 'be' + noun, clause
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When + subject + verb 'be' + adjective, clause
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When + subject + verb phrase, clause
When it's 8 o'clock
Past
Now
Future
I always have a cup of coffee
When it's 8 o'clock, I always have a cup of coffee.
When I was young
Past
I used to live in France
Now
Future
When I was young, I used to live in France.
When I live in Italy
Past
Now
I should speak Italian
Future
When I live in Italy, I should speak Italian.
Practice
Christmas / buy / for / When / my / it's / I / presents / family
When it's Christmas, I buy presents for my family.
I'm / travel / around the world / going / old / When / I'm / to
Answer
When I'm old, I'm going to travel around the world.
started / my / When / excited / very / I / new / was / job / I
Answer
When I started my new job, I was very excited.
speak / in front of / I / a / When / large / people / nervous / group / of / I / get
Answer
When I speak in front of a large group of people, I get nervous.
Halloween / costume / wear / should / you / it's / When / a / scary
Answer
When it's Halloween, you should wear a scary costume.
Swap the clauses
You can swap the clauses and the sentence means the same.
When it's Christmas, I buy presents for my family.
I buy presents for my family when it's Christmas.
Note: in the second sentence I removed comma (,). It's personal preference.
When I started my new job, I was very excited.
I was very excited when I started my new job.
When my sister was 17 she went to live in Spain.
My sister went to live in Spain when she was 17.
Note: the first pronoun needs to more specific than 'she'. Therefore we make sure first pronoun is specific.
When - negative
We make the 'non-when' clause negative.
When my sister was 17 she went to live in Spain.
When my sister was 17 she did not go to live in Spain.
When I started by new job, I was very excited.
When I started by new job, I was not very excited.
When I finish work, I often have a beer.
When I finish work, I do not often have a beer.
When - questions (?)
We make the 'non-when' clause into a question.
When my sister was 17 she went to live in Spain.
When my sister was 17 did she go to live in Spain?
When I started by new job, I was very excited.
When you started by new job, were you very excited?
When I finish work, I often have a beer.
When you finish work, do you often have a beer?
Useful tip for remembering how to use 'when...'
Think of 'when...' as a time chunk. Let's take the clause: "I went to Italy" and add some time chunks.
I went to Italy.
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Last night I went to Italy.
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In 2019 I went to Italy.
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Two years ago I went to Italy.
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When I was 23 I went to Italy.
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When I was a teacher I went to Italy.
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When I worked as a doctor I went to Italy.
Accountant
Vocabulary - Verbs
Vocabulary - Nouns
Professional customers. People that use your service.
Simple clauses:
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I have exams.
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I prepare reports.
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I advise clients.
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I have meetings with clients.
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I balance the accounts.
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I write reports.
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I check the accounts.
When clauses:
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When it's the end of the year...
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When I was studying...
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When I get into the office...
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When clients ask...
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When it's Christmas...
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When the accounts are finished
Joined sentences
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I had exams when I was studying.
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When it's the end of the year I balance the accounts.
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When I get into the office I have meetings with clients.
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When clients ask I prepare reports.
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When it's Christmas I write reports.
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I advice clients when they ask.
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When the accounts are finished I will check them.