Using 'avant de' and 'après avoir' In French
This section explains Using 'avant de' and 'après avoir' in French. In French, avant de and après avoir are important structures used to express actions that occur before or after another action. These structures are used to convey the order of events in a sentence and are commonly seen in both Foundation and Higher Tier exams.
'avant de' + Infinitive
The phrase avant de is used to express an action that happens before another action. It is equivalent to saying "before + verb" in English.
Structure:
- avant de + infinitive verb (before + verb)
Common Use:
- avant de is followed by an infinitive verb to show that one action happens before another.
Examples with 'avant de':
| French | English | Example Sentence in French | Translation in English |
|---|---|---|---|
| avant de + infinitive | before doing something | Avant de partir, elle a pris son sac. | Before leaving, she took her bag. |
| avant de + infinitive | before doing something | Il doit finir ses devoirs avant de sortir. | He has to finish his homework before going out. |
| avant de + infinitive | before doing something | Nous avons mangé avant de partir en vacances. | We ate before leaving for the holidays. |
| avant de + infinitive | before doing something | Avant de jouer, il a fait ses exercices. | Before playing, he did his exercises. |
Examples with 'avant de':
- Je me suis lavé les mains avant de manger.
- Translation: I washed my hands before eating.
- Elle a vérifié son téléphone avant de partir à l'école.
- Translation: She checked her phone before leaving for school.
- Nous avons écouté de la musique avant de commencer notre travail.
- Translation: We listened to music before starting our work.
'après avoir' + Past Participle
The phrase après avoir is used to express an action that happens after completing another action. It is equivalent to saying "after having + past participle" in English.
Structure:
- après avoir + past participle (after having + past participle)
Common Use:
- après avoir is followed by the past participle of a verb to show that one action happens after another.
Examples with 'après avoir':
| French | English | Example Sentence in French | Translation in English |
|---|---|---|---|
| après avoir + past participle | after doing something | Après avoir mangé, ils sont partis se promener. | After having eaten, they went for a walk. |
| après avoir + past participle | after doing something | Elle a pris une douche après avoir couru. | She took a shower after having run. |
| après avoir + past participle | after doing something | Après avoir fini ses devoirs, il est allé au cinéma. | After having finished his homework, he went to the cinema. |
| après avoir + past participle | after doing something | Après avoir vu le film, nous avons mangé au restaurant. | After having seen the film, we ate at the restaurant. |
Examples with 'après avoir':
- Elle est partie après avoir terminé ses cours.
- Translation: She left after having finished her classes.
- Nous avons pris un café après avoir visité le musée.
- Translation: We had a coffee after having visited the museum.
- Il est allé courir après avoir mangé son petit déjeuner.
- Translation: He went for a run after having eaten his breakfast.
Key Differences Between 'avant de' and 'après avoir'
- 'avant de' + infinitive indicates that one action happens before another. It is used with the infinitive form of the verb.
- Example: Elle a fait ses devoirs avant de regarder la télé. (She did her homework before watching TV).
- 'après avoir' + past participle indicates that one action happens after another. It is used with the past participle of the verb.
- Example: Ils sont allés au cinéma après avoir mangé. (They went to the cinema after having eaten).
Higher Tier: More Complex Sentences with 'avant de' and 'après avoir'
At the Higher Tier, you may encounter more complex sentences that involve these structures, sometimes with multiple clauses or more abstract ideas.
Examples:
- Avant de quitter la maison, elle a vérifié si les fenêtres étaient fermées.
- Translation:Before leaving the house, she checked if the windows were closed.
- Après avoir terminé son projet, il a décidé de partir en vacances pour se détendre.
- Translation:After having finished his project, he decided to go on holiday to relax.
- Nous avons pris le train après avoir acheté nos billets, mais nous avons manqué notre arrêt.
- Translation: We took the train after having bought our tickets, but we missed our stop.
- Il est allé courir avant de prendre son petit déjeuner, car il voulait se réveiller avant tout le monde.
- Translation: He went for a run before having his breakfast, because he wanted to wake up before everyone else.
Summary of Key Points:
- 'avant de' + infinitive: Used to express an action that happens before another action.
- Example: Elle a mangé avant de sortir. (She ate before going out.)
- 'après avoir' + past participle: Used to express an action that happens after another action.
- Example: Ils sont partis après avoir mangé. (They left after having eaten.)
- Remember that 'avant de' is followed by an infinitive, while 'après avoir' is followed by the past participle.
These structures are useful for expressing sequences of actions, so practise using them to become more confident in both Foundation and Higher Tier contexts.
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