Ago We count time backwards from now (the present) past 1986 moved to Swansea now = 2014 I moved to Swansea 25 years ago We use past simple when we use ago time phrase + ago T called my friend ‘ten minutes | ago She arrived one/an hour | ago He passed his test three weeks | ago They went to Cardiff two years | ago We started our class five months | ago I met my friend ‘one/a year | ago Before Before is used when you date back from any point of time, or the future past Ali studied English Abdul studied English now 2006 2008 2011 Ali studied English before Abdul He got a car before me She left before I arrived now go on a diet heart attack ——— future You should go on a diet before you have a heart attack Put your phone in your pocket before you lose it Wash your hands before you eat In this way we use the past participle of the verb have/haven’t/has/hasn‘t + past participle + before Have you been to Cardiff before? I've never eaten octopus before. She’s never seen an elephant before.