---
title: "Expressing Time, Place and Cause"
description: "Use conjunctions (when, before, after, while, so, because), adverbs (then, next, soon, therefore) and prepositions (before, after, during, in, because of) to express time, place and cause within and a"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/expressing-time-place-and-cause-mt_uorNrPTh6U
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/expressing-time-place-and-cause-mt_uorNrPTh6U.md
retrieved: 2026-10-19
---

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# Expressing Time, Place and Cause

Use conjunctions (when, before, after, while, so, because), adverbs (then, next, soon, therefore) and prepositions (before, after, during, in, because of) to express time, place and cause within and across sentences

Subject: English · Area: Grammar & Punctuation · Ages 7 to 8
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/expressing-time-place-and-cause-mt_uorNrPTh6U

## Ready when they can

- Use time conjunctions to connect clauses (e.g., 'We went inside because it was raining', 'After the bell rang, we lined up')
- Use adverbs of time and cause within sentences (e.g., 'First, she opened the door. Then, she stepped outside. Therefore, she got wet.')
- Use prepositions of time and cause in phrases (e.g., 'during the lesson', 'before lunch', 'because of the rain')

## Lesson: Showing When and Why

Some little words connect two ideas in a sentence. They tell you when something happened, or why it happened. Conjunctions like when, before, after, while, so, and because join two parts of one sentence. Words like then, next, soon, and therefore can start a new sentence and point to time or cause.

*(drawing: Story order words like these keep events in the right order: First, Then, Next, Finally.)*

**Example.** During the lesson, Ben felt sleepy. He drank some water so he could focus. Soon, the bell rang. Then, he went outside for recess.

**Tip.** You can flip a because sentence around and it still makes sense. 'We went inside because it was raining' means the same as 'Because it was raining, we went inside.' Try flipping your own sentences to check they make sense both ways.

**Recap.** Connector words like because, after, then, soon, and during tell you when something happened or why it happened.

## Practice

24 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Needs first

- [Prepositions](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/prepositions-mt_VY3rBq8RyP)
- [Subordinate clauses](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/subordinate-clauses-mt_wq-1OJ_8s5)

## Opens up

- [Fronted Adverbials and Commas](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/fronted-adverbials-and-commas-mt_0QJoKWABdC)
- [Cohesion within paragraphs](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/cohesion-within-paragraphs-mt_4-vfMgmCVB)
- [Prepositional Phrases](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/prepositional-phrases-mt_7SfQuXgNtd)
- [Conjunctions, Prepositions and Interjections](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/conjunctions-prepositions-and-interjections-mt_LN_g2b3d34)