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ago362 ago1word order: six weeks agoAgo follows an expression of time.I met her six weeks ago. (not … ago six weeks.)a long time ago2tensesAn expression with ago refers to a finished time, and is normally used with a past tense, not a present perfect (47.4).She phoned a few minutes ago. (not She has phoned …)'Where's Mike? ''He was working outside ten minutes ago.'3the difference between ago and forAgo says how long before the present something happened; for (with a past tense) says how long it lasted. Compare:He died three years ago. (= three years before now) (not He died for three years.) or … for three years ago. He was ill for three years before he died. (= His illness lasted three years.)4ago and before with time expressions: counting backWe use ago with a past tense and a time expression to 'count back' from the present; to say how long before now something happened.We can use before in the same way (with a past perfect tense) to count back from a past moment. Compare:I met that woman in Scotland three years ago. (not … three years before / before three years.)When we got talking, I found out that I had been at school with her husband ten years before. (not … ten years ago.) 
For other uses of before, 250, 397.Previous Next - stories commentaries
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- street
- street and road
- strong forms
- strong obligation have got to
- strong obligation must will
- subjects objects
- subjects objects and complements
- subjunctive that she go that they be if i were etc
- subordinate clauses some general points
- such
- such
- such and so
- suffixes
- suggest
- suit
- suit and fit
- superlative adjectives
- superlative adverbs
- superlatives
- suppose supposing
- suppose supposing and what if
- surely
- swear words