Ago and Before

 

“Ago” is used with a past tense and a time expression to count back from the present.

“Ago” means “before the present”.

“Ago” refers to length of time measured only from now.

“Ago” is an adverb.

“Ago” is generally used with Simple Past.

“Ago” always counts back from the present time.

Examples:

1. She left ten minutes ago.

2. He died seven years ago.

3. It happened ten years ago.

4. She called me five minutes ago.

5. I met her three years ago.

 

“Before” is used with a past perfect tense to count back from a past moment.

“Before” can also be used to mean “at any time before now/then”. With this meaning, it can be used with both present and past tenses.

“Before” means the period of time that precedes a particular event, date or time.

“Before” is used for past times from another time in the past.

“Before” should be used only when dating the length of time is not from now. It refers to past events that one is talking about.

“Before” is an adverb, preposition and conjunction.

“Before” is often used with the past perfect tense.

“Before” counts back from a past point.

 

Examples:

1. I reached the railway station at 7:00, but the train had left ten minutes before.

2. I have seen him before.

3. He has never done it before.

4. It happened before you were born.

5. She had never seen that man before.