The Big Timeline
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The symbol above is called the "big timeline". It represents the passing of time. We can use a pointer to represent a specific time. The symbol below means "pointer number 1 is equal to".
With this in mind, what do you think the following sentence means?:
First it rained then it snowed. It rained before it snowed.
We can get quite detailed and accurate if we want to. Check out the following sentence:
It finished raining before it started snowing.
If we want to say that two things happened at the same time then we can just stack the pointers on top of each other:
The plain undecorated blue arrow is one form of the big timeline. The other form depicts past or present or future:
Talking about something that happened in the past.
Talking about something that is happening right now (in the present).
Talking about something that will happen in the future.
The big timeline and the little timeline (twisty arrow) work together:
Had just started to grow.
Will be (in the process of) solving.
Will have already solved.
Just beginning to weigh. Just beginning to compare.
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