5.107 order of events

'Before' and 'after' can also be used to indicate the order of events when the same person does two actions or two people do the same action.

• I should have talked about that before anything else.
• He knew Nell would probably be home before him.
• I do the floor after the washing-up.

You can also sometimes use 'earlier than' or 'later than'.

• Smiling develops earlier than laughing.