pre- is the person who got there before the event did

Where the picture shows up in pre-

1. 1

   getting in before the guests

   Please prepare the room before they arrive.

   pliːz prɪˈper ðə ruːm bɪˈfɔːr ðeɪ əˈraɪv

   Get the room ready before they come.

   You walk into the still-empty room first, set the chairs, fill the water glasses.

   pre (before) + pare (make ready).

2. 2

   money before the goods

   This is a prepaid card.

   ðɪs ɪz ə ˌpriːˈpeɪd kɑːrd

   This card already has money on it.

   Nothing has been bought yet, but the money is already sitting inside the card.

   pre (before) + paid.

3. 3

   seeing it before it prints

   Can I see a preview before you print it?

   kæn aɪ siː ə ˈpriːvjuː bɪˈfɔːr juː prɪnt ɪt

   Can I look at it before you print it?

   Before anything reaches paper, the same page is already standing on the screen.

4. 4

   getting in the way first

   We prevent that by checking twice.

   wiː prɪˈvent ðæt baɪ ˈtʃekɪŋ twaɪs

   We stop that from happening by checking twice.

   You reach the spot before the trouble does and stand there with your arms out.

   pre (before) + vent (come) — come and stand in front.

5. 5

   words before the text

   Skip the preface and start on page ten.

   skɪp ðə ˈprefəs ənd stɑːrt ɑːn peɪdʒ ten

   Skip the opening pages and start at page ten.

   A few thin pages tucked in front of the first real page open before it does.