第 109 課 · 第 9 階段: 連線觀點
By 與 until
中級By vs until
構成與用法
by + 時間（最遲在……之前），until + 時間（一直到……），by the time…
1.基本區別
兩個詞都和時間點搭配，但看待這個時間點的角度不同。
| 意思 | 搭配 | 例句 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| by + time | 不晚於（截止時間） | 只需要在那之前完成的動作 | Please reply by Friday. |
| until / till + time | 一直到（持續，然後停止） | 持續的狀態或動作 | I'll wait until six. |
問問自己：這個動作是一直持續到那個時間，還是隻需要在那之前完成？持續 → until。截止時間 → by。
2.By——截止時間
1. by + 時間 = 在那個時間或之前
I need the report by Friday.
我需要在星期五之前拿到報告。
Dinner will be ready by seven.
七點前晚飯就做好了。
The parcel should arrive by the end of the week.
包裹應該在這週末之前送到。
2. by then / by that time / by now
Call me at nine. I'll be home by then.
九點給我打電話吧。到那時我已經到家了。
They left at noon, so they should be in Da Lat by now.
他們中午出發的，所以現在應該已經到大叻了。
3. 常和完成時連用（見“將來完成時”一課）
By next summer, I'll have saved enough for a motorbike.
到明年夏天，我就攢夠買摩托車的錢了。
By 2020, she'd moved to Saigon.
到 2020 年，她已經搬到西貢了。
3.Until——一直到
1. 某種狀態一直持續到某個時間，然後停止。 Till = until，口語中很常見。
The shop is open until 10 pm.
這家店營業到晚上 10 點。
Let's wait here until the rain stops.
我們在這兒等到雨停吧。
I work from nine till five.
我從九點工作到五點。
2. not … until = 直到……才（比預期晚）
I didn't get home until midnight.
我直到半夜才到家。
The film doesn't start until eight.
電影八點才開始。
3. until + 從句：用現在時表示將來（不用 will）
Stay here until I come back.
在這兒待著，等我回來。（不說：until I will come back）
I'm not leaving until I've finished this chapter.
不讀完這一章我就不走。
4.By the time + 從句
By the time + 從句 = “等到這件事發生時，另一件事已經發生了”。主句常用完成時，因為那個動作發生在這個時間之前。
| 時間 | 句型 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|
| 過去 | By the time + 一般過去時，… had + V3 | By the time we got to the cinema, the film had started. |
| 將來 | By the time + 一般現在時，… will have + V3 | By the time you get here, I'll have finished. |
By the time I found my keys, the bus had already left.
等我找到鑰匙時，公交車已經開走了。
By the time you read this, I'll be on the plane.
等你讀到這封信時，我已經在飛機上了。（不說：By the time you will read）
表示這個意思時不要說 “until the time”。要表達“等到……時，某事已經發生了”，一律用 by the time。
5.By 和 until 對比
You can stay until Sunday.
你可以一直待到星期天。（一直待到星期天）
You have to leave by Sunday.
你必須在星期天之前離開。（星期天或之前離開）
I'll be at work until six, so I'll be home by half past six.
我要工作到六點，所以六點半之前到家。
I can't finish it by Friday.
我星期五之前完成不了。（會錯過截止時間）
I won't finish it until Friday.
我要到星期五才能完成。（星期五完成，不會更早）
6.常見錯誤
I have to finish this essay until Monday.I have to finish this essay by Monday.
完成某事的截止時間 → 用 by。
We stayed at the party by midnight.We stayed at the party until midnight.
待著是持續到那個時間 → 用 until。
Until the time I got to the station, the train had left.By the time I got to the station, the train had left.
固定說法：by the time。
By the time you will arrive, we'll have eaten.By the time you arrive, we'll have eaten.
by the time 後面用現在時表示將來。
By the time we arrived, the shop closed.By the time we arrived, the shop had closed.
更早發生的動作 → 用過去完成時。
例句
- Please send me the report by Friday. I need it for the meeting.
- The shop is open every day until ten o'clock at night.
- You can borrow my bike until Sunday.
- I'll wait for you until six o'clock, but then I have to leave.
