工作到7点是by 7pm还是until 7pm？很多时候判断一个人的英文水平，不会是从语法和长难句，反而是那些基础日常的表达，今天我们就来研究by和until这两个介词用在时间上时的区别！

1、Preposition of time: “by”

As a preposition of time, “by” means before a specific time.

作为放在时间前的介词，by的意思是在特定的时间之前。

“by” shows a time limit for something to happen.

by展示出了某事发生的时间范围限制。

An event must happen before a specific time is reached.

就是事件必须在到达特定时间之前发生。

例：

Please send me the report by Tuesday.

请在星期二之前把报告发给我。

(I must receive it before Tuesday. The deadline is Tuesday 我必须在星期二之前收到。截止日期是星期二)

Jane would like to lose 3 kg by June.

简想在六月前减重3公斤。

She would like to lose 3kg before June.

她想在六月前减掉3公斤。

We often use “by” for projects with deadlines.

我们经常用by在项目的最后期限前。

All job applications must be received by the 15th July.

所有工作申请必须在7月15日前收到。

We often use “by” to say when someone will return:

我们经常用by来表示某人什么时候回来

例：

Mark: Where is Jane?

简在哪里？

David: She is in London. She’ll be back by Saturday.

她在伦敦。她将在星期六之前回来。

2、Preposition of time: “until”

As a preposition of time, “until” describes a continuous action that stops at a specific time.

作为时间介词，until描述一个在特定时间停止的连续动作。

“until” describes the duration of an action before a specific time.

until描述动作在特定时间之前的持续发生。

例：

I’m staying in New York until Friday.

我要在纽约待到星期五。

I’m really tired. Last night I watched a film until midnight.

我真的很累。昨晚我看了一场电影直到午夜。

Mark lived in Manchester until 2010.

2010年之前，马克一直住在曼彻斯特。

3、The difference between “by” and “until”

by和until之间的区别

I will be rich by 2020.

到2020年我就有钱了。

This means that in the present, I am not rich.

这意味着我现在并不富有。

I predict that I will be rich before year 2020.

我预测我将在2020年以前变得富有。

I will be rich until 2020.

到2020年我都有钱。

This means that in the present, I am already rich.

这意味着现在我已经很富有了。

I will continue to be rich between now and 2020

从现在到2020年，我将继续富有

After 2020, I will no longer be rich. I will be poor.

2020年后，我将不再富有。我将会变穷。

"我工作到晚上7点"的正确翻译是：

I worked by 7pm. ✖

I worked until 7pm. ✔

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