При изучении языка часто бывает так, что ты вроде бы привык использовать слово определенным образом, а потом встречаешь его в каком-то другом контексте, и не можешь ничего понять. Особенно это касается служебных слов, каковым и является слово until.
Почему я решила посвятить целую статью слову until? Дело в том, что оно такое простое только на первый взгляд и существует множество случаев, когда вместо until нужно употребить другой предлог. Не все об этом знают и помнят.
Кроме того, непонятно, что должно стоять в предложении после until: указатель времени, существительное или целая часть предложения.
На самом деле, мало кто задумывается о том, что все различия в использовании появляются из-за того, что слово until может выступать разными частями речи: предлогом и союзом. В зависимости от структуры предложения until выполняет разные функции и переводится тоже, по-разному. Но и в том, и в другом случае, это слово обозначает, что действие продолжалось/ продолжается/ будет продолжаться до какого-то момента.
Until имеет эквивалент — till, поэтому until часто пишут неправильно: с двумя l. Запомните, что till пишется с двумя l, а until с одной. Until и till взаимозаменяемы, то есть можно использовать любой из этих предлогов.
Единственное грамматическое различие между ними — это то, что в начале предложения нужно употреблять until, till в начале предложения не используется. Кроме того, until часто использоваться в формальной и письменной речи, в то время как till — более разговорное слово, которое не употребляется в официальной речи.
Парные предлоги from … until/ till используются, чтобы показать, когда что-либо начинается и оканчивается:
We work from nine until/till five. — Мы работаем с девяти до пяти.
He will be on holiday from May 1st until/till May 14th. — Мы будем в отпуске с первого мая до четырнадцатого мая.
Не стоит путать until с предлогом by. By подчеркивает, к какому моменту действие завершится, поэтому используется преимущественно с временами группы Perfect (особенно Future Perfect). Сравните:
I will be in the office until 6 o’clock tomorrow. — Я буду в офисе до 6 часов завтра.
I will have left the office by 6 o’clock tomorrow. — Я уйду из офиса к 6 часам завтра.
В первом предложении действие будет длиться до 6 часов: наступает 6 часов — прекращается действие. Если вы придете в офис около 6, то, возможно, застанете меня там. Во втором случае, в 6 часов меня уже не будет в офисе — я уже уйду: действие будет закончено, причем не указывается, когда именно (я могу уйти и в 2, и в 3, и в 17.30). Единственное, что мы знаем, если видим предлог by: действие уже совершится до указанного момента времени. Так что, не рассчитывайте встретить меня в офисе завтра около 6.
Вернемся к предлогу until и рассмотрим его особенности в качестве предлога и союза.
Предлог until обозначает «до» (определенного момента, события). Until в качестве предлога связывает две части предложения и после него может стоять указатель времени, дата, название события:
I will be busy until 5 o’clock. — Я буду занят до пяти часов.
He was reading all night until morning. — Он читал всю ночь до самого утра.
I was not informed until February 23rd. — Меня не ставили в известность до 23 февраля.
Until в этих предложениях можно заменить предлогом up to без потери смысла:
I will be busy up to 5 o’clock.
He was reading all night up to morning.
Запомнив, что until — это «до», то, по аналогии с русским языком, мы, конечно же, начинаем его вставлять везде, где на русском мы бы сказали «до». Это часто неверно, так как во многих случаях используется не until , а другой предлог. Рассмотрим эти случаи.
Until нельзя употреблять, когда речь идет о количестве. В данном случае можно использовать up to:
The lift can take up to six people. — Лифт может поднять до шести человек.
The number of members of the party grew up to five thousand. — Количество членов партии выросло до пяти тысяч.
Until не используется, когда говорят о расстоянии. Вместо него употребляется as far as:
I was driving as far as the village and then Rob took over. — Я вел машину до деревни, а потом Роб сел за руль.
We had to walk as far as the lake and only there caught a bus. — Нам пришлось идти пешком до озера и там мы сели на автобус.
Использование слова until в качестве союза несколько сложнее.
Until, как союз, может соединять две половины предложения, причем в каждой половине есть свое подлежащее и сказуемое. Часть предложения, в которой находится until, называется придаточным предложением времени.
В придаточных предложениях until имеет различные варианты перевода. Его можно переводить как «до тех пор, пока» или «пока» или «пока не», в зависимости от контекста предложения. В основной части предложения говорится про действие, которое длится до другого действия или события, которое представлено в придаточном предложении.
Until — союз отличается от until — предлога тем, что после союза идет подлежащее и сказуемое (целая часть предложения).
We stayed at home until the rain stopped. — Мы оставались дома, пока дождь не прекратился.
She listened until you said everything. — Она слушала, пока ты все не сказал.
I used my old computer until I bought a new one. — Я пользовался своим старым компьютером, пока не купил новый.
Обратите внимание, что все примеры выше относятся к прошедшему времени и в обеих частях предложения используется Past Simple. Это не противоречит той логике, к которой мы привыкли в родном языке.
Если же вы говорите о будущем, то запомните правило: после until нельзя использовать will, так же как и после when и as soon as. После until допустимо употреблять Present Simple (который будет обозначать будущее действие). При этом в основной части предложения будет использоваться Future Simple:
We will stay at home until the rain stops. — Мы останемся дома, пока дождь не прекратится.
She will listen until you say everything. — Она будет слушать, пока ты все не скажешь.
I will use my old computer until I buy a new one. — Я буду пользоваться старым компьютером, пока не
После until может также идти Present Perfect (для обозначения завершенности будущего действия):
I will not read my poem to you until I have finished it. — Я не буду читать тебе свой стих, пока не закончу его.
He will not find a job until he has graduated. — Он не найдёт работу, пока не закончит университет.
Если речь идет о прошедших действиях, то для обозначения завершенности используйте Past Perfect:
I did not read my poem to him until I had finished it. — Я не читал ему мой стих, пока не закончил его.
He did not find a job until he had graduated. — Он не нашел работу, пока не закончил университет.
Последние примеры подводят нас к следующей особенности союза until. Очень часто until можно встретить в отрицаниях и тогда оно переводится как «пока не» или «до того, как«.
They will not give you a receipt until you pay. — Они не дадут вам чек, пока вы не заплатите.
I did not understand anything until I read the article. — Я ничего не понимал, пока не прочитал статью.
Иногда until путают с before, потому что в русском оба слова иногда переводятся «пока не». Before используется когда «пока не» обозначает «перед тем, как», «прежде чем»:
I want to read the book before I watch the movie. — Я хочу прочитать книгу перед тем, как посмотрю фильм.
Do not forget to close the window before you leave. — Не забудь закрыть окно, перед тем, как уйдешь.
Сравните:
I do not want to watch the movie until I read the book. — Я не хочу смотреть фильм, пока не прочитаю книгу.
Do not close the window until you leave. — Не закрывай окно, пока не будешь уходить.
С переводом союза until нужно быть поаккуратнее, так как если предложение отрицательное, то переводить следует в зависимости от смысла предложения.
Не допускайте ошибок и следите за нашими обновлениями! Успехов вам!
И подписывайтесь на наши сообщества в Facebook и Вконтакте. Там много полезных материалов для изучения английского. Оставайтесь с нами!
Увидели ошибку в тексте? Выделите её и нажмите на появившуюся стрелку или CTRL+Enter.
Asked by: Prof. Maegan Lubowitz
Score: 4.9/5
(33 votes)
We use until as a subordinating conjunction to connect an action or an event to a point in time:
- Let’s wait here till the rain stops. ( …
- I can’t wait until the summer holidays begin.
- We’ll sit here till Donna has finished.
- He was the headteacher until he retired in 1968.
When we use until in a sentence?
Until means ‘up to the event mentioned‘. I’ll stay here until you come back. We have to wait until he arrives. We do not use will after until when speaking about the future.
What is difference between till and until?
Until indicates when something will happen, begin, or end. Till means the same thing as until. Till is not an abbreviation of until—it’s actually older than until—and it should not be written with an apostrophe.
What does until mean?
(Entry 1 of 2) 1 chiefly Scotland : to. 2 —used as a function word to indicate continuance (as of an action or condition) to a specified time stayed until morning. 3 : before sense 2 not available until tomorrow we don’t open until ten.
How do you use until as a preposition?
Until can be used in the following ways: as a preposition (followed by a noun): She continued to get a salary until the end of March. as a conjunction (connecting two clauses): I stayed there until he arrived. Baker is expected to be here until the end of the week.
44 related questions found
What is until in grammar?
from English Grammar Today. Until is a preposition and a conjunction. Until is often shortened to till or ’til. Till and ’til are more informal and we don’t usually use them in formal writing.
What does until after mean?
2. Here, until would mean the registration happens at the end of specified time period, possibly sometime after. Until after put more emphasis on the fact that the registration could happen anytime after the end of the period.
What does valid until mean?
If something continues/is valid/is open until 30 October, it continues/is valid/is open on 30 October right up to closing time/midnight. There seem to be two possibilities. I am not a teacher. 20-Oct-2016, 16:08 #8.
Does by a date include that day?
5 Answers. If something is supposed to happen by a certain day, it means it is supposed to happen not later than that, so it includes the day as well.
What does until Thursday mean?
To me, ‘until Thursday’ means they’ll be back in on Thursday.
Does till include the day?
Summary. In closing, although we’ve established that “until” seems to include the date that follows it, you may want to avoid using “until” with a deadline or specific date if it’s possible that someone will misunderstand you.
How do you use till today?
For me, when ‘until’ is used it always indicates a change in the action at the moment of the specified time. This is the reason why «I am living there until today» sounds so strange, because the ‘until today’ means the action has stopped, and thus must be in the past.
Which tense is used with until?
The tenses used with until are simple past, simple present, past perfect and present perfect tense. Until can be used up to a specified period. For example: we watched the movie until midnight. The word ‘since’ can be used from a precise time in the past till now.
How Do You Use By and until?
“By” is used to describe an action or event that happens on or before a particular moment. E.g. We expect to know the judgment by the end of November. “Until” is used to describe a state or situation in the period of time up to a particular moment. E.g. The court proceedings are expected to last until November.
What is without in grammar?
from English Grammar Today. The preposition without means ‘not having something’ or ‘lacking something’: I can’t drink tea without milk.
Can a sentence start with until?
But you can also use “until” at the beginning of a normal sentence, e.g.: Until he became a parent himself, he didn’t know how to behave with children.
Does by a date mean before?
By a date means before but including that date. If you do not want to include that date, then use before instead. So «By Feb. 2» means before Feb 3.
What does pay by date mean?
Pay By Date means the date specified in the invoice but will not be less than 12 Business Days from the date of dispatch of the invoice.
What does by a due date mean?
“Due by [date]” normally means the thing is to be submitted— BOTH anytime before that date, AND before the relevant closing time on that final date itself.
What does until mean legally?
until each means “to but excluding”; (l) terms in one gender include the parallel terms in the neuter and opposite gender; and (m) the term “or” is not exclusive. Sample 1. Sample 2. until means up to the time. Sample 1.
Does valid mean good?
The definition of valid is something effective, legally binding or able to withstand objection. An example of valid is a driver’s license that hasn’t expired. An example of valid is someone giving evidence that proves an argument.
Which is correct to date or till date?
4 Answers. The expression “to date” means “until the present”, although I wouldn’t use it in this context; “till date” appears to be Indian English for “until the present”, and is incorrect outside of India.
Does valid until include the date stated?
Until, which means up to, generally includes the specified moment. The kidnappers have given us until October 11th to deliver the documents.
What means by the time?
used for saying what has already happened at the time that something else happens. By the time we arrived, the other guests were already there. Synonyms and related words.
Can’t wait until Meaning?
can’t wait (to do something) to be very eager, as if to be unable to endure the wait until it is possible to do something.
The word “until” can be used in two ways to form sentences in the English language. Now, we are going to see facts about the word “until” in the form of a “conjunction”.
The conjunction “until” is mainly used to state the meaning “by the time”. The word “until” can certainly be marked as a “conjunction” as it follows all the rules of a “subordinate conjunction”.
There are mainly three performances that are performed by a subordinate conjunction.
- To create a bridge between the main clause and the subordinate clause
- To conjoin two ideas into one idea.
- To finalize the incomplete meaning of the main clause with the help of another dependent clause.
Now, let us go through use of “until” as a conjunction.
The word “until” can perform two types of roles in the English language: “preposition” and “conjunction.” Let us see the situation when we can mark “until” as conjunction.
The other meaning of the conjunction “until” is “by the time”. There are mainly three situations where “until” can be used as a conjunction.
- To mark the main clause as the “effect” and the subordinate clause as the “cause”.
- To manifest “contrast”.
- To complete the meaning of the independent clause by connecting a dependent clause.
Example: You should sit in the chair until I put the cockroach away from the floor.
Explanation:
The word “until” can be marked as a conjunction because it shows the “cause and effect relationship” between the independent clause and the subordinate clause.
How is “until” a conjunction?
Some particular rules need to be followed by a word to be marked as a “conjunction”. Let us see how “until” is a conjunction.
We can mark “until” as a conjunction because it satisfies the below-listed rules to be a “subordinate conjunction.”
- The word “until” is a conjunction because it is used to connect a dependent clause with an independent clause.
- The word “until” is a conjunction because it is used to complete the meaning of the main clause with the help of a subordinate clause.
Example: You must not finish the cooking until the pressure whistles twice.
Explanation:
The word “until” can certainly be marked as a subordinate conjunction because it completes the meaning of the main clause by connecting the dependent clause with the independent clause.
Is “until” always a conjunction?
The word “until” comes under two types of parts of speech in the English language. Let us see the use of “until” in these two types of parts of speech.
The word “until” can perform both as a “preposition” and a “conjunction”. Placement and usage are different in both types of parts of speech.
| Serial Number | Topic | Sentence | Explanation |
| 1. | Example of “until” as a preposition | Everyone should be here until 6 p.m. | The word “until” is in use as a “preposition” in the example, as it is placed before a specific time and the term “6 p.m.” can not be regarded as a “dependent clause.” |
| 2. | Example of “until” as a conjunction | No one should leave for home until the sun dawns. | The word “until” is in use as a “conjunction” because it connects the subordinating clause “the sun dawn” with the independent main clause “No one should leave for home”. |
When is “until” not considered as conjunction?
It is not required that the word “until” be always in use as a “conjunction” in the English language. Let us check the reasons behind not accepting “until” as a conjunction.
| Serial Number | Topic | Example |
| 1. | “Until” is not a clause if it is used in a sentence to mark a particular time. | Pijush is not going to eat until 5 p.m. |
| 2. | “Until” is not a conjunction if it is placed before the main clause. | Until 5 p.m. Pijush is not going to eat. |
| 3. | “Until” is not a conjunction if it does not connect the subordinate clause with the main clause. | Mina played video games with her brother until midnight. |
Explanation:
We, can not mark the word “until” in all the above examples as it is in use as a “preposition” in all above examples.
What kind of conjunction is the word “until”?
There are mainly three types of conjunctions in the English language. Let us see to which group the conjunction “until” belongs.
The conjunction “until” belongs to the group of “Subordinate Conjunctions”, as the conjunction is helpful in connecting a “dependent clause” to an “independent clause”.
The three groups of conjunctions in the English language are as follows:
First Group—Coordinating Conjunctions
Second Group—Subordinating Conjunctions
Third Group—Correlative Conjunctions
Example: I can not write in the diary until I find my ink pen.
The conjunction “until” can be marked as a “subordinate conjunction” because it is used to connect the dependent clause “I find my ink-pen” to the independent clause “I can not write the diary.
Why is “until” a subordinating conjunction?
The conjunction “until” belongs to the group of “Subordinate Conjunctions” in the English language. Let us know the reasons behind marking “until” as a “Subordinate Conjunction”.
The conjunction “until” is subordinate because, like any other subordinate conjunction, “until” is also used to connect a dependent clause with an independent clause.
Example: I can not prepare the presentation until I collect some raw data from the fieldwork.
Explanation:
The subordinate conjunction “until” is used to connect the dependent clause “I collect some raw data from fieldwork” to the main clause “I can not prepare the presentation.”
Examples of “until” as conjunctions –
Now, we will see five sentences which are framed with “until” as a conjunction.
| Serial Number | Example | Explanation |
| 1. | I am so excited to wear this dress that I can not wait to wear it until my wedding. | The word “until” can certainly be marked as a “subordinate conjunction” because it connects the dependent clause “my wedding” with the main clause “I am so excited to wear this dress that I can not wait to wear.” |
| 2. | We have to sit here until Sandip finishes his breakfast. | The word “until” can certainly be marked as a “subordinate conjunction” because it connects the dependent clause “Sandip finishes his breakfast” with the main clause “We have to sit here.” |
| 3. | We have to clean the library until our grandfather allows us to leave the place. | The word “until” can certainly be marked as a “subordinate conjunction” because it connects the dependent clause ” our grandfather allows us to leave the place ” with the main clause ” We have to clean the library.” |
| 4. | No one should leave the room until Mr. Roy finishes his presentation. | The word “until” can certainly be marked as a “subordinate conjunction” because it connects the dependent clause ” Mr. Roy finishes his presentation ” with the main clause ” No one should leave the room.” |
| 5. | We can not put things on the new rack until the color of the rack becomes dried. | The word “until” can certainly be marked as a “subordinate conjunction” because it connects the dependent clause ” the color of the rack becomes dried ” with the main clause ” We can not put things on the new rack.” |
Conclusion –
We must make the note that we must not put a comma if we place the subordinate conjunction “until” is placed after the main clause in a sentence.
until
— till
Until and till can be prepositions or conjunctions. There is no difference in meaning between until and till. Till is more common in conversation, and is not used in formal writing.
used as prepositions
If you do something until or till a particular time, you stop doing it at that time.
He continued to teach
until
his death in 1960.
I said I’d work
till
4 p.m.
If you want to emphasize that something does not stop before the time you mention, you can use up until, up till, or up to.
1950 coal provided over 90% of our energy needs.
Eleanor had not up till then taken part in the discussion.
now they’ve had very little money.
If something does not happen until or till a particular time, it does not happen before that time.
Details will not be available until January.
We didn’t get back
till
two.
used with ‘after’
You can use until or till with phrases beginning with after.
He decided to wait until after Christmas to propose to Gertrude.
We didn’t get home
till after midnight
.
Be careful
Don’t use ‘until’ or ‘till’ to say that something will have happened before a particular time. Don’t say, for example, ‘The work will be finished until four o’clock‘. You say ‘The work will be finished by four o’clock’.
By 8.05 the groups were ready.
Total sales reached 1 million
by
2010.
used with ‘from’
From is often used with until or till to say when something finishes and ends.
The ticket office will be open from 10.00am
until
1.00pm.
They worked from dawn
till
dusk.
In sentences like these, you can use to instead of ‘until’ or ‘till’. Some American speakers also use through.
Open daily 1000-1700 from 23rd March
to
3rd November.
I was in college from 1985
through
1990.
Be careful
You only use until or till when you are talking about time. Don’t use these words to talk about position. Don’t say, for example, ‘She walked until the post office’. You say ‘She walked as far as the post office’.
They drove as far as the Cantabrian mountains.
used as conjunctions
Instead of a noun phrase, you can use a subordinate clause after until or till. You often use the present simple in the subordinate clause.
They concentrate on one language
until
they go to university.
Stay here with me
till
help comes.
*
You can also use the present perfect in the subordinate clause.
I’ll wait here
until
you have had your breakfast.
When you are talking about events in the past, you use the past simple or the past perfect in the subordinate clause.
The plan remained secret
until
it was exposed by the press.
He continued watching
until
I had driven off in my car.
Be careful
Don’t use a future form in the subordinate clause. Don’t say, for example ‘Stay here with me till help will come’ or ‘I’ll wait here until you will have had your breakfast‘.
‘until‘ also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
The words until and as long as are commonly used in our day-to-day life to indicate something related to a particular time. Both of these words could be mistakenly used interchangeably sometimes.
Key Takeaways
- “Until” indicates the end of a specific time frame or condition; “as long as” implies a continuing state or action under certain conditions.
- “Until” is used when a change is expected after a specified point, whereas “as long as” suggests that the status quo will be maintained given certain circumstances.
- Example: “Wait here until I return” (action ends when the speaker returns); “You can stay as long as you want” (action continues based on the listener’s desire).
Until can be used as a conjunction and preposition as it gives the meaning of the end of some action. For example, “The project can’t proceed further until you identify the errors.” As long as can be used as a conjunction and idiom. It shows the continuity of the action that is still happening.
Want to save this article for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own articles box!
While ‘until’ is a word, ‘as long as’ is a phrase. The term ‘until’ denotes or refers to a particular time, while the word ‘as long as’ refers to a specific duration of time.
The word ‘until’ generally speaks of a future event or condition, while ‘as long as’ talks more of a present action or state. While ‘until’ indicates any time in the future, ‘as long as’ has some conditional element.
Comparison Table
| Parameter of Comparison | Until | As long as |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | The word until refers to or indicates up to a specific time limit or before it. | The phrase means something that continues the whole time or provides that. |
| Derivative | The word is derived from the two old Scandinavian syllables- un and till- with the same meaning. | The word long originates from Old English and Dutch words lang or longus. |
| Usage | The word ‘until’ is used as a preposition and conjunction according to the sentence’s meaning. | The phrase ‘as long as’ can be used as a conjunction between sentences or even as an idiom sometimes. |
| Synonyms | Many other words have a similar meaning to ‘until’ like: till, up to, up until, before, in advance of, etc. | Many other words have a similar meaning to ‘as long as,’ like, because of, as much as, all in all, in light of, etc. |
| Examples | · We sang songs until dawn. · She will not be able to leave the hostel until Friday. |
· I can stay here as long as the program ends. · As long as you study, you can clear the exams. |
When to Use the Word Until?
The word ‘until’ means up to a specific time limit. The word ‘till’ is derived from the Old English term, Proto-Germanic term, ‘tila’, which meant a planned point in time and many more Swedish, Gothic and German words which meant the same.
The word ‘till’ is considered colloquial in Modern English and has often been replaced by ‘until’ and ‘to’. The term ‘until’ is used as a preposition and conjunction.
The word ‘until’ can be used as a preposition, always followed by a noun to indicate a specific happening up to a particular point in time and then stopping. It can be used as a preposition in the following two senses:
- To indicate that if something happens up to a specific time, it will happen before and end at that time.
Examples:
- Until 2020, he was the commander of the army.
- We shared our things until he came.
- They are used with a negative to emphasize a condition, after which the statement will become true.
Examples:
- The New Act won’t take effect until the end of this financial year.
- It was not until 1999 that a new breed of parasites was found.
The word ‘until’ can also be used as a conjunction to indicate a time up to the event mentioned earlier. For example, ‘I will stay with her until her mom returns’.
When to Use the Phrase As long As?
The term ‘as long as’, sometimes substituted as ‘so long as’, is used to mean a specific plan or idea, often in the future. The future action is always indicated in the present simple form after the word ‘as long as’ is used.
The word ‘long’ originates in Old English words like ‘lang’, which means “having a great linear extent that extends from end to end”, or even from old Proto-Germanic words like ‘Langa’, which has similar meanings.
The phrase ‘as long as’ is used as a conjunction between sentences. This phrase has been used at different times to mean the following:
- To put the condition of time on action.
Examples:
- The car will keep running if you fill it with petrol.
- I will look after her kids if she does not return.
- To indicate that ‘if something is provided.’
Examples:
- My mother has been a regular visitor to this clinic for as long as I remember.
- She will take care of me as long as she can.
- To denote that a particular condition has to be met.
Examples: As long as he promises to be careful, I’ll let him ride my new car.
Main Differences Between Until and As Long As
- The word ‘until’ is used as a preposition and a conjunction, while ‘as long as’ can be used as a conjunction and, sometimes, even as an idiom.
- The main difference between until and as long as is that while ‘until’ talks about a future event, ‘as long as’ talks about a present condition or action.
- ‘Until’ specifies the time up to a certain point in the future, while ‘as long as’ focuses more on the duration of the time between two events.
- ‘Until’ is usually used to refer to a period that will end when something happens, or someone does something or maybe not, while ‘as long as’ refers to a time that is conditional and would happen on the acceptance of a situation or condition.
- The word ‘until’ can be used as a conjunction to mean ‘up to that time’, ‘before’, and ‘to the point that’, while the word ‘as long as’ can be used to mean ‘during that time’, ‘since’, or ‘on the condition that’.
References
- https://www.etymonline.com/word/long
Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
Ряд предлогов в английском языке имеют похожие значения, но оказывают значительное влияние на смысл высказывания.
Предлоги until и before – в чем разница и как их правильно употреблять? Сегодня постараюсь объяснить в доступной форме, как разграничить эти предлоги по смыслу.
Перевод предлогов until и before
Until и before чаще всего представляет сложности для учеников уровня Elementary, поэтому данная статья прежде всего будет полезной для указанной аудитории.
Я буду рассматривать данные слова только в качестве предлогов времени.
На самом деле, until может выступать в качестве союза, before может быть союзом, предлогом или наречием. Но об этом как-нибудь в другой раз.
Итак, перевод:
- until – до;
- before – до, ранее.
Значение until и before и разница в употреблении
Начнем с предлога until.
Рассмотрим несколько предложений:
- I want to stay in bed until 11. – Я хочу оставаться в постели до 11 часов.
- He works until 10 pm every day. – Он работает до 10 вечера каждый день.
- I don’t sleep until 9 o’clock. Я не сплю до 6 часов (вплоть до 6 часов).
- The museum is closed until tomorrow. Музей закрыт до завтра.
- I’m cooking lunch until 2pm today. Сегодня я готовлю обед до 2 часов дня.
Во всех этих случаях предлог until в значении до указывает нам на момент, вплоть до которого совершается действие. То есть действие во всех этих предложениях будет длиться и закончится как раз в указанное время.
- I want to stay in bed until 11. – Я хочу оставаться в постели до 11. Это значит, что она будет в кровати, пока не пробьет 11, ранее она не встанет.
- He works until 10 pm every day. – Он работает вплоть до 22 часов вечера и заканчивает работу в 22, не ранее. Действие продолжается до указанного времени.
- I don’t sleep until 9 o’clock. – Это значит, что я нахожусь в бодрствующем состоянии вплоть до 9 часов. После 9 я ложусь спать, но до 9 – точно нет. Действие продолжается снова до указанного времени.
- The museum is closed until tomorrow. – Это значит, что до завтрашнего дня музей будет находиться в закрытом состоянии, откроется он только завтра и точно не раньше.
- I’m cooking lunch until 2pm today. – Я готовлю обед вплоть до 14 часов дня и закончу его готовить не раньше двух.
Теперь рассмотрим предлог before.
Несколько примеров:
- I never go to bed before 1.00. Я никогда не ложусь спать ранее часа.
- Come before 5 o’clock. Приходи до 5 часов.
- She always cooks lunch before 3. Она всегда готовит обед до трех.
- They played football before dinner. Они поиграли в футбол перед ужином (до ужина).
Во всех этих предложениях before имеет значение предшествования, действие происходит ранее указанного времени, но не длится вплоть до указанного времени.
- I never go to bed before 1.00. Когда мы говорим это, мы имеем в виду, что мы не идем спать в любое время ранее часа. В данном случае на русский язык мы переводим данный предлог как «ранее».
- Come before 5 o’clock. Это значит, что мы просим прийти ранее пяти, не указывая в какое конкретно время нужно прийти. Важно, чтобы человек пришел ранее этого времени. Он может прийти в час, в два, в 12 часов.
- She always cooks lunch before 3. Это значит, что она готовит обед ранее трех часов. Как и в предыдущем примере. Она может готовить его в любое время ранее 3 часов. Но это не значит, что она закончит готовить в 3, может и раньше.
- They played football before dinner. Они поиграли в футбол раньше, чем настало время ужинать. Они играли не вплоть до начала ужина, а ранее.
Таким образом:
- Until означает, что действие будет продолжаться до того момента как не наступит указанное время. I’m cooking lunch until 2pm today. – Процесс готовки будет продолжаться вплоть до двух часов, раньше двух я не закончу готовить.
- Before означает прежде, ранее, но не обязательно до указанного времени. She always cooks lunch before Она готовит обед ранее трех часов, но необязательно, что она закончит в 3. Результат – в данном случае готовая еда – может произойти в любой момент до указанного временного отрезка.
Возьмем два похожих примера.
- They played football until 6. Действие закончилось в 6.
- They played football before 6. Действие закончилось ранее 6 в любой момент ранее указанного времени.
Для лучшего понимания, эти действия можно изобразить на рисунке.
Вас могут заинтересовать также следующие темы по английскому языку:
- Прилагательные, означающие чувства и эмоции на английском — по ссылке.
- Популярные фразовые глаголы — подборка здесь.
- Как правильно называть числа от 100 — в этом материале.
- Предлоги времени и места подробно описаны в этой публикации. То, что должен знать каждый.
Советы и примеры – как избежать ошибок
Для того чтобы избежать ошибок, рекомендую запомнить следующие моменты:
- Если действие будет продолжаться строго до четкого времени, выбирайте until. Если действие будет продолжаться ранее указанного времени, но необязательно закончится в определенное время, выбираем before.
- Для еще большей простоты рекомендую попробовать заменить предлог до на – вплоть до или ранее, перед. Тот вариант, который будет правильным для передачи нужного вам смысла, будет соответствовать нужному предлогу. Вплоть до – until; ранее, перед – before.
Например, есть фраза:
- Сегодня я решила поспать до обеда.
Попробуем заменить до на вышеназванные предлоги.
Вариант первый:
- Сегодня я решила поспать вплоть до обеда. Today I decided to sleep until lunch.
Вариант второй:
- Сегодня я решила поспать перед обедом (ранее обеда). Today I decided to sleep before lunch.
В данном примере можно выбрать оба варианта в зависимости от того смысла, который мы хотим донести до собеседника.
А на сегодня все. Надеюсь, сегодняшняя тема стала для вас более понятной.
Despite what many students learn in colleges and universities, brevity is a virtue in writing. Complicated sentences are sometimes necessary (and interesting), but they are harder to read and to understand. If you can state something simply and succinctly, you should do it.
The same principle applies to individual words: long, complicated words are sometimes necessary, but shorter ones are easier to understand and usually make your writing more fluid.
That is why many English words can be abbreviated or shortened into smaller words with the same meaning. Until is only two syllables, but even it can become till in the service of brevity.
What is the Difference Between Till and Until?
In this post, I will compare until vs. till and use each word in a few example sentences. This way, you will be able to learn what they mean and see them in context.
I will also show you a memory tool that will allow you to choose either until or till correctly every time.
When to Use Until
What does until mean? Until is a preposition. It means up to the point or time mentioned.
The prepositional phrase until the world ends refers to all of the time between now and the end of the world, whenever that might be. Until I get back refers to the time until the speaker returns.
A few more examples,
- “Just wait until I get my cast off; you’ll be sorry then,” Marcos told his little brother.
- All hiking paths in the Columbia River Gorge will remain closed until we can be sure that the terrain is safe.
When to Use Till
What does till mean? Till also has many meanings. The word can be a noun and a verb, but in this article, I will focus on its use as a shortened form of until.
Till can be used in all the same ways as until, but it is perceived as less formal.
- I can’t wait till the pizza gets here and we will have something to eat besides potato chips and pretzels.
- “I will eat pizza till the day I die, and then I want someone to have pizza delivered to my grave so I can eat it in the afterlife,” said Margot.
You could substitute until for till in the above sentences without changing their meaning. Till feels slightly more natural to some writers, and is shorter, which can be useful.
When to Use Til
What does til mean? Til is a common misspelling of till when substituted for until. Since until only has one L, we would think that the word would shorten to til.
Unfortunately, we would be wrong. Till is actually an older word; it became until later in its life. Til and its apostrophe-laden cousins ‘til and ‘till are all incorrect.
Trick to Remember the Difference
You could use either of these forms any time you wanted. They are both correct. Don’t use til or ‘til, though, because they are considered misspellings.
Until is slightly more formal than till, so it might be more appropriate for formal writing, like in the workplace or at university.
Till vs. Until Check: Since till rhymes with will, remember that till will always be correct as a substitute for until.
Summary
Is it till or until? Both of these words can function as prepositions and their meanings are the same.
- Until means up until the point that is mentioned.
- Till is a less formal way of saying until.
- Til, ‘til, and ‘till are all incorrect variations.
Contents
- 1 What is the Difference Between Till and Until?
- 2 When to Use Until
- 3 When to Use Till
- 4 When to Use Til
- 5 Trick to Remember the Difference
- 6 Summary