时间虽是不可再生资源,但是却与我们形影不离,这就造就了 before 很高的出镜率,因为无论是体现更早的时间还是前面的时间,before 都跟时间有密切的联系,而且 before 的多词性使它的用法丰富多彩。
1. 指定时序事件,相当于 earlier than sb /sth,意为”在…以前“,例如:I must get home before nine o’clock.Leave your keys at reception before departure.I like to go for a run before breakfast.2. 在某些情况下,before 也可以用来指定先后位置,相当于 in front of sb/sth,意为”在…面前(前面)“,对应的是介词 behind,例如:They knelt before the throne.Before you is a list of the points we have to discuss.3. 表示在顺序或安排上某人或某物先于某人或某物,相当于 ahead of sb/sth,例如:Your name comes before mine on the list.4. 表示”当面“,相当于 in the presence of sb,通常 sb 是正在听或等待等的人,例如:He was brought before the judge.She said it before witnesses.
注意:在英文写作总,当提到已经写过的东西时,用 above 而不用 before,例如:
As the graph above shows, the rate of inflation has risen by 15%.
如上图所示,通货膨胀率上升了15%。
As stated above, there are four key findings from the study.
作副词时,before 相当于 at an earlier time,in the past 或 already,意为”以前;过去;已经“。1. 表示现在或说话时间之前的任何时候,此时的用法跟 already 类似,在英式英语中,它们常跟现在完成时连用,例如:Have you been here before?2. 表示在说话的某个过去时间之前的任何时候,即表示过去的过去,常跟过去完成时连用,例如:Suddenly I realized that I had seen him before.解析:说话的时间是过去(realized),那么 before 是在 realized 之前,表达的是过去的过去,因此用过去完成时(had seen)。I introduced Tom to Olivia last night. They hadn’t met before.解析:说话的时间是过去(introduced),那么 before 是在 introduced 之前,表达的是过去的过去,因此用过去完成时(hadn't met)。3. 与诸如 day,morning,night,week,month 或 year 等时间名词一起使用,表示过去的一个 day,morning,night,week,month 或 year 等,例如:Two people were ill at work yesterday and three people the day before!A: Did you graduate in 1989?B: No, actually, I finished college the year before.解析:这里的 the year before 译成什么年份取决于说话时的年份,不过保守还是译成”1988 年“比较好,不要译成”前年“,因为如果译成”前年“的话,那么表明说话时所在的年份是1990,但是这个无从考证。注意:当表示从此刻算起若干时间以前,用 ago,而不用 before,例如:
✔: The letter came a few days ago.❌: The letter came a few days before.✔: She was here just a minute ago.❌: She was here just a minute before.
1. 作从属连词时,before 引导的从句可以放在句首或句尾,放在句首时,通常用逗号把主从句分开,例如:
I always feed the dogs before I have dinner.Before I have dinner, I always feed the dogs.2. before 与一般现在时连用谈论将来,例如:✔: I will call you before I go.❌: I will call you before I will go.解析:作为一个规则,时间状语从句中不能出现将来的时态。3. before 与完成时或过去时连用,强调 before 从句中的动作没发生或可能不会发生,例如:You can’t watch TV before you have finished your homework.解析:have finished 这个动作还没发生或可能不会发生。He lost his temper before I had said a word.解析:had said 这个动作还没发生或可能不会发生。Before I had a chance to thank him, he’d gone.You’re interrupting her before she has even spoken.解析:has spoken 这个动作还没发生或可能不会发生。在正式的写作中, before 引导的时间状语从句通常可以省略句子的部分成分,例如:
✔: You can’t go home before finishing the work.✔: Before finishing the work, you can't go home.✔: Add the egg before bringing the milk to the boil.✔: Before bringing the milk to the boil, add the egg.
before 常与 just,immediately,shortly 或 long 等副词以及 days,weeks,months 或 years 等时间名词连用并置于 before 之前,用来强调短暂的时间,例如:We left just before the final curtain.He reached Cambridge shortly before three o'clock.It is significant that he changed his will only days before his death.
有的时候 beforehand 可以代替 before,特别是所涉及的时间没那么具体,常见于非正式的口语中,例如:Make a list of your questions beforehand.I wish we'd known about it beforehand.
Before long 意为”不久,很快”,相当于 after a short time,特别出现在写作中,例如:Before long he took over the editing of the magazine.We'll be home before long.