这个句型对学生应该是再熟悉不过的了,但是其用法其实有不少变化。下面我们归纳一下常见的用法。
1.最经典的结构是与 it was 的搭配,即“it was not until .... that 从句”。
1) until 后边一般是跟时间点,如:
It was not untilmidnight that it stopped raining. 直到半夜雨才停下来。
It was not untilfive o'clock in the afternoon that they finished their work. 直到下午五点他们才完成工作。
2) 后边也可以是一个陈述的句子,如:
It was not untilhe came to China that he realized the great change in recent decades. 直到他来到中国,他才意识到最近几十年的巨大变化。
It was not untilhe got sick seriously that he realized the value of a healthy body. 直到他生重病,他才意识到一个健康体魄的价值。
搭配陈述句子时,由于陈述的句子可能会比较长,读者要注意不能丢失语感。也即是说阅读陈述句子时,不要忘记后边的 that 其实是这个结构的一部分。
3) 后边还可跟介词短语,如:
It was not untilafter Friday that I got his reply. 直到星期五之后,我才得到他的答复。
我们可以注意到,在以上列举的例句中,that 从句部分都是采用一般的陈述语序(类似于宾语从句)。时态上一般采用过去时,与it was 相呼应。
2.not 与until 也可以分开,如:
She didn't go to bed until eleven o'clock. 她直到11点才上床睡觉。
You're not going out until you've finished this. 你要做完这个才可以出去。
3.not 也可以是其他否定词如 never
I never realized I loved you until now. 我至今才意识到我爱你。(直到现在我才意识到我爱你。)
4.这个句式还可以以倒装句的形式出现,如:
Not until yesterday did I learn anything about it. 直到昨天我才知道这件事。
Not until her husband died did Callie know he is a murderer of two people. 直到她丈夫去世,卡莉才知道他是两个人的凶手。