For example, the words "before" and "after" do not apply to objects individually—it makes no sense to say "Jim is before" or "Jim is after"—but to one thing in relation to another, as in "The wedding is before the reception" and "The reception is after the wedding".
例如，词“以前”和“以后”不适用于单独的对象——说“Jim在以前”或“Jim在以后”是没有意义的——而是一个事物联系着另一个事物，比如“婚礼在招待会之前”和“招待会在婚礼之后”。