① before long意為“不久,很快,一會兒后”,相當于soon,after a short while,多用于將來時或過去時中。
He will return before long. 他不久就會返回的。
Before long they got enough money to build the school. 不久,他們就弄到了足夠的錢建造那所學校。
② long before意為“很久以前”,相當于long ago,before是副詞,常用于過去時中。
They left their hometown long before. 他們很久以前離開家鄉(xiāng)的。
She said that she had known your name long before. 她說她早就知道你的名字。
③ long before+句子表示“在……前很久,要過很久……才”,not long…before+句子表示“不久就……,不多久……就”,這里的before是連詞。這種結(jié)構(gòu)可用于過去時或?qū)頃r。
It was not long before she got everything ready. 不久,她就把一切都準備好了。
It won't be long before he finishes reading the book. 他不久就會讀完這本書。
It will be long before the train arrives. 要過很久火車才能到達。
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He will be here before long. 他不久就會來這里。
He was here long before. 他很久以前在這里。
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注意下面的類似結(jié)構(gòu):
It was some days before… 過了好幾天才……
It was quite some time before… 過了好半天才……
It was hours before… 過了好幾個鐘頭才……
It will be years before… 要過好幾年才……