until/ən'tɪl, ʌn'tɪl/

prep. continuing to (a particular time)

conj. continuing to the time or point when sth happens

prep. 直到…时，直到…为止：He stayed there until 3 o’clock. 他在那儿一直待到3点钟。

conj. 直到…时，到…为止：I lived in the town until I was 8. 我住在这个镇上一直到8岁。

◇They played until it got dark. 他们玩到天黑。

not ... until ... 直到…才…；在…之前，不…：You cannot go out until you finish your homework. 你只有完成了家庭作业才能出去。

◇He didn't call me back until midnight. 他直到午夜才给我回电。

◇[not until ...置于句首时，主句的主谓倒装] Not until you finish your homework can you go out. 只有完成了家庭作业你才能出去。

◇[it is/was not until ... that ...] It was not until midnight that the boy was found. 直到半夜那个男孩才被找到。

常犯错误

✗ They saw the train until it disappeared in the distance.

✓ They watched the train until it disappeared in the distance. 他们看着火车消失在远处。

[✌until与肯定的主句连用时，主句的谓语要用持续性动词，不能用短暂性动词]

常犯错误

✗ He hung up until I could answer the phone.

✓ He hung up before I could answer the phone. 我还来不及接电话，他就挂了。

用法until引出的句子为时间状语从句，不用将来时。

用法till和until一般可通用，但till不如until正式，句首只用until。

辨析by; until