在大学英语综合教程全新版第一册第一单元Writing For Myself中，有这样一个句子：...but it wasn't until my third year in high school that the possibility took hold. (但直到我高中三年级这一想法才有了实现的可能。)在大学英语(修订本)精读教材第九单元The Brain中也有类似的句子：It was not until the 18th century that man realized that the whole of the brain was involved in the workings of the mind.(直到十八世纪人类才认识到整个大脑都参与思想活动。)

　　以上两例都是until在强调句型中的用法。大家知道，强调句的基本结构是It is / was...that / who...，但要强调until部分，就得使用It is / was not until...that / who...结构；强调until部分，除了可以用强调句型外，还可用倒装句型表示。比如前面两句也可写成：

　　...but not until my third year in high school did the possibility take hold.

　　Not until the 18th century did man realize that the whole of the brain...

　　My father did not come home until 12 last night. 这是一个非强调句型，若要突出until部分，以示强调，则可使用强调句型或倒装句型，变成：

　　It was not until 12 last night that my father came home.

　　Not until 12 last night did my father come home.

　　除此之外，还应注意until的一些其他用法。until / till一般只用来表示时间，不可用来表示地点。比如：

　　Don't put off till / until tomorrow what we can do today.

　　而I walked till the bridge. 这一表达是错误的，应将till改为to，因为the bridge是表示地点的名词。另外，在until句型中，若主句中的谓语动词是延续性动词，用肯定或否定句均可，但意义不同；若主句中的谓语动词是非延续性动词，只能用否定句表达。如:

　　I worked till / until he came back. 我一直工作到他回来。

　　I didn't work until he came back.直到他回来我才开始工作。

　　He started to read until he was 9 years old.这个句子是错误的，原因是start为非延续性动词，主句不能用肯定形式表达，否则就丧失了逻辑性。此句应改为：

　　He did not start to read until he was 9 years old.直到九岁他才开始读书。

　　以上是until的用法，下面做几道题巩固一下。

　　Error Correction:

　　1. Without a doubt, it was them who won the game.

　　2. It was in 1912 when the oil ship sank while crossing the Atlantic.

　　3. Not until I hear from you I will leave.

　　4. It was until a few days ago that I knew his name.

　　5. The problem has really arisen until now.

　　Key:

　　1. 将them改成 they，强调主语。

　　2. 将when改为that，强调句的句型结构为it was ...that...。

　　3. not until位于句首，句型要部分倒装，改为will I leave。

　　4. 改为It was not until...that。

　　5. 改为...has not really arisen，因为arisen是非延续性动词，也叫瞬间动词，所以要用否定结构。

　　(文/郝吉环；英语辅导报 大学二年级版 04～05学年第18期； 版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)