since與after

都可以用來(lái)引導(dǎo)表示從過(guò)去某一點(diǎn)開(kāi)始的時(shí)間段詞組。它們的不同之處在于:

a) since引導(dǎo)的詞組所表示的時(shí)間一直延續(xù)到說(shuō)話時(shí)為止,因而要與現(xiàn)在完成時(shí)連用。例如:
He has been there twice since 1982.
I have done nothing since six o'clock.

b) after引導(dǎo)的詞組所表示的時(shí)間是純系過(guò)去,并不延續(xù)到說(shuō)話時(shí),因此要和一般過(guò)去時(shí)連用。例如:
He went home after school.

till, until與to

a) 介詞till/until常用于"from…till/until"結(jié)構(gòu)中,表示“一個(gè)動(dòng)作的終結(jié)”。介詞to常用在"from…to"的結(jié)構(gòu)中,用來(lái)表示“一個(gè)階段的終結(jié)”。兩者在這種結(jié)構(gòu)中意義十分接近。例如:
The Americans stayed here from June to September.
He studies from morning till/until night everyday.

b) to可用在表示鐘點(diǎn)的詞前。我們說(shuō)It's six to five.但不能說(shuō)It's six till/until five.反之在某些能用till/until的場(chǎng)合,卻不能用to。例如:在"not…until"結(jié)構(gòu)中,我們說(shuō)I didn't go to bed till/until ten o'clock. 卻不能說(shuō)I didn't go to bed to ten o'clock.

c) till與until也有細(xì)微區(qū)別。till常用在非正式文體或口語(yǔ)中,而until則常用于正式文體及比較正式的場(chǎng)合。另外,在句首多用until。