Conjunction Use
連詞用法
1. 和我不一樣，她對英語很精通。
Incorrect: Different from me, she is proficient in English.
Correct: Unlike me, she is proficient in English.
2. 莫妮卡，借我點錢吧，比方說500美元。
Incorrect: Lend me some money, for instance 500 dollars, Monika.
Correct: Lend me some money, say 500 dollars, Monika.
3. 去年夏天我本想去歐洲，但費用太高于是放棄了。
Incorrect: I wanted to go to Europe last summer, but it was too expensive so I gave up to go.
Correct: I wanted to go to Europe last summer, but it was too expensive so I gave up the idea.
4. 我就是這樣做的。
Incorrect: This is the way how I did it.
Correct: This is how I did it. or This is the way I did it.
5. 我來這兒的路上遇到了交通事故，所以遲到了。
Incorrect: There was a traffic accident on my way here. It is why I was late.
Correct: There was a traffic accident on my way here. That is why I was late.
6. 他們不理解我的想法。
Incorrect: They didn't understand my mind.
Correct: They didn't understand what I was thinking.
7. 無論是他們還是我都不對這個錯誤負責。
Incorrect: Neither they nor I are to blame for this mistake.
Correct: Neither they nor I am to blame for this mistake.
連詞before的奇葩用法
Before用作連詞本意是“在……之前”。其實它引導狀語從句時，不同語境下常引申為不同的含義。
1.表示“……才”，強調某事發生得晚或慢。
The American Civil War lasted four years _______ the North won in the end.(廣東)
A. after B. before C. when D. then
解析：答案為B。本句含義“美國南北戰爭持續了四年，北方才最終取得勝利”，可知本題應選B。
2. 表示“……還沒來得及……就……”。強調從句動作發生之前，主句動作已發生。
—Why didn't you tell him about the meeting? (四川卷)
— He rushed out of the room _________ I could say a word.
A. before B. until C. when D. after
解析：答案為A。句意是“我還沒來得及說一句話，他就沖出了房間”。
3. 用于句型“It will/would be some time before...”句型中，表示“要過多久才…”；
其否定形式“It won't/wouldn't be some time before…”表示“過不了多久就……”。
The field research will take Joan and Paul about five months; it will be a long time _____ we meet them again.（安徽卷）
A. after B. before C. since D. when
—How long do you think it will be ______China sends a manned spaceship to the moon? （2006福建）
—Perhaps two or three years.
A. when B. until C. that D. before
It ______ long before we _____ the result of the experiment.( 上海)
A. will not be...will know B. is...will know
C. will not be...know D. is...know
解析：前兩個考題before 用于“It will be some time before...”句型，表示“要過多久…才…”。
考題3 before在本題中用于否定句,意為“過不了多久就會……”,再由狀語從句要用一般現在時的用法可知C項為正確答案,句意是:要不了多久我們就會知道試驗的結果了。
4. 用于句型 “it was some time before …” 表示 “過了（多長時間）才……”。其否定形式“ it was not some time before …” 意為“沒過多長時間就……”。
It was some time ___________we realized the truth. （山東）
A. when B. until C. since D. before
解析：答案為D。題意是“過了一段時間我們才意識到事情的真相”。
5. 和hardly連用，表示“剛一……就……”。該結構主句常用過去完成時，當hardly位于句首時，要用倒裝語序.
I had hardly sat down before/when the telephone rang.
Hardly had I sat down before/when the telephone rang.
我剛一坐下電話就響了。
6. 和其它相似句型的區別
1）“It is/has been some time since sb. did...”表示“自從某人做某事已經有多長時間了”。
2）“It be +時間點 + when引導的時間狀語從句”表示“某個動作發生時，是某個時間”。主句謂語動詞可以是一般過去時，也可以是一般將來時。
It is almost five years we saw each other last time. （北京）
A. before B. since C. after D. when
— Did Jack come back early last night? （福建）
— Yes. It was not yet eight o’ clock ______ he arrived home.
A. before B. when C. that D. until
解析：答案為BB�？碱}（1）句意是“自從上次我們見面以來已經近五年沒有見了”，故選擇答案B�？碱}（2）句意是“他昨晚回家時還不到8點”，故選擇答案B。
