Preview（腕試し）

Please guess the one best answer.

Which sentences below use "by" and "until" naturally?

A. I stayed awake by 10:00 p.m.

B. I stayed awake until 10:00 p.m.

C. I have to finish this report by 5:00.

D. I have to finish this report until 5:00.

E. Both B & C

F. Both A & D

Examples（例文）

These two prepositions are often confused because their meanings are almost the same.

by = no later than (some time)

1) I have to finish this report by Friday afternoon.

(I can't finish after Friday. My deadline is Friday.)

　

2) My teacher said, "Please turn in your homework by Friday."

　

until = up to (but not after) some time

1) Noriko worked until 10:30 last night.

(Her work started in the morning and continued up to 10:30 p.m. She finished working at 10:30.)

　

2) Sarah can't meet her friends after work--she has to work until 9:00 p.m.

　

Exercises （練習）Choose the best answer for each question. Good luck!

1. Please turn in your homework ______ 6:00 on Thursday.

A. by

B. until

2. I stayed at the party ______ midnight.

A. by

B. until

3. Disco was popular in the U.S. ______ the late 1970s.

A. until

B. by

4. Sheila said she would be back ______ Tuesday afternoon. She's staying in Hokkaido ______ then.

A. by / until

B. until / by

5. Johnny's mother told him, "You can't leave the table ______ you have finished eating your beans and carrots." She then added, "And be sure to go to bed ______ 10:00. You have to get up early tomorrow."

A. by / until

B. until / by

6. Let's wait here ______ it stops raining.

A. by

B. until

7. If we don't leave ______ 6:00 we won't get to the theater ______ the show is halfway over.

A. by / until

B. until / by

8. I wanted to leave work ______ 5:00 so I could get home ______ 5:30, but I had to stay ______ 7:00.

A. by / until / until

B. by / by / until