Is until a grammar rule for past perfect?
We can use past simple negative + until + past perfect to talk about an action that didn't happen before something else happened first. The party couldn't start until Kate had arrived. (Kate arrived, and then the party could start.)
In time clauses with words like when, after and until, we often use present tense forms to talk about the future: I'll come home when I finish work. You must wait here until your father comes. They are coming after they have had dinner.
We often use the present perfect to say what we've done in an unfinished time period, such as today, this week, this year, etc., and with expressions such as so far, until now, before, etc.
The past perfect tense is formed by using the word had followed by the past participle of the verb. For regular verbs, the past participle is a form of the verb that ends in -ed or -d. For example, the past participle of watch is watched.
Example Sentences
Conjunction We played until it got dark. Keep going until I tell you to stop. I ran until I was breathless. Stay here until the danger has passed.
Unless and until are subordinating conjunctions, which have conditional connotations, so they are quite easily misconstrued.
We use the present perfect continuous to show that something started in the past and has continued up until now. For five minutes, for two weeks, and since Tuesday are all durations which can be used with the present perfect continuous. Examples: They have been talking for the last hour.
Use the simple past when the action started in the past, finished in the past, and is not continuing now. Use the present perfect when the action started in the past and is continuing now. The simple past tells us that an action happened at a certain time in the past, and is not continuing anymore.
Until as a preposition means 'up to (the time that)': … Until as a conjunction. We use until as a subordinating conjunction to connect an action or an event to a point in time: …
| Event A | Event B |
|---|---|
| I had saved my document | before the computer crashed. |
| Event B | Event A |
| When they arrived | we had already started cooking. |
| Event B | Event A |
Where not to use past perfect tense?
Past perfect for the earlier of two past actions
It doesn't matter in which order we say the two events. The following sentence has the same meaning. The thief had escaped when the police arrived. Note that if there's only a single event, we don't use the past perfect, even if it happened a long time ago.
- He had taken the selfie.
- She had committed suicide.
- It had rained.
- I had found my phone.
- We had taken a bath with each other.
- They had ended their relationship.
- You had played Ludo Star 2018.
- Google had banned spam sites.
"Until" is more often used in the middle of a sentence, but it can be used at the beginning. Until she knows what she wants to do, it will be hard for her to find a job that she likes. Until the weather gets warmer, it is not a good idea to go on a picnic. Until the rain stops, the game cannot start.
As a preposition of time, “until” describes a continuous action that stops at a specific time. “until” describes the duration of an action before a specific time. I'm staying in New York until Friday.
Complex sentences are easy to spot as they often use subordinating conjunctions like because, since, or until to connect clauses.
The word 'until' is used in formal notices/letters or any other form of writing, whereas the word 'till' has a more casual tone to it. Both these words can be used either as prepositions or conjunctions and have precisely the same meaning in both cases.
up till now and until now both mean “up to this point in time”. The difference is that up till now is more common in speech and informal writing, while until now is more common in edited writing and formal speech.
| Affirmative | Negative |
|---|---|
| I have been living | I haven't been living |
| You have been living | You haven't been living |
| He, she, it has been living | He hasn't been living |
| We have been living | We haven't been living |
Present is used to say that something is happening now. “Present”, “till date” or “till now” are all correct. The correct usage depends on whether one is referring to a period of time up to the present or to a period of time up to some specified date.
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Past perfect simple or past perfect continuous?
| I'd waited an hour for the bus. | Past perfect simple emphasises the completion of the activity (the waiting is over). |
|---|---|
| I'd been waiting an hour for the bus. | Past perfect continuous focuses on the duration of the activity. |
What is the difference between past participle and present perfect?
The present perfect tense is formed by combining the word have/has with the past participle in order to express an action that began in the past and is now completed in the present. In this case, the word has is paired with the past participle read, creating a sentence that uses the present perfect tense.
The main difference between the present perfect continuous tense and past perfect continuous is quite obvious. Present perfect continuous tense refers to the present time and past perfect continuous refers to the past time.
- as far as.
- before.
- before the coming.
- continuously.
- down to.
- in advance of.
- in expectation.
- prior to.
Until a particular time means during the period before that time. I waited until it got dark. If something happens until a time, it happens before that time and then stops at that time.
We use "until" to talk about the period of time from a starting point until a deadline or the end of some period of time. So, "by" only refers to the deadline, but "until" refers to all the time between now and the end of something. I have to work until 10 pm. We can hand in the report any day until Friday.
"Until" is more often used in the middle of a sentence, but it can be used at the beginning. Until she knows what she wants to do, it will be hard for her to find a job that she likes. Until the weather gets warmer, it is not a good idea to go on a picnic. Until the rain stops, the game cannot start.
“Present”, “till date” or “till now” are all correct. The correct usage depends on whether one is referring to a period of time up to the present or to a period of time up to some specified date.
Preposition of time: “until”
As a preposition of time, “until” describes a continuous action that stops at a specific time. “until” describes the duration of an action before a specific time. I'm staying in New York until Friday.
You use until with a negative to emphasize the moment in time after which the rest of your statement becomes true, or the condition which would make it true.
The word 'until' is used in formal notices/letters or any other form of writing, whereas the word 'till' has a more casual tone to it. Both these words can be used either as prepositions or conjunctions and have precisely the same meaning in both cases.
Is it till Wednesday or until Wednesday?
There is no difference in meaning between until and till. Till is more common in conversation, and is not used in formal writing.
1. Until next time. This option is mostly used in casual situations, but can also work in formal settings. It conveys that you'll be seeing the person again sooner or later.