by the end of 后面接過去時(shí)間時(shí)，句子的時(shí)態(tài)通常用過去時(shí)態(tài)——比如過去完成時(shí)、一般過去時(shí)、過去進(jìn)行時(shí)等。

用于表示時(shí)間的場合

往往含有“不遲于”的意味。

例：by the end of January

一月底之前(指一月份結(jié)束前的幾天)

We are to complete the task by the end of the year.

年底之前我們必須完成此項(xiàng)任務(wù)。

有時(shí) by the end of...所表示時(shí)間并不修飾謂語動(dòng)詞，而是修飾句中的非謂語動(dòng)詞，此時(shí)與句子時(shí)態(tài)無關(guān)。

如：We were working full steam ahead to finish the project by the end of April. 為了趕在四月底以前完成這個(gè)項(xiàng)目，我們?nèi)σ愿?。（by the end of April 修飾不定式 to finish…）

用過去完成時(shí)

強(qiáng)調(diào)在所提及的過去時(shí)間之前已完成的動(dòng)作，句子暗示兩個(gè)時(shí)間：一個(gè)是 by the end of 后面的過去時(shí)間，另一個(gè)是“the end of + 過去時(shí)間”之前的時(shí)間。

如：By the end of last month, I had planted thousands of trees. 

到上個(gè)月末，我已經(jīng)種了數(shù)千棵樹了。

By the end of last month, he had been robbed at least three times. 

到上月底，他已被搶了至少三次。

I’d had a bellyful of his family by the end of the weekend. 

到周末的時(shí)候，我已經(jīng)受夠了他一家人。

By the end of the day we had sold over 2000 tickets. 

那一天下來我們賣出了兩千多張票。

By the end of that year Henry had collected more than a thousand foreign stamps.

到那年年底，亨利已收集了一千多張外國郵票。

By the end of the evening she had abandoned all pretence of being interested.

到晚會(huì)結(jié)束時(shí)，她已將假裝的興趣拋得一干二凈。

用一般過去時(shí)

只表示動(dòng)詞發(fā)生在過去，不強(qiáng)調(diào)在所提及的過去時(shí)間之前已經(jīng)完成，此時(shí)將整個(gè)的“by the end of + 過去時(shí)間”看作一個(gè)整體的過去時(shí)間。如：

By the end of that first year, I knew how totally unsuited we were to each other. 

到了第一年年底，我明白了我們倆根本不般配。

By the end of 1989 the group had assets of 3.5 billion francs.

 到1989年底該集團(tuán)擁有的資產(chǎn)達(dá)35億法郎。

Italy became a satellite state of Germany by the end of the 1930s. 

意大利在 20 世紀(jì) 30 年代末成了德國的附庸。

By the end of the year, the rebels had control over the northern territories. 

到這一年的年底，叛亂分子已經(jīng)控制了北方地區(qū)。

By the end of the century, France had made peace with Britain. 

到那個(gè)世紀(jì)末，法國和英國議和了。

用過去進(jìn)行時(shí)

表示“by the end of + 過去時(shí)間”之前正在進(jìn)行或發(fā)生的情況。

如：By the end of 1942, things were starting to change. 

到了 1942 年年末，情況開始有了變化。

By the end of the week, they were all getting on each other’s nerves. 

到周末時(shí)，他們互相都很反感對方。

That man made me so angry that by the end of the meeting I was spitting blood! 

那人真令我生氣，到會(huì)議結(jié)束時(shí)我簡直恨得咬牙切齒！