③ 表示时间长度时，通常用一般现在时代替现在完成时： It’s ten years since he left here. 他离开这儿已10年了。
(2) so far(到目前为止)：
So far there has been no bad news. 到现在为止还没有什么坏消息。
We haven’t had any trouble so far. 到目前为止，我们还没有遇到任何麻烦。
(3) in [for, during] the past [last] ? years(在过去?年中)： In the past two years I’ve seen him little. 过去两年我很少见到他。 I have been here (for) the last [past] month. 最近一个月里我都在这儿。 【注】在一定的上下文里，若是以过去时间为起点，也可用过去完成时。
(4) up to [until] now(到现在为止)：
Up to now, the work has been easy. 到现在为止这工作还算容易。
I have heard nothing from him up to now. 到现在为止我还没有听到他一点音信。
(5) It’s [will be] the first time that?(第一次?)： It’s the first time I’ve come here. 这是我第一次来这儿。
Don’t forget, it’ll be the first time I’ve spoken in public. 别忘了，这是我第一次在公共场合发言。 ☆ 过去将来时
由would, was/were going to, was/were to was/were about to等加动词原形构成, 也可由was/were on the point of加动名词构成。 例句：
I knew you would agree. 我知道你会同意的。
I said I would arrange everything. 我说我来安排一切。
表示过去的某时以后将要发生的动作。但这个\将来\时间绝不会延伸到“现在”；而仅限于“过去时间区域内”。由此可以看出，含这个时态的句子常带一个表示“过去某个时间点”的状语。这个状语或是一个短语，或是一个句子。这个时态常用于：
A）宾语从句或间接引语中；B）表示过去习惯性的动作；C）表示过去情况中的“愿望”、“倾向”，多用于否定句。例如：
A) When I thought about it , I wondered what their reaction would be . 当我考虑这件事时，我想知道他们的反应是什么。
She told me that she would go on trip to Europe the next day. 她告诉我，她第二天要去欧洲旅行。
He didn't expect that we would all be there. 他没料到我们会全在那儿。
B) During that period , he would do morning-exercises every day. 在那段时间，他每天早锻炼。
Whenever he had time, he would help his mother with some housework. 无论他什么时间有空,他总是帮他妈妈干点家务活。
C) No matter how difficult the work was , he would keep on doing it until he accomplished it . 不管工作有多难，他总会坚持不懈地把它干完。
They knew that we would never permit such a thing. 他们知道我们绝不会允许发生这样的事。
Even after the lecture ended, the audience would not leave . 甚至在讲座结束之后，听众仍不肯离去。
was / were going to + 动词原形；was / were to + 动词原形；was / were about to + 动词原形等结构都可表达当时一种未曾实现的意图或打算。如：
The conference was going to be held the next month. 会议下个月开。 We were to have our class at eight. 八点我们该上课了。
I was about to tell him about it when Wu Dong got in. 就在我要告诉他时，吴东进来了