1.含义不同
long before意为“在很久之前,很久以前”
before long = soon意为“不久之后”
例句1:Long before I knew better.
很久以前我就知道了。
例句2:Before long, Zoe is ready to roll!
不久之后,Zoe就准备好了!
2.用法不同
long before体现过去时态,常用于过去时或过去完成时。
before long用作时间状语,常与将来时、过去时态连用。
例句1:She had left long before.她老早就离开了。(过去完成时)
例句2:I'll be back before long.不久我就回来。(一般将来时)
例句3:Before long he got married.不久他就结婚了。(一般过去时)
long before
1、It wasn’t long before everyone latched onto what was happening.
很快人人都明白了所发生的事情。
2、"The jackal walked this land long before the farmers arrived," I noted.
“胡狼早在这些农场主人前,就已经行走在这片土地上了。”我说。
3、It will be long before we meet again.
要隔很久的时间我们才能再见面。
before long
1、Before long he died, never suspecting that his nymph was one other than his own image in the water.
他从来不曾想过那水中美丽的容颜会是自己的倒影。
2、Before long Mr Paul was performing with the most elegant bands on radio and in posh nightclubs.
不久之后,保罗先生与一些最流行的乐队在电台以及豪华夜总会联合表演。
3、Well, we'll talk before long about cryptography.
好,我们等下讲讲密码学。