until/ before??

[Brittania]

Hi!

I've got a question. Is it possible to use until/before in sentences a. and b. to paraphrase sentence 1?

1) It was 8:00 pm when she left.

a. She didn't leave until 8:00 p.m.

b. She didn't leave before 8:00 p.m.

Is there any difference at all?

Thanks in advance!

[5jj]

Is it possible to use until/before in sentences a. and b. to paraphrase sentence 1?

1) It was 8:00 pm when she left.

a. She didn't leave until 8:00 p.m. Yes. 'Until' can suggest a longer stay, or at least one that feels longer, than 'when'.

b. She didn't leave before 8:00 p.m. Yes. This can mean that she left at or after 8.

5

[Brittania]

Thanks for the quick answer.