Use of correct prepositions

[Gilles L]

Dear teacher,

A) Can you please help me differentiate between "before" and "until"

For example:
<OL style="LIST-STYLE-TYPE: decimal">I could not get to work before/until 5:00 pm.
I will not be able to see you before/until tomorrow.
You will not be able to speak english fluently before/until you fully

[Nina01]

A) Can you please help me differentiate between "before" and "until"

For example:
I could not get to work before/until 5:00 pm.
I will not be able to see you before/until tomorrow.
You will not be able to speak english fluently before/until you fully

In these sentences they mean almost the same thing:

I could not get to work before/until 5:00 pm. This means I was not able to get to work any earlier than 5pm. I was not able to get to work at 4pm or 4:30 pm or 4:55 pm.


I am not able to see you before/until tomorrow. These mean I am not able to see you any earlier or sooner than tomorrow.

The last sentence was not finished but it appears that they also mean the same thing for both.

I hope that helps

[Hi_there_Carl]

I can understand your confusion these words can have very similar meanings.

Until is used chiefly as a preposition as a function word to indicate continuance (as of an action or condition) to a specified time <stayed until morning> It is also used like before <not available until tomorrow> <we don't open until ten>

Before is has the function of adverb or adjective to mean "in advance" <marching on before> or at an earlier time <the night before> <knew her from before>

In your examples I think the correct choices are:

I could not get to work until 5:00 pm. or I can not get to work before 5:00 pm. and I will not be able to see you until tomorrow. or I can't see you before/until tomorrow.

In many cases you can use either word and the meaning will be the same.