[Vocabulary] only until

__________ I went abroad did I realize keenly how inconvenient it was to be unable to make myself understood.

(A) Only until (B) Only when (C) Not until

The answer is B and C.

Why is A not included in the answers?:-(

wahaha said:

__________ I went abroad did I realize keenly how inconvenient it was to be unable to make myself understood.

(A) Only until (B) Only when (C) Not until

The answer is B and C.

Why is A not included in the answers?:-(

Click to expand...

There are several reasons. One is that the happening of some realization is related to a definite point in time. 'Only until' means your realization took place in the period between an unspecified time in the past and the time that 'I went abroad'. B and C fit only.

I googled some sentences about the usage:

We suffer only until we realize that we can't know anything.

Free on the PC. But only until May 24th.

Is a Labour-Conservative deal really unthinkable? Only until you start thinking about it.
Blue skies stay but only until clouds drive them away.

So I don't think the "realization took place in the period between an unspecified time in the past and the time that 'I went abroad'."

wahaha said:

I googled some sentences about the usage:

We suffer only until we realize that we can't know anything.

Free on the PC. But only until May 24th.

Is a Labour-Conservative deal really unthinkable? Only until you start thinking about it.
Blue skies stay but only until clouds drive them away.

So I don't think the "realization took place in the period between an unspecified time in the past and the time that 'I went abroad'."

Click to expand...

"Only until" means "up until that time, but not after".
It's the opposite of the other two meanings.

We suffer only until we realize that we can't know anything. =
Not until we realize the we can't know anything do we suffer.
Free on the PC. But only until May 24th. =
Not until May 24th do we charge you for it.

Only until I went abroad did I realize keenly how inconvenient it was to be unable to make myself understood. =
I stopped realizing how inconvenient it was only when I went abroad.

Thank you again, Raymott! :-D It's nice of you to give us such a clear explanation.:up: