by the time 有兩個意思:
一:by the time可以翻譯為:這時候,在此時.相當于at the/that time.
By the time he had lost contact with the Party.
這時他已和黨失去聯(lián)系.
By the time we had settled in the third bus.
這時我們已在第3輛大汽車里坐好.
二:by the time,意為:在.之前已經(jīng).
by the time our teacher came in ,we had started speaking English.
在老師進來前,我們都已經(jīng)開始講英語了.
by the time when got to the bus station,the bus had left.
在我們到達車站時,汽車早就開走了.
by+時間名詞.意為：“到…時（已發(fā)生某事）,此時謂語多用完成時；最晚、不遲于…,在…之前”.如：by now/then/this time/next Friday/the end of/three o`clock等.
By the end of last year,another new gymnasium had been completed.(2003上海·春）到去年年底,又有一座新體育館峻工了.