by the end of 后面接過去時間時，句子的時態(tài)通常用過去時態(tài)——比如過去完成時、一般過去時、過去進行時等。

用于表示時間的場合

往往含有“不遲于”的意味。

例：by the end of January

一月底之前(指一月份結(jié)束前的幾天)

We are to complete the task by the end of the year.

年底之前我們必須完成此項任務(wù)。

有時 by the end of...所表示時間并不修飾謂語動詞，而是修飾句中的非謂語動詞，此時與句子時態(tài)無關(guān)。

如：We were working full steam ahead to finish the project by the end of April. 為了趕在四月底以前完成這個項目，我們?nèi)σ愿?。（by the end of April 修飾不定式 to finish…）

用過去完成時

強調(diào)在所提及的過去時間之前已完成的動作，句子暗示兩個時間：一個是 by the end of 后面的過去時間，另一個是“the end of + 過去時間”之前的時間。

如：By the end of last month, I had planted thousands of trees. 

到上個月末，我已經(jīng)種了數(shù)千棵樹了。

By the end of last month, he had been robbed at least three times. 

到上月底，他已被搶了至少三次。

I’d had a bellyful of his family by the end of the weekend. 

到周末的時候，我已經(jīng)受夠了他一家人。

By the end of the day we had sold over 2000 tickets. 

那一天下來我們賣出了兩千多張票。

By the end of that year Henry had collected more than a thousand foreign stamps.

到那年年底，亨利已收集了一千多張外國郵票。

By the end of the evening she had abandoned all pretence of being interested.

到晚會結(jié)束時，她已將假裝的興趣拋得一干二凈。

用一般過去時

只表示動詞發(fā)生在過去，不強調(diào)在所提及的過去時間之前已經(jīng)完成，此時將整個的“by the end of + 過去時間”看作一個整體的過去時間。如：

By the end of that first year, I knew how totally unsuited we were to each other. 

到了第一年年底，我明白了我們倆根本不般配。

By the end of 1989 the group had assets of 3.5 billion francs.

 到1989年底該集團擁有的資產(chǎn)達35億法郎。

Italy became a satellite state of Germany by the end of the 1930s. 

意大利在 20 世紀 30 年代末成了德國的附庸。

By the end of the year, the rebels had control over the northern territories. 

到這一年的年底，叛亂分子已經(jīng)控制了北方地區(qū)。

By the end of the century, France had made peace with Britain. 

到那個世紀末，法國和英國議和了。

用過去進行時

表示“by the end of + 過去時間”之前正在進行或發(fā)生的情況。

如：By the end of 1942, things were starting to change. 

到了 1942 年年末，情況開始有了變化。

By the end of the week, they were all getting on each other’s nerves. 

到周末時，他們互相都很反感對方。

That man made me so angry that by the end of the meeting I was spitting blood! 

那人真令我生氣，到會議結(jié)束時我簡直恨得咬牙切齒！