"in a few months 是几个月之内,还是几个月之后"?
其实 , 单凭一个短语,你无法界定。英英解释最明确,下面详述。
A,IN 表时间“在。。。之后”,英英解释为:
“after a period of time that will pass before something happens”
即“在一段时间之后----这时这段时间是指在某事发生之前将会度过的”
(换句话说,可理解为“在某长度时间后,将会发生某事”,显然其常与“将来时”相伴)。
例如:
I'll be up in a minute.
我一会儿就上来。
He would quit again after the wheat harvest in a few months.
几个月后,当家里的麦子成熟后他就会再度离开煤矿。
B,IN 表时间“在。。。之内”,英英解释为:
“indicates that something happens during a period of time”
即“指某事在某时段期间发生”,(注意区别,不是将要发生)
(换句话说,可理解为某事在某时段期间已经发生了,故其常与“完成时”相伴)
例如:
It had lost about 30% of its business in a few months.
在几个月内,它失去了其30%的业务。
总结:"in a few months 是几个月之内,还是几个月之后"?这一定要依据其英英解释中的限定情形来界定。一要看文章背景,二要看本句相应时态暗示,单单一个短语,是不能明确定义的。