1. 按傳統語法:lately 通常用於否定句或疑問句,recently 通常用於肯定句。但在現代英語中 recently 也經常用於否定句或疑問句,而 lately 也經常用於肯定句(尤其是在美國英語中以及與 only, much, a lot 等連用時)。
2. 從使用的時態來看:兩者都經常與完成時態連用,也可與一般過去時連用(但此時用 recently 比用 lately 更經常)。如:He’s only lately [recently] begun working here. 他只是近來才開始在這裡工作。 I haven’t been sleeping well recently [lately]. 我最近一直未睡好。 His visits used to be rare, but lately [recently] he has been here quite a lot. 他過去很少來(拜訪),但現在卻來得很經常。 I have seen a lot of her lately [recently]. 我最近經常見到她。 Did she have a party recently? 她最近舉辦過聚會嗎? 注:兩者通常都不用於將來。如: 最近我們要去巴黎。 誤:We will go to Paris lately [recently]. 正:We will go to Paris soon. 另外,lately 有時還可與一般現在時連用,指現在的習慣(但是recently 一般不這樣用)。如: He doesn’t like watching TV lately. 他近來不喜歡看電視。 We used to visit London once a week, but lately we go there twice a week. 我們過去總是每週去一次倫敦,但最近我們每週去兩次。
兩者均可表示“最近”、“近來”,區別如下:
1. 按傳統語法:lately 通常用於否定句或疑問句,recently 通常用於肯定句。但在現代英語中 recently 也經常用於否定句或疑問句,而 lately 也經常用於肯定句(尤其是在美國英語中以及與 only, much, a lot 等連用時)。
2. 從使用的時態來看:兩者都經常與完成時態連用,也可與一般過去時連用(但此時用 recently 比用 lately 更經常)。如:He’s only lately [recently] begun working here. 他只是近來才開始在這裡工作。 I haven’t been sleeping well recently [lately]. 我最近一直未睡好。 His visits used to be rare, but lately [recently] he has been here quite a lot. 他過去很少來(拜訪),但現在卻來得很經常。 I have seen a lot of her lately [recently]. 我最近經常見到她。 Did she have a party recently? 她最近舉辦過聚會嗎? 注:兩者通常都不用於將來。如: 最近我們要去巴黎。 誤:We will go to Paris lately [recently]. 正:We will go to Paris soon. 另外,lately 有時還可與一般現在時連用,指現在的習慣(但是recently 一般不這樣用)。如: He doesn’t like watching TV lately. 他近來不喜歡看電視。 We used to visit London once a week, but lately we go there twice a week. 我們過去總是每週去一次倫敦,但最近我們每週去兩次。