时间状语从句通常由after,before,when,while,as,once,till,since,as soon as等从属连词引导。此外还有一些特殊的形式引导时间状语从句。
一、immediately,directly,instantly用于as soon as的意义时也可引导时间状语从句。例：
I recognized her immediately/instantly I saw her.
刚一见面，我就认出了她。
I went home directly I had finished work.
我一干完活就回家了。
The machine will start instantly the button is pressed.
一按电钮，机器就立即开动起来。
二、名词the moment,the minute,the instant用于as soon as的意义时也可引导时间状语从句。例：
I want to see her the minute that she arrives.
她一到，我就要见她。
We hadn’t met for 20 years,but I recognized him the moment (that) I saw him.
我们已经二十年没见了，可是我一见到他就认出他来。
I recognized him the instant (that) I saw him.
我一见到他就认出他来。
三、名词the day,the year,every time,each time,next time,last time等也可用作连词，引导时间状语从句。例：
He left Europe the year World War Ⅱ broke out.
第二次世界大战爆发那一年他离开了欧洲。
The day (on which) he was inducted,he was not feeling well.
被征入伍那天，他身体不大舒服。
Every time he phones I always seem to be in the bath.
每次他来电话时似乎我都在洗澡。
Each time he came to town he would visit our school.
他每次进城都要到我们学校看看。
He looked much worried (the) last time I saw him.
我上次见到他时他满脸愁容。
The very next time I saw her she was working in London.
我再看到她的时候她正在伦敦工作。
四、关联从属连词no sooner...than,hardly/scarcely/barely...when等也能引导时间状语从句。
如果no sooner,hardly/scarcely/barely位于句首，就要用倒装语序。例：
He had no sooner/No sooner had he arrived than he was asked to leave again.
他刚到达就又让他离开。
We had hardly begun/Hardly had we begun our walk when it began to rain.
我们刚刚开始散步就下起雨来了。
She had scarcely entered/Scarcely had she entered the room when the phone rang.
她刚进屋，电话就响了。
He had barely/Barely had he arrived when he had to leave again.
他刚刚到就又得走了。
