Time Adverbs 按时 and 从来
Say that something happens on schedule with 按时, and that you never do or have never done something with 从来不 and 从来没…过.
句型
按时 + verb; 从来 + 不 + verb; 从来 + 没(有) + verb + 过
从来 almost always brings a negative: 从来不 for habits, 从来没…过 for experiences.
我从来没去过上海。
时间副词 按时和从来的使用场景
Both go before the verb. 按时 means “on time, as scheduled”: you do something at the time that was set (按时吃药, 按时交作业). 从来 means “ever, all along” and is almost always negative: 从来不 + verb says you never do something as a habit, and 从来没(有) + verb + 过 says something has never happened.
你要按时吃药。
You need to take your medicine on time.
他每天都按时交作业。
He hands in his homework on time every day.
我从来不喝咖啡。
I never drink coffee.
图书馆的书要按时还。
Library books must be returned on time.
常见误区
- For experiences use 从来没…过: 我从来没去过北京, not 我从来不去过北京.
- Don’t use bare 从来 in a positive sentence: 我从来没迟到过 or 他从来都很认真, not 我从来迟到.
- Negate 按时 for one past event with 没: 他昨天没按时到, not 他昨天不按时到.
针对性练习
先练这个句式，再继续往下看。