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 Ⅱbroke 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。
