on time ⇄ in time, at the end ⇄ in the end (on time / in time / at the end / in the end)
Hai cặp này nhìn gần giống nhau nhưng nghĩa khác hẳn. on time = đúng giờ (không muộn): xảy ra đúng lúc đã định. in time (for / to) = kịp lúc (đủ sớm để làm gì); trái nghĩa là too late; just in time = suýt nữa thì muộn. at the end (of) = vào lúc kết thúc một thứ (at the end of the month / the concert); trái nghĩa là at the beginning. in the end = cuối cùng thì (nói kết quả sau một quá trình); trái nghĩa là at first. Không nói “in the end of January”.
on time ⇄ in time
| on time | in time |
|---|---|
| The 11.45 train left on time. (= at 11.45) | Will you be home in time for dinner? (= soon enough) |
| Please be on time. Don’t be late. | I hope the present arrives in time. (= before her birthday) |
| Everything began and finished on time. | I want to get home in time to watch the game. |
at the end ⇄ in the end
| at the end (of) | in the end |
|---|---|
| I’m going away at the end of January. | We had problems with our car. We sold it in the end. (= finally) |
| At the end of the concert, everyone applauded. | Alan couldn’t decide. He didn’t go anywhere in the end. |
| opposite: at the beginning of January | opposite: At first we didn’t get on, but in the end we became friends. |
on time = đúng giờ, không muộn
Nếu việc gì xảy ra on time thì nó xảy ra vào lúc đã định: The 11.45 train left on time (= nó rời ga lúc 11 giờ 45). Please be on time. Don’t be late. The conference was well-organised. Everything began and finished on time.
- The 11.45 train left on time. — Chuyến tàu 11 giờ 45 rời ga đúng giờ.
- Please be on time. Don’t be late. — Làm ơn đến đúng giờ. Đừng trễ.
in time (for / to) = kịp lúc; too late; just in time
in time (for something / to do something) nghĩa là đủ sớm: Will you be home in time for dinner? I sent Amy a birthday present. I hope it arrives in time (= vào hoặc trước sinh nhật). I’m in a hurry. I want to get home in time to watch the game on TV. Trái nghĩa là too late: I got home too late to watch the game. just in time = suýt nữa thì muộn: We got to the station just in time for our train. A child ran into the road in front of the car, but I managed to stop just in time.
- Will you be home in time for dinner? — Bạn có về kịp bữa tối không?
- A child ran into the road, but I managed to stop just in time. — Một đứa trẻ chạy ra đường trước xe, nhưng tôi phanh được vừa kịp lúc.
at the end (of …) = vào lúc kết thúc; trái nghĩa at the beginning
at the end of the month / January / the film / the course / the game / the concert: I’m going away at the end of January / at the end of the month. At the end of the concert, everyone applauded. The players shook hands at the end of the game. Không nói “in the end of …”. Trái nghĩa là at the beginning: I’m going away at the beginning of January (không nói in the beginning).
- I’m going away at the end of January. — Tôi sẽ đi xa vào cuối tháng Giêng.
- At the end of the concert, everyone applauded. — Cuối buổi hoà nhạc, ai cũng vỗ tay.
in the end = cuối cùng thì; trái nghĩa at first
in the end nói kết quả cuối cùng của một tình huống: We had a lot of problems with our car. We sold it in the end (= cuối cùng chúng tôi bán nó). He got more and more angry. In the end he just walked out of the room. Alan couldn’t decide where to go for his holidays. He didn’t go anywhere in the end (không nói at the end). Trái nghĩa là at first: At first we didn’t get on very well, but in the end we became good friends.
- We had a lot of problems with our car. We sold it in the end. — Chiếc xe gây cho chúng tôi nhiều rắc rối. Cuối cùng chúng tôi bán nó.
- At first we didn’t get on, but in the end we became good friends. — Lúc đầu chúng tôi không hợp, nhưng cuối cùng lại thành bạn tốt.
Lưu ý
- Mẹo: at the end + of …; in the end đứng một mình (không có of). on time = đúng giờ; in time = kịp.