432　lately，latest，latter和recently

① lately表示“最近，近来”，为副词，常同现在完成时连用。

We've had a lot of rain lately. 最近雨水多。

Have you heard from her lately？你最近收到她的信了吗？

He lately moved into a new apartment. 他不久前搬进了一套新公寓。

She has been friendlier lately. 她近来更友好了。

His studies haven't been improving lately. 他的学业近来没有什么进步。

② latest表示“最近的，最新的”，为形容词，只用作定语。

This is the latest fashion. 这是最新的式样。

③ latter为形容词，说明顺序的前后，意为“后一半的，较后”；the former…the latter为固定搭配，意为“前者……后者”。

These birds fly to the south in the latter half of October every year. 这些鸟每年十月的后半个月飞往南方。

④ recently也表示“最近”，既可指一段时间，也可指某一时刻，而lately用来指一段时间。

Just recently I began to learn French. 我最近才开始学习法语。（不用lately）

I've been writing a paper recently/lately. 我最近在写一篇论文。

I ran into my uncle in the street recently.

最近我在街上遇见了我叔叔。

I ran into my uncle in the street lately.