【问】 下面是《英语世界》1987年第4期第227条答问：
 “问：《中高级英语考试》.P.320对lately与recently的解释如下：lately(最近，不久前，
 指过去时间的一点)与recently(近来，最近，指过去时间的某一点以来，常用于否定句与疑问句)。是否可以这样理解：lately与recently都用于完成时句中，recently用于肯定
 句;而lately用于否定句或疑问句。
 ▲答：汉语“最近”不分肯定句，否定句;而英语recently则限用于肯定句中，lately用于否定句中，不能代之以recently。下面四类句型都要用lately：(1)I have not seen him lately. not=negative. (2)Have you seen him lately? question=50% negative. (3)I saw himonly lately. (=I did not see him until lately) only=hidden negative.最近=不更早。(4)
 I saw him as lately as a few days ago.几天前的最近=并非早些时候。以上各句选lately而不用recently，说明英语重形式，汉语“最近”可以通用，这就说明汉语的优点在于简便，何必多此一个形式。”
 我对问者和答者的说法抱有怀疑态度。recently真的不能用于否定句吗?
 【答】 我国出版的其他语法著作和辞书(如《最新高级英汉词典》，P. 625)也大都是这么说的。但是，现代英语的实际使用情况并非如此：lately不仅用于否定句中，亦可用于肯定句中;recently不仅用于肯定句中，亦可用于否定句中：
 
 过去他很少来这里，但是近来他常常到这里来。
 2. I perceive that you have been unwell lately. (Doyle)
 我看出你最近不大健康。
 3. Here is a little song written lately. (Yeats)
 这是最近写出的一首小曲。
 4. She had shown lately a kind of warming sympathy.
 她近来曾表现出了一种温馨的同情。(《英汉百科翻译大词典》)
 5. He has been friendlier lately. (EDC)
 他近来更友好了。
 6. He lately moved into a new apartment. (EDC)
 
 不久前他搬进了一套新公寓。
 我近来一直睡眠不好。
 8. John has seemed worried lately. (EED)
 约翰近来似乎很焦虑。
 9. You’ve been very busy lately. (TOEFL，75. 9)
 你近来是很忙的。