1. 当the first time作连词用，引导一个时间状语从句时，从句一般用过去式，
例如：
He fell in love with Mary the first time he saw her.(他对玛丽一见钟情.)
2. 当the first time用在“It is/was the first time that……”结构中时，从句一般用完成式. 如果前边用“is”，从句用现在完成式如果前边用“was”，从句用过去完成式.
例如：
It is the first time that I have heard the news. 这是我第一次听说这个消息.
It was the first time that he had been to Beijing. 这是他第一次去北京
常见的由名词time 构成的“连词”：
the time， the first time， next time， any time， every time，each time， the last time， from the time， by the time 等，都可以作连词用，引导时间状语从句。
如:
The (very) first time I climbed onto the wall， I felt nervous.
我第一次爬到墙上去时，感到胆怯。
Every time I catch a cold， I have pain in my back. 我每次感冒背就痛。
Any time you come to London do look me up. 你无论什么时候到伦敦来，一定要来看我。
I recognized you the minute I saw you.
我一见你就认出了你。
Next time you come， you will see the scientist. 你下次来时就会见到那位科学家。
You may come back any time you want to. 你想回来随时可回来。
Each time the tourist traveled by boat he got seasick. 这位旅客每次坐船行时都晕船。
The last time she saw James， he was lying in bed. 她最后一次看詹姆斯时，他躺在床上。
The truck will have arrived by the time you have all the things packed up. 到你把一切东西都捆好时，卡车也就来了。
又如:
It is the first time that I have heard the news. 这是我第一次听说这个消息.
It was the first time that he had been to Beijing. 这是他第一次去北京.
以上两句中，the first time 是先行词，后面的that 从句是定语从句。It 是“代词”，可以换成this 或that
