Advice vs. Advise
错误示例:Can you give me some advise?
正确用法:
- Advice(名词):建议,不可数,如 She gave me good advice.
- Advise(动词):建议,如 He advised me to study harder.
记忆技巧:名词结尾是“-ice”(冰),动词是“-ise”(行动)。
Affect vs. Effect
错误示例:The medicine will not affect you.(实际想表达“无效”)
正确用法:
- Affect(动词):影响,如 Weather affects my mood.
- Effect(名词):效果,如 The effect of the policy was clear.
例外:Effect 作动词时意为“实现”,如 to effect change,但较少用。
Lose vs. Loose
错误示例:I don’t want to loose my keys.
正确用法:
- Lose(动词):丢失,如 Did you lose your phone?
- Loose(形容词):松的,如 The screw is loose.
发音区别:Lose 读 /luːz/,loose 读 /luːs/。
Accept vs. Except
错误示例:I will except your offer.
正确用法:
- Accept(动词):接受,如 She accepted the award.
- Except(介词):除了,如 Everyone came except John.
联想记忆:Accept 与“同意”(agree)开头相同。
Compliment vs. Complement
错误示例:Your dress complements you!(想夸“好看”)
正确用法:
- Compliment(动词/名词):称赞,如 She complimented his cooking.
- Complement(动词/名词):补充/配套,如 The wine complements the meal.
技巧:Compliment 含“I”(我),需要主观表达;complement 含“E”(平衡),强调客观匹配。
Principal vs. Principle
错误示例:He is a man of strong principals.
正确用法:
- Principal(名词/形容词):校长/主要的,如 The principal reason is cost.
- Principle(名词):原则,如 She stands by her principles.
口诀:校长(principal)是你的“朋友”(pal)。
Stationary vs. Stationery
错误示例:Buy more stationary for the office.
正确用法:
- Stationary(形容词):静止的,如 The car remained stationary.
- Stationery(名词):文具,如 We ordered new stationery.
区分法:文具(stationery)含“e”如“envelope”(信封)。
Borrow vs. Lend
错误示例:Can you borrow me a pen?
正确用法:
- Borrow(借入):May I borrow your book?
- Lend(借出):Can you lend me your book?
方向性:Borrow 是“拿进来”,lend 是“给出去”。
Farther vs. Further
错误示例:We need to discuss this farther.
正确用法:
- Farther(物理距离):The next town is farther away.
- Further(抽象程度):We’ll research further.
提示:Far 的两种比较级,farther 有“th”如“distance”。
Everyday vs. Every day
错误示例:I exercise everyday.
正确用法:
- Everyday(形容词):日常的,如 These are everyday problems.
- Every day(副词短语):每天,如 I walk every day.
测试:替换“each day”通顺则为分开写。
易混淆短语补充
"Used to" vs. "Be used to"
- Used to:过去习惯(现已停止),如 I used to drink coffee.
- Be used to:适应某事,如 I’m used to waking up early.
"Make sense" vs. "Make sense of"
- Make sense:合理,如 Your answer makes sense.
- Make sense of:理解,如 I can’t make sense of this map.
文化差异导致的误用
英语母语者常通过语境判断词义,但非母语者可能忽略细微差别。
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"See" vs. "Watch" vs. "Look":
- See(无意识看见):I saw a bird outside.
- Watch(专注观察):Let’s watch a movie.
- Look(主动看):Look at this photo!
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"Say" vs. "Tell":
- Say 强调内容:He said “hello”.
- Tell 需接对象:Tell me the truth.