A

a, an

1．a和an用法的区别，一般说来，是在以辅音开首的词前面用a，在以元音开首的词前面用an。不过要注意，这里说的是辅音和元音，不是辅音字母和元音字母。如hour以辅音字母h开首，但读音作［ˈaʊə］，是以元音开首的，所以前面该用an，不用a。又如one以元音字母o开首，但读音作［wʌn］，是以辅音开首的，所以前面该用a，不用an。又如M. A.（=Master of Arts，文科硕士）里的M是辅音字母，但读音作［em］（M. A.读［ˈemˈeɪ］或［emˈeɪ］），所以前面该用an，不用a。MS（=manuscript，手稿）前面往往用a而不用an，并不因为M是辅音字母，却因为读音往往作［ˈmænjʊskrɪpt］。又如8并不是词，无所谓辅音或元音，但读音作［eɪt］，所以前面该用an，不用a。&只是一个符号，因为它的名称是ampersand，读音作［ˈæmpəsænd］，所以前面该用an。

据有些语法书说，以［h］音开首而没有重音的音节前面该用an，如an historian，不作a historian。这规则现在可说不成立了（虽然还有人——尤其是英国人——遵守着），现在尽可用a，用an反嫌不自然。例如：

a habitual smile, a heroic act, a historian, a hotel, a hypothesis

有些英国人，在以［juː］或［jʊ］音开首的词（如eulogy, euphonic, European, university, united和usual）前面，用an而不用a，在以［h］音开首的词（如hero, history, hospital, hundred和hymn）前面也用an而不用a，在one前面也用an而不用a，这种人似乎现在比以前少了。

2．哪个名词前面可以用a（或an），哪个名词前面不可用a（或an）呢？一般说来，可数名词前面可以用a（或an），不可数名词前面不可用a（或an），如可以说a healthy boy，却不可说a health，可以说a chair，却不可说a furniture。但事实并不这样简单。所谓“可数”和“不可数”，要看那个词的正确意思而定，不可根据它的普通汉译。如不可说a fun, an information，却可以说a pastime, a knowledge。又如dance, hurry, interest, kiss等词前面都可以用a（或an）。又如with child（有孕的），in class（在教室里），take horse（上马），send word（通知）等习语里都不可用a（或an）。但at a loss（不知所措的），with a view to（以…为目的），on an average（作为平均数），take a fancy to（喜欢）等习语里的a（或an）都是少不得的。这些都应该从习惯，不是几条规则所能包括得了的。一般说来，有复数形式的名词前面可以用a（或an），无复数形式的名词前面不可用a（或an）。如boy和laugh有复数形式boys和laughs，所以可以说a boy和a laugh，completion和laughter无复数形式，所以不可说a completion和a laughter。但有些在习惯上无复数形式的名词，前面却往往也用a（或an）。这大概有下面四种情况：

（1）多少有些抽象性的。例如：

I have a great admiration for Gorky.

He has received a good education.

She has a fondness for roses.

You seem to have a hatred of dogs.

I am in a hurry.

There is a bustle going on in the house.

We need not make a fuss about the matter.

The arrival of the visitors caused a great stir.

He speaks with a lisp.

She talks with a stammer.

We had a fine catch yesterday. （我们昨天捉到了许多鱼。）

We had a plentiful kill today. （我们今天打到了许多猎物。）

I hope you will give me a lead. （我希望你给我开个头。）

He has a good knowledge of Russian.

You must avoid such a waste of time.

The book has a wealth of pictures.

（2）a（或an）...指“一个…的泉源”。例如：

A good pupil is a credit to his teachers.

A lazy boy is a discredit to his parents.

A lazy boy is a dishonour to his class.

A patriot is an honour to his country.

Such cruelty is a reproach to modern society.

Terrorism is a shame to civilization.

（3）a（或an）...指“一次…”，那名词本来是动词。例如：

After a run (或a climb，或a swim) I had a wash (或a rest，或a feed，或a smoke，或a read).

（4）a...ing指“一次…”。例如：

Instead of giving the peasant a hearing, the heartless landlord gave him a good beating (或a good hiding，或a good licking，或a good thrashing) as well as a good scolding.

3．a（或an）在下面几种情况里可以用在复数形式前面：

（1）在有些习语里。例如：

a few (books), a very few (books), a good few (books), a good many (books), a great many (books), a many (books)

（2）在表示时间或款项的短语前面。例如：

a further five minutes, a mere two hours, a very busy six weeks, a whole three years, a pleasant spring holidays, an additional ¥60

（3）在若干在形式上是复数而在意思上是单数的单词前面。例如：

a barracks, a bellows, a gallows, a headquarters, an innings, a links, a means, a scissors, a shambles, a tongs

（4）在下列美国口语中。例如：

a good ways, a great ways, a long ways

4．a（或an）有时有（1）“一个而并不是那所要的一个”或（2）“任何一个”的意思。例如：

I was expecting to hear from my father. I got a letter indeed, but it was from a friend.(1)

I wanted to read a book, I did not care whether it was a history, a novel, or a biography.(2)

在这种用法里，a（或an）该特别重读。

5．a（或an）通常不用在人名、地名或其他专有名词的前面，但有例外：

（1）指有某姓或某名的某人。例如：

a Smith（姓Smith的某人）

a John Smith（名叫John Smith的某人）

（2）指在某时的某人、某地等。例如：

He is now a different John Smith from what he was three years ago.

He was met at the door by a contented Mary, not an angry Mary.

Fifty years ago we little dreamt of such a Shanghai as we have today.

Our children will find it hard to imagine a semi-feudal, semi-colonial China.

（3）指跟某人、某地等相仿的人、地等。例如：

He talks like a Johnson.（Johnson指英国18世纪的大文豪Samuel Johnson，很健谈，多妙论。）

The humorist considers himself a (second) Mark Twain.

Do you think it possible for the North Pole ever to have a Shanghai?

We may look upon the romantic tragedy as a Chinese Romeo and Juliet.

（4）指某人的作品。例如：

A new Michael Gold（当代美国作家）has appeared.

A new Shakespeare（莎士比亚全集新版）is in preparation.

I found a Picasso（毕加索画的画）on the wall.

（5）指某人所发明、设计或制造的机器等。例如：

a Remington（美国人Philo Remington所设计制造的打字机）

a Merriam-Webster（美国G. & C. Merriam Company出版，根据Webster原著编的词典）

（6）指“…的图或像”。例如：

a West Lake（一幅西湖图），a Cupid（一幅爱神图或一个爱神像）

（7）指“好比…那回事”。例如：

a Dunkirk（敦刻尔克式撤退：1940年5、6月间英军从法国北部港口城市Dunkirk大败撤退）

a Munich（慕尼黑事件：1938年9月30日德、英、法、意四国在德国南部慕尼黑城达成协议，允许当时的纳粹德国吞并捷克斯洛伐克的领土苏台德区，以图避免战争）

6．a（或an）有时用在表示性质的抽象名词的前面。例如：

The room was furnished with a simplicity that is almost elegance.

（这间房子的陈设有一种近似文雅的朴素。）

He answered my questions with an accuracy not to be expected of an ordinary schoolboy.（他回答了我的问题，准确得不像出自一个普通小学生之口。）

The bird disappeared with a startling suddenness.（那只鸟惊人地忽然不见了。）

在这种用法里，抽象名词后面通常有一个形容词从句（如第一句）或形容词短语（如第二句），否则它的前面有形容词（如第三句）。

7．a（或an）用在物质名词前面指（1）“一种…”或（2）“一份…”或“一客…”。例如：

a green tea, an old wine (1)

a coffee, a tea, an ice（英：一客冰淇淋，美：一客冷饮），a whisky and soda (2)

8．a（或an）通常不可用在only的前面，也不可用在属于最高级的词的前面，如不可说an only house, a best essay, a greatest poet, a longest street，但尽可说an only son（一个独生子），a best seller（一本畅销书），a best man（一个男傧相），a first night（某剧的第一夜表演）。因为这些已经成为习惯了。

a用在副词most前面是很普通的，如a most happy life和a most learned man。但该注意这里的most并不真正属于最高级，它的意思跟very相仿。

9．在一个名词被用来指它的本身的时候，往往不用a（或an）。例如：

Apple is a noun.

He is dubbed 'poet'.（人家给他“诗人”的诨名。）

We should not call every school 'college'.（我们不该把每个学校都叫作“学院”。）

'Rogue' is too mild a term for him, he is an arrant ruffian.（对他来说，“流氓”这名称是太轻了，他是一个十足的恶棍。）

下面第一句里的a可有可无，第二句里的a不可省：

He is dubbed (a) poet.

We should not call every school a college.

注意poet和college都没有引号，跟上面的各句不同。

10．许多语法书里说，kind of和sort of后面的名词的前面不该用a（或an），但事实上并非绝对不可用。例如：

What kind (或sort) of tree is this?

What kind (或sort) of（a）man is he?

第一句里不用a，因为kind或sort明白地作“种类”解。第二句里可以用a，因为kind或sort并不明白地作“种类”解。what kind (或sort) of (a) man是“怎么样的一个人”的意思。

其实在指“种类”的场合，不但kind of和sort of后面的名词的前面不用a（或an），其他相似的短语后面也是这样。例如：

a kind of car, kinds of car, a sort of car, sorts of car,

a brand of car, brands of car, a class of car, classes of car,

a form of car, forms of car, a make of car, makes of car,

a style of car, styles of car, a type of car, types of car,

a variety of car, varieties of car

11．part of前面用a也有，不用a也有，但意思略有不同。例如：

part of it（它的一部分：不一定一半以下，也不一定一半以上）

a part of it（它的一小部分：一半以下）

但great part of it和a great part of it是没有区别的。不一定一半以下，也不一定一半以上。

12．a（或an）不用在a change of后面的名词的前面。例如：

a change of address, a change of name, a change of scene

13．a（或an）不用在临时被用来作为不可数名词的前面。例如：

five hundred miles of railway, a stretch of road, an acre of garden, an expanse of lake

14．下面各种表达方式里的no都是形容词，等于not a：

no small value（很大的价值），no mean city（名城），

no such man（没有这样的人），no other person than...（不是别人，却是…）。所以不可说：

a no small value, a no mean city, no such a man, no other a person than...

a no mean city是不可说的，但a no meaner city是可以说的，no meaner里的no是副词，修饰meaner，并不等于not a，所以前面用a。比较：

This is no (形容词) mean city. （这是一个名城。）

This is a no (副词) meaner city (than that). （这是一个［跟那个］同样有名的城。）

There is no (形容词) meaner city (than that). （没有［比那个］更无名的城。）

There is a no (副词) meaner city (than that). （有一个［跟那个］同样有名的城。）

15．在指职位、头衔、等级等的单词前面大都不用a（或an）。例如：

They asked me to act as (an) interpreter.

I served them fairly well in the capacity of (an) interpreter.

I served them fairly well in my capacity as (an) interpreter.

She has obtained a position as (或of) (a) typist.

He has left his situation as (或of) (a) gardener.

He is (a) professor of philosophy at that university.

He has the degree of Doctor of Literature.

He soon rose to the rank of colonel.

The title of model worker has been conferred on the young man.

John Keats, English poet, was born in 1795.

注意在As a physician, he does not deserve much praise等句子里的as等于considered as，那a是不可少的。

16．在若干动词后面用作表语的名词的前面习惯不用a（或an）。例如：

He commenced schoolmaster in 1956. （commence［d］的这种用法现在不很普通）

He turned soldier at twenty-one.

The boy was bound apprentice to a carpenter.

17．在若干独立短语里不用a（或an）。例如：

The old man was sitting in a chair, pipe in mouth.

The huntsman entered the forest, gun in hand.

18．在下面各短语和类似的短语里都不用a（或an）：

hard of heart, large of limb, nimble of foot, quick of eye, pale of face

19．下面各句里都不用a（或an），那是因为多少有些感叹的意味：

Lucky dog! （幸运儿！）Lucky beggar! （幸运儿！）You beauty!

You fool! You fool you! You lucky rascal! （你好一个幸运儿！）

'Keep by me, you lovely thing!' the girl said to her cat.

The old man got run over, poor fellow.

Poor man, he never knew what love was like.

20．a（或an）是“一”，one也是“一”，在用法上有下面几点该注意：

（1）固定习语里的a（或an）和one不可调换。如once upon a time（从前有一次）和one day（有一天）里的a和one不可互换。an hour or two（一二小时，若干小时）和one or two hours里的an和one不可互换。to a man（全体地）不可改作to one man。one man one vote（每人投一票）不可改作a man a vote。但“一个…还是两个”可以说one...or two。例如：Do you spell 'traveller' with one '1' or two?注意下面每组里的两句意思相同，但用了a该有on，用了one没有on：

（2）有些习语用a或one都可以。如at a blow和at one blow（一下子地），in a word和in one word（简单地说），be of a mind和be of one mind（同意），a hundred per cent...和one hundred per cent...（十足地…）。

（3）有时用a和用one意思不同。如as a man是“就他的性格而论”，as one man是“大家一致地”，at a time是“每次”（如three at a time），at one time是“从前有一个时期”（如At one time we met every day）。

注意下面每组里的两种表达方式意思不同：

（4）在姓或名前面，用a（或an）或one意思相同。如a Smith和one Smith都是“一个姓Smith的人”。就语法讲，one Smith里的one被看作形容词或代词都讲得通。

（5）在dozen, hundred, thousand和million前面，用a或one意思相同，用a普通些。如a dozen（一打），a hundred（一百），a thousand（一千），a million（一百万），把a改作one，意思不变，但往往有跟“二打、三打”等，“二百、三百”等，“二千、三千”等，“二百万、三百万”等对比的意味。

注意在下面的习语里都用a，不可用one：

a hundred（许多，如a hundred things），

a thousand（许多，如a thousand thanks），

a hundred and one（许多，如a hundred and one points of usage），

a thousand and one（许多，如a thousand and one points of usage），

not a hundred miles away（不远、近），

one in a thousand（极难得的一个）

（6）a（或an）只有“一”的意思，却并不跟“二、三、四、五”等相对，one便可以有这种对比的意味。如I have a pen只说“我有一枝笔”，I have one pen便可有“我并没有两枝、三枝或更多枝笔”的意思。

比较下面两句：

Can a boy do this? （回答可能是No, but a man can。）

Can one boy do this? （回答可能是No, but two boys can。）

列宁著的One Step Forward, Two Steps Backward里的One不可改作A。下面两句里的one也不可改作a：

I have one pen, but my sister has three pens.

I have one pen, but three pencils.

注意上面说a或an不跟“二、三、四、五”等对比，并不说不可跟two, three, four, five等连用。I have a pen, but three pencils里的a该改作one，但I have a pen and three pencils里的a却不必改作one。

（7）注意下面各句的意思不同：

There is a pen on the table. （桌上有一枝钢笔：不是一枝铅笔或一本书。）

There is one pen on the table. （桌上有一枝钢笔：不是两枝、三枝或更多枝钢笔。）

A pen is on the table. （跟第一句意思相同，很少见。）

One pen is on the table. （一枝钢笔在桌上：也许还有其他笔，但在桌上没有。）

（8）说“每一…”计算价钱、款项、速度等，用a（或an），不用one。例如：

¥3.10 a dozen（每打三元一角），¥ 70 a month（每月七十元），

twice a week（每星期两次），ten miles an hour（每小时十英里）

这种用法里的a原来是介词，但现在不妨把它看作冠词。

21．of a（或an）...表明在时间上经常的行为：

We would sit together in the park of a morning.

They often met of an afternoon.

The artist may have frequently been seen strolling along the street of an evening.

His friends used to go to see him in his cottage of a Sunday.

注意：

（1）这种结构现在少用。

（2）只用于经常的事，不用于一次的事，如不可说The old man died of a morning。

22．由a...of a...构成一种习语，如a fool of a man是“一个呆子般的男子”，a gem of a poem是“一首宝石般（精致）的诗”，a mountain of a wave是“一个高山似的浪”。又例如：

his angel of a wife, a beast of a place (一个很脏的地方), her brute of a husband, a devil of a hurry (极度的匆忙), his dome of a forehead, a great elephant of a woman, a jewel of an assistant, a kitten of a girl, a lamb of a temper（像羔羊般驯服的脾气）, a love of a ring (一枚极可爱的戒指), a poem of a hotel (一个像诗一般幽雅的旅馆), that rascal of a landlord, her tyrant of a father

注意a...of a...里的两个名词不可互调，如a boy of a girl是“一个男孩子似的女孩子”，a girl of a boy是“一个女孩子似的男孩子”，意思各不相同。

23．a（或an）通常用在一般形容词的前面，如a beautiful garden，但也有几个例外。a（或an）该用在what、such和many三个形容词的后面。例如：

What a beautiful garden! such a garden, many a garden

假使形容词前面有how, however, as, so或too，那末a（或an）也用在这形容词的后面。例如：

how beautiful a garden, however beautiful a garden, as beautiful a garden as I ever saw, so beautiful a garden, too beautiful a garden

a so beautiful garden和a too beautiful garden这种结构也有，但不很自然。似乎a so beautiful garden比a too beautiful garden更不自然。当代英国作家William Somerset Maugham的On a Chinese Screen的Romance一篇里有somewhat Ouidaesque a fashion，当然极不普通。

假使形容词前面有no less，那末a（或an）用在no less的前面或这形容词的后面都可以。例如：

a no less beautiful garden, no less beautiful a garden前者比后者自然。假使后面加上than yours，than this等，改作a garden no less beautiful than...就更自然些。

假使形容词前面有no more，那末a（或an）就用在no more的前面，如a no more beautiful garden。不过no more beautiful a garden这种结构也有。

假使形容词前面有more或less（不是no more或no less），那末a（或an）就用在more或less的前面，如a more（或less）beautiful garden。上面所说no less里的less是副词，no less a person than...中的less是形容词，作“较不重要”解，a的位置不可改动。

24．a（或an）可以用在quite和rather的前面，也可以用在它们的后面。例如：

a quite big dog, quite a big dog,

a rather big dog, rather a big dog

在口语里quite a（或an）...和rather a（或an）...比a quite...和a rather...普通。

注意big和dog总是连在一起，不该说：

quite big a dog, rather big a dog

25．就普通语法讲，a black and a white dog是“一只黑狗和一只白狗”，a black and white dog是“一只黑白花狗”，a journalist and an author是“一个新闻记者和一个作家”，a journalist and author是“一个新闻记者兼作家”。

但事实上为了加强语气，也有用两个a（或an），一个a和一个an，或一个an和一个a而指一个人的。例如：

He has become a sadder and a wiser man.

He is a journalist and an author.

也有虽然只用一个a（或an）而指两个人的。例如：

A man and woman are walking arm-in-arm.

A boy and girl are playing together.

但假使具有相对立的意思，便该用两个a（或an），一个a和一个an，或一个an和一个a。例如：

A man and a woman may not always agree on such a question.

明明两件东西而通常配成一件的，只用一个a（或an）。例如：

a knife and fork, a cup and saucer, a needle and thread, a coat and tie, a short beard and moustache, a swimming head and parched throat

26．在两个或两个以上的名词连用的场合，通常不用a（或an）。例如：

We are brother and sister.

He was printer, publisher, and editor before 1949.

This room is study, bedroom, and sitting room all in one.

This article is meant to appear in newspaper or magazine.

Like father, like son. （有其父必有其子。——谚语）

Diamond cut diamond. （旗鼓相当。）

Dog eat dog. （同类相残。）

27．假使把though he is a child里的child放在开首，a便该去掉，作child though he is。child as he is有同样的意思，也不该有a。

28．下面两句里都有a：

A baby never sat so gracefully.

Did a baby ever sit so gracefully?

假使把never或ever放在baby的前面，通常把a去掉。例如：

Never did baby sit so gracefully.

Did ever baby sit so gracefully?

never a...作no...解，不过语气强些，a决不可省。例如：He found never a baby there.这里的never并不指时间。

29．He is a scholar等句子里的a（或an）当然不可省去，但注意下面各句里都不用a（或an）：

He is artist enough to appreciate these pictures.

Surely you are scholar enough to read this old book.

I was fool enough to believe him.

这里artist, scholar和fool前面都不用a（或an），因为后面加上了enough，把这些名词抽象化了。

30．A Tale of Two Cities里有A，但说Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities或Dickens's Tale of Two Cities都可以。the Tale of Two Cities that I bought yesterday里不可在Tale前面加上A。

31．上面所讲到的a（或an）的省略，可说都跟语法有关，都是一般的用法。还有为了节省空间、时间、金钱或精力，或为了引起注意力，而省去a（或an）的，主要有下面各种情况：

（1）报纸标题：

（A）New Book by E. G. Flynn (当代美国进步女作家) Published.

（A）Noted Scientist to Make (a) Report on (an) Important Invention at (a) Local Technical School.

（2）工商业文件：

（A）Copy of the booklet is enclosed.

（A）Duplicate of this letter will be sent to the management.

（3）广告：

（A）Fully furnished flat to let.

（A）Secondhand typewriter wanted.

（4）电报：

（A）Girl born today.

Brother away on (a) visit.

（5）公告：

（A）School Ahead.

(An) Exit.

（6）日记：

Attended (a) lecture on IT technology.

Got (a) long letter from James.

（7）非正式信札：

Hope to send you (a) picture of the Lake soon.

Could you let me have (a) summary of the story?

（8）注释和定义：

Fleet Street: (A) Famous old London street, now the location of many newspaper offices, often used allusively for the English press.

landscape: (A) Piece of land scenery.

32．few和a few不同。few是“很少”，有“几乎没有”的意思。a few是“若干”，有“颇有几个”的意思。但两种表达方式的不同，不在于实际数目的大小，却在于说话者的语意。如一篇作文里有三个错误，要是你说There are few mistakes in it，你在说它“错误很少”，便是说它好。要是你说There are a few mistakes in it，你在说它“有若干错误”，便是说它不好。可以说few, or perhaps none和a few, or perhaps many。注意only a few却等于few，也是“很少”的意思。

little和a little的不同，相当于few和a few的不同。如little trouble是“很少麻烦”或“几乎没有麻烦”，a little trouble是“若干麻烦”或“颇有些麻烦”。

33．下面各种表达方式里都有half a（或half an）：

half a mile, half a month, half an inch, half an hour, half a bottle, half a cup, half a dozen, half a million

在这种用法里，把half看作形容词或看作名词后面省去of都可以。但不论half是形容词还是名词，a总是冠词，所以下面各种表达方式里的a或an照理都该去掉：

that half a mile, this half a month, another half an inch, the next half an hour, my half a dozen

不过这个多余的a（或an）事实上很常见，因为half a...或half an...用得很多，好似成为一个单位了。甚至有人说a half an hour。

上面所举的half a mile, half a month等表达方式里的half a（或half an）英美通用。但在美国也往往用a half。例如：

a half mile, a half month, a half inch, a half hour

a half在英国也用，但不用在表示距离、时间、数量等的词的前面。如不说a half mile, a half month等，却说a half length, a half share, a half conviction等。

...and a half和...and a half...两种表达方式意思相同，如two miles and a half和two and a half miles都是“两英里半”。这两种表达方式是英美通用的。即使在英国也并没有two miles and half a mile, two and half a mile或two and half a miles的结构。

把two miles and a half跟two and a half miles比较起来，前者好些，因为a half miles读起来似乎很不自然。就时间讲，先有前者，后有后者，后者是从miles这种写法产生出来的。同样地，a foot and a quarter比one and a quarter feet好些。

上面说过，that half a mile等表达方式里的a照理该去掉。下面各种表达方式里的a照理也该去掉：

those two miles and a half,

those two and a half miles,

the foot and a quarter,

the one and a quarter feet

但习惯上这种多用的a可说是不可少的，省去了反而觉得不自然。

A. B.

A. B. （=Bachelor of Arts，文学士）是美国拼写形式，相当于英国拼写形式的B. A.。

abashed

abashed是表语形容词，不可说very abashed，该说much abashed或very much abashed。

abbreviate

下面两句都可以说：

United Nations is abbreviated to UN.

UN is abbreviated from United Nations.

ABC

ABC指某科的初步知识，如ABC of English grammar。这意思是从英语开首字母ABC来的，并不是缩写，所以不该写作A. B. C.，但事实上很多写作A. B. C.，如英国Oxford University Press出版的An A. B. C. of English Usage。

abdomen

参见belly

abed

abed现在不很通用，最好改用in bed。

ability

1．ability指体力或智力，后面通常接不定式，很少接of和动名词，如通常说ability to do it, ability to lift a great stone和ability to write correct English，很少说ability of doing it等，但可以说reading ability, writing ability, driving (驾驶) ability等，也可以说his ability in reading and writing, his ability in drawing等。

2．单独用ability，除了可以从上下文看出指体力者以外，都指智力，如下面的ability都指智力：

man of ability（有才的人），great ability（大才），

in point of ability（就才能讲），He lacks ability. （他缺少才能。）

复数形式abilities只指智力，不指体力，如his abilities, manifold abilities等都指智力。

3．ability to do it, the ability to do it, an ability to do it和his（或your等）ability to do it都可以说，第一种形式最不普通。

able

1．able后面的不定式通常不属于被动语态，如通常不说The mistake is able to be corrected，最好改作The mistake is capable of being corrected。

2．able指能力，不一定意味着实行，如“经过了两个月的步行，他们到达了目的地”通常不说After a two-month tramp they were able to reach their destination，而用下面的任何一种：

After a two-month tramp they reached their destination.

After a two-month tramp they succeeded in reaching their destination.

After a two-month tramp they managed to reach their destination.

aboard

aboard在英国通常指“上船”或“在船上”，在美国往往指“上车”或“在车上”，“上飞机”或“在飞机上”。

abound

1．abound的主语，也许是指大量存在的东西的名词，也许是指盛产某东西的地方的名词，如下面两句的意思相同：

Fish abound in this stream.

This stream abounds in fish.

2．abound in（指以盛产某东西的地方作主语的）和abound with略有区别，abound in除了“盛产…”的意思以外，往往有“那东西是特有的或固有的”的含意。如This stream abounds in fish含有“以产鱼著称”的意思，This stream abounds with fish只说“盛产鱼”罢了。又如He abounds in courage作“他天性勇敢”解，不可把in改作with。

about

1．about在用作“不久就要…”解的时候后面通常接不定式，如about to start。但也有接动名词的，如about starting。用不定式比较普通。

about在用作“不久就要…”解的时候不可再加表示时间的词，如不可说about to start next morning或about starng at once。

2．下面各种表达方式里的about都作“大约”解：

about ten, about a hundred, about half, about a quarter注意ten, a hundred, half和a quarter都是明确的数或量，原来并没有“多少不定”的意思。在有“多少不定”的意思的词语前面不该用about，如不可说about more than ten, about less than half, about several, about some或about a few等。

虽然about three or four和about a dozen or so等表达方式也有人用，但最好删去about。

3．下面各句里可以有at，也可以没有at，意思并没有区别。有了at, about是副词，没有at, about是介词：

I went (at) about five (o'clock).

I went (at) about noon.

I went (at) about midnight.

I went (at) about Christmas.

这里at用的少，不用的多。同样地，下面两句里的on和in也用的少，不用的多：

I went (on) about 18 January.

I went (in) about January.

at about five (o'clock), at about noon等不可改作about at five (o'clock), about at noon等。

above

1．above用作形容词作“上面的”解，如the above list, the above statement, the above facts和the above topic。当然从修辞学上说，用得太多了不好，可以用above-mentioned, foregoing, preceding等调剂一下。

2．above有时也用作名词，如from above和the above。the above当作单数或复数都可以，看所指的东西是单数还是复数而定，如The above is a true story和The above are the essentials。

3．above和over在意思上略有不同。above不一定有“垂直在上”的含意，over却有。如你在第一层楼，那末第二层楼是above你，但只有第二层楼的一小部分是over你。又如校长的职位是above教务长的职位，但甲校的校长只是over甲校的教务长，并不over乙校的教务长。

abreast

abreast后面接of或with都可以，接of普通些，有时也把它用作介词，后面不接介词。例如：

abreast of the times, abreast with the times, abreast the times

abridge(d)

abridged dictionary指“把大词典删节而成的小词典”，不指“被删节的大词典”，参见revise(d) 2。注意a dictionary abridged from The Great Oxford里用from。

abroad

1．abroad有“到外国去”和“在外国”的意思，但没有“从外国来”的意思，“从外国来”该说from abroad。

2．abroad是副词，但可以在名词后面用作形容词，如a long stay abroad, his travels abroad和conditions abroad。

3．在美国abroad大都指“到欧洲去”或“在欧洲”。

absence

“不在上海”该说absence from Shanghai, absence in Shanghai是“在上海”。说得明白些，absence in Shanghai在事实上等于presence in Shanghai，不过absence in Shanghai有“不在它处而在上海”的意思。城里人到了乡下，从城里的立场说，是absence from the city，也就是absence in the country，在校的学生回家去了，在校里说起来，是absence from school，也就是absence at home。

说到不会动的东西，absence in...作“不在…里”或“在…里没有”解，如the absence of this word in that dictionary是“在那本词典里没有这个词”，习惯用in，不用from。

absent

说某人absent from Shanghai是说他“不在上海”，说某人absent in Shanghai是说他“（不在它处而）在上海”。

说到不会动的东西，absent in...却作“不在…里”或“在…里没有”解，如This word is absent in that dictionary是“在那本词典里没有这个词”。习惯上用in，不用from。但Prejudice is absent from his mind等句子里习惯用from，因为成见虽然不是动物，却会产生和消灭。参见absence

absorbed

1．He is absorbed in the study of international affairs等句子里的in可以改作with，但不及用in普通。

2．关于an absorbed stare（聚精会神的直视）等，参见much 3(5) E

abstain

1．abstain是不及物动词，后面接from，如abstain from tobacco（不抽烟）和abstain from voting（不投票）。后面不可接不定式，如不可说abstain to vote。

2．abstain和refrain意思相仿，后面也都接from，但语气略有不同。abstain语气比refrain重些，有“故意避免”的意思，往往指习惯的行动，如abstain from tobacco有“绝不抽烟”的意思。refrain有“欲发而止”的意思，往往指一时的行动，如refrain from laughter有“欲笑而不笑”的意思。

abundance

1．abundance用于可数的和不可数的名词都可以，如abundance of good things（许多美味品）和abundance of food（许多食物）。前面有时有an，但通常没有。

2．(an) abundance of...用在可数名词前的时候，那名词当然是复数形式（如things，不作thing），但那动词用单数或复数形式都可以。例如：(An) abundance of good things are (或is) kept there.动词用复数形式的普通些。

abundant

abundant在用作“富有（某物）的”解的时候，后面习惯接in，如abundant in natural wealth。偶尔接with，但很少见。

academy

academy在美国指中学，现在不及一百多年前普遍。在英格兰，有时也用academy指学校，但现在很少，而且并不用在校名里，如a young ladies' academy（这并不是校名）。在苏格兰却有把Academy用作中学校名的，如the Edinburgh Academy和the Glasgow Academy（注意有the）。academy指军官学校是英美通用的。

accede

accede是不及物动词，不论用在何种意思后面都接to，如accede to the office（就职），accede to the party（入党）和accede to their request（应允他们的请求）。

accent(ed)

1．accent有“口音”或“特殊的语言”的意思。说某人讲什么语言有某种口音，通常用with，偶尔用in，如He speaks English with an American accent和She talked to me in a thick country accent。

2．He speaks English with an accent和He speaks English without an accent里的accent指“外地或外国的口音”或“跟那正当的语音语调不同的腔调”。accented有时作“有口音的”解。例如：His English is slightly accented, but perfectly idiomatic.

accept

1．accept和receive不同，accept是“接受”，receive是“收到”。accept a present是“接受一个礼物”，不再退回了，receive a present是“收到一个礼物”，也许预备退回。accept an invitation是“接受一个邀请”，是应允被邀而去的，receive an invitation是“收到一个邀请”，不一定应允被邀而去。

2．accept和accept of从前差不多可以互相替用。现在accept of用得很少，用了往往有“正式”或“垂恩”的含意，而且只用在说接受present, gift, favour, love, hospitality等，不用在说接受theory, advice, apology, challenge, offer, invitation, ruling等。

3．accept往往单独用作“接受邀请”，“接受条件”等解，如I am sorry I cannot accept和If you accept, please let me know immediately。

4．声明接受或不接受邀请，通常用现在时态，如I am pleased to accept your invitation和I am sorry I cannot (或am unable to，或am not able to) accept your invitation，不用I shall be pleased to accept your invitation或I am sorry I shall be unable (或shall not be able) to accept your invitation。

acceptation

相当于accept的名词现在是acceptance，不是acceptation。acceptation现在只用作“（词语或概念的）通用意义”解。例如：The word 'sympathetic' is not used in English with the French acceptation, which makes it synonymous with 'lovable'.

accident

1．accident通常指偶然发生的不幸事件，incident通常指任何不很重要的事件。如被电车撞倒是accident，在电车上碰到多年不见的老朋友是incident。在外交和政治上往往用incident指可能引起战事的“事件”，如border incident。

2．accident单独用指“偶然”，不指“不幸”，如She was twenty when accident brought her to the notice of the great author和That was merely a matter of accident。by accident作“偶然地”解，并没有“不幸”的意思。（by accident的反义表达方式是by design或on purpose。）

3．说“某人或某物遭到的不幸事件”，在指人或物的词的前面用to，如There was an accident to the little boy和Owing to an accident to the machines one department was closed down。

4．He has met with an accident作“他死了”解，She had an accident作“她未结婚而生了孩子”解。这都是婉转的说法。

5．accident后面偶尔接以that引导的从句。例如：His absence was due to the accident that the letter asking him to come had gone astray.

6．accident有时指“偶然成功的人或事”，如a political accident是“一个不靠本领而适逢其会地成功的政界人物”。Her Spanish is an accident of living with a Spanish family for a year是“她的西班牙语是因为跟一个西班牙家庭住了一年而偶然学得的”。

acclaim

acclaim（欢呼）后面接宾语和表语。例如：We acclaimed them the winners.在宾语后偶尔加上as，或加上to be，但都不普通。

accommodation

复数形式accommodations现在在英国可说是不用的，但在美国很普通，如office accommodations（办公室所需的一切设备）和accommodations at a hotel（旅馆里的膳宿）。

accompany

1．accompany是比较正式的词，在口语里通常不用它而用see，如I'll see you to the door和May I see you home?

2．accompany是及物动词，所以可以说I shall accompany him，不可说I shall accompany with him。

3．可以说I shall accompany him to Shanghai和I shall accompany him to the station。不可在宾语后面接不定式，如不可说I shall accompany him to visit Shanghai和I shall accompany him to go to the station。

4．accompanied用作被动语态，除了作combined解以外，现在后面接by，不接with，如The laughter was accompanied with tears和He was accompanied by his wife。当然可以说The singer was accompanied with a flute，但这里的with跟write with a pen, cut with a knife等表达方式里的with相同，是“又当别论”的。

accomplishment

accomplishment作“才艺”解，含有“适于社交”的意思，如会说漂亮英语是一种accomplishment，精通英国文学却不叫做accomplishment，如跳舞、弹琴、唱歌都是accomplishment。

accord

1．in accord with跟in accordance with同义，但远不及in accordance with普通。

2．of his（或your等）own accord（出于自愿地，自发地）和on his（或your等）own account（为了自己的利益地，自己负责地）很容易混用：注意一用of，一用on。

3．accord后面可以接双宾语，如We shall accord him praise和The diplomat was accorded great honour。

accordance

1．in accordance with和according to不同。说“依照法律”、“依照章程”、“依照规则”、“依照惯例”等，用in accordance with语气重些，用according to往往语气轻些。例如：Society develops in accordance with (或according to) certain regular laws.说“依据某书说”、“依据某人说”、“依据某报告”、“依据某学说”等，只可用according to，不可用in accordance with。例如：Operate according to the instructions in the manual. （按手册上的指示操作）说“依据…而不同”，只可用according to，如Judge him according to his actions（依据他的行动对他作出评估）和We pay him according to his contribution（我们根据他的贡献付酬）。

2．in accordance with引导状语短语或形容词短语都可以，如The sentence has been rewritten in accordance with modern usage和The sentence is quite in accordance with modern usage。according to引导形容词短语比较少见，如上面第一句里的in accordance with改作according to也很自然，第二句里的in accordance with改作according to便不很自然，但并不错。可是作“依据…”解的according to不可引导形容词短语，如不可说This information is according to an expert。

according

参见accordance

account

1．on his（或your等）own account和of his（或your等）own accord不可混用。参见accord 2

2．on account of（因为）里用on，现在很少用upon。

3．注意On no account (决不) should we neglect our work里用should we，不用we should。

4．He is of no account和He is a person of no account（他不是重要人物）都是正常的英语，He is no account和He is a no-account person都是美国口语。

5．account后面可以接宾语和表语，如I account him wise和I account him a wise man。在宾语后面有时加上to be，有时加上as，但都不普通。

accounting

accounting（会计学）是美国英语，相当于英国英语的accountancy。

accrue(d)

The interest accrued (产生［而积累］的利息) is a small amount里的accrued是不及物动词的过去分词用作形容词。

accuse(d)

1．accuse的宾语该是指被控的人的词，宾语后面接of和指所控的罪或过失的词。例如：They accused him of murder.和He accused you of negligence.

2．accuse后面不可接以that引导的从句，如不可说He accused (her) that she had stolen his pen，也不可说She was accused that...或It was accused that...。

3．accuse him of...和charge him with...意思相仿，注意一用of，一用with。

4．the accused是“被告”。例如：The accused was a young man.偶尔用an accused指“一个被告”。例如：An accused was released yesterday.也可以说three accused（三个被告）。

accustom(ed)

1．accustom用于主动语态和被动语态都可以。例如：

I have accustomed myself to it.

Necessity has accustomed me to it.

I am accustomed to it.

I have got accustomed to it.

但用在被动语态的多。注意各句里都用to。

2．accustomed后面接不定式也有。例如：I am accustomed to do hard work.接to和动名词也很普通，跟接不定式意思相同。例如：I am accustomed to doing hard work.大概说简单的行为多用to和动名词，说复杂些的行为多用不定式。例如：

I am accustomed to riding.

I am accustomed to ride for an hour every morning.

I am accustomed to speaking English.

I am accustomed to speak English in public.

ache

1．ache是持续的痛，不指一时的刺痛。an ache,ache和aches都可以用。

2．She ached all down her back和Her whole back ached都可以说。

acknowledge

1．下面四句意思相同：

I acknowledge it as true.

I acknowledge it to be true.

I acknowledge that it is true.

I acknowledge the truth of it.

下面两句里的as可有可无：

I acknowledge myself (as) defeated.

I acknowledge myself (as) an offender.

注意myself是反身代词。

2．下面三句意思相同：

I acknowledge your letter.

I acknowledge receipt of your letter.

I acknowledge the receipt of your letter.

在信的开首习惯用第二句，有时用第三句，但很少用第一句。在它处习惯用第一句。例如：Your letter reached me two months ago. I am sorry that I forgot to acknowledge it.

acknowledg(e)ment

1．下面两句意思相同：

Grateful acknowledg(e)ment is made (或due) to the following for permission to use copyright matter.

Grateful acknowledg(e)ments are made（或due） to the following for permission to use copyright matter.

2．We have for acknowledg(e)ment your letter of 5 September里的for acknowledg(e)ment是状语短语，修饰have, letter是have的宾语。

acoustics

acoustics作“声学”解的时候，动词用单数形式。例如：Acoustics is the science of sound.作“（剧院等的）音响情况”解的时候，动词用复数形式。例如：The acoustics of this theatre are excellent.

acquaint

1．acquaint是“使…认识”，不是“认识”，后面接with。“我认识他”该说I am acquainted with him。be acquainted with含有“仅仅认识、并不亲近”的意思。

2．acquaint虽然作“使…认识”解，“我要使他认识她”却不可说I want to acquaint him with her，照习惯该说I want to make (或get) him acquainted with her。

3．make (或get) him (或you等) acquainted with后面接指事物的词也可以。例如：I want to make (或get) him acquainted with some new words. （我将使他认识几个新词。）把make或get改作bring从前普通，现在不大通用。

4．He wrote to acquaint me with the situation（他写信告诉我那情况）和He wrote to acquaint me how the work was going on等句子里的acquaint现在在美国是普通的，但在英国不很普通，通常改用tell或inform。改用了tell或inform，第一句里的with该改作about。

acquaintance

1．下面三句意思相同：

I have made acquaintance with the artist.

I have made the acquaintance of the artist.

I have made the artist's acquaintance.

注意：（1）第一句没有the，用with，第二句有the，用of。（2）第一句最不普通。

下面四句意思相同（第一句最普通）：

We made acquaintance last year.

We made acquaintance with each other (或one another) last year.

We made each other's (或one another's) acquaintance last year.

We made the acquaintance of each other (或one another) last year.

2．acquaintance从前也用作集合名词，指若干相识者，如his friends and acquaintance，这用法现在很不普通，现在最好说his friends and acquaintances，但he has a large acquaintance（他有许多相识者）现在还是正常的英语。

3．a slight acquaintance (仅仅相识), an intimate acquaintance和a nodding acquaintance（点头之交）三种表达方式里的acquaintance都指对于人或事物的认识，并不指“相识的人”，如I have a slight (或an intimate，或a nodding) acquaintance with him (或the subject)和He has a slight acquaintance with astronomy。

acquaintanceship

acquaintanceship跟acquaintance（相识的人）的关系，等于friendship跟friend的关系。但事实上在可以用acquaintanceship的场合也可以用acquaintance，所以acquaintanceship是多余的。

acquire

acquire后面有时接双宾语，作“使…得到…”解。例如：His character acquired him a good name. （他的品格使他得到好名声。）

acquirement

1．说“学识”习惯用复数形式，如intellectual acquirements和literary acquirements。

2．acquirement和acquisition不同。两个单词都有“得到”和“所得到的东西”两个意思，但acquirement总是指精神上的，acquisition却指物质上和精神上的都可以。例如：

the acquirement of knowledge, his literary acquirements,

the acquisition of property, the acquisition of skill,

a great acquisition to the hospital, his mental acquisitions

acquisition

1．acquisition往往作“被得到的可贵的物或人”解，如Your services are an acquisition to the staff和The young assistant is an acquisition。

2．参见acquirement 2

across

He lives across (the street) from my house（他住在我的房子的对面）等句子里在across后面习惯用from。

act(ion)

1．act和action的区别，下面几点该注意：

（1）act指一时而简单的动作，action指持续而复杂的动作。如你看见有人倒在地上，扶他起来，这是act。要是不但扶他起来，而且替他叫车，送他到家等，那是action。

（2）在act of cruelty, act of folly, act of kindness, act of madness, act of mercy等表达方式（都是后面接of和抽象名词）里只用act，不用action。

（3）cruel act(ion), foolish act(ion), kind act(ion)等表达方式（都是前面用形容词）里用action比用act普通些。

（4）act比action具体，action比act抽象。如in word and act里的word和act都是具体的，in speech and action里的speech和action都是抽象的。但谚语Actions speak louder than words里用actions，不用acts。

有许多地方，或者只可用act，或者只可用action。例如：

in the (very) act of...ing（正在做…的事）

act of God（天灾）

take action（有所举动、采取行动）

the action of the machine（这机器的作用）

2．act the hero（装出英雄气概），act the child（做出儿童模样），act the policeman（做出警察一般的行动）等表达方式里都用the，不用a，偶然有不用the的，但很少。

3．The boys sometimes act being soldiers（男孩们有时装扮成士兵做游戏）里的being是act的宾语。

4．下面第一句里用natural而不用naturally，第二句里用wild而不用wildly，因为着重在那个人当时的情况：

At first he was a little shy in class, but now he acts more natural.

The girl has begun to act wild again, as though she were going mad.

有时act＋形容词作“假装得…似的”解。例如：

Even elephants have been known to act dead.

activism

“积极性”用activism或activeness都可以。

activist

activist（积极分子）有时用作形容词，如an activist thinker。

activity

复数形式activities指“活动（范围）”，如social activities, business activities, school activities, human activities和recreational activities（文娱活动）。social activity, business activity等也可以说，但很少见a social activity, a business activity等。

actor

actor指男演员，女演员是actress。但在不着重女性的场合有时也用actor指女演员。例如：Here we mention her as a successful dramatist rather than as a successful actor.

actually

actually往往有“说来奇怪，但竟然这样”的意思。如I actually saw him yesterday有“你别以为我昨天不会看见他，我却竟然看见了他”的意思。又如大家以为某人决不会讲英语，你却竟然听他讲过，你就说He actually spoke English。

AD（或A. D.）

1．AD（=拉丁语Anno Domini［在我们的主的年］，纪元后）用在年份前或年份后都可以，如AD 146和146 AD。

2．AD作in the year of our Lord解，所以用了它不可用in或in the year。但事实上用in是常见的。

3．AD只用于年份，不可用于世纪，例如不可用the second century AD，该用the second century after Christ。

4．说The People's Republic of China was established AD 1949（或1949 AD）当然不错。但事实上不用AD，因为除了有跟“纪元前”混用的场合以外，习惯不用AD。

adapt(ed)

1．adapted play是“把某剧本改编而成的剧本”，不是“被改编的原剧本”，参见revise(d) 2。注意a play adapted from the French里用from。

2．adapted作“适当的”解的时候后面接for或to都有，英国人多用for，美国人多用to，如books adapted for (或to) home reading。

add

1．add是“把…加上去”，不是“增加”。例如：They have decided to add ¥20 to his wages.“增加”用increase或raise。例如：They have decided to increase (或raise) his wages to ¥100 a month.但add to作“增加”解，如That will add to my pleasure和That may add to his difficulties。

2．add(s) up to （1.总合起来成为2.意味着）似乎是最近一二十年新出现的习语，偶尔省去up。例如：

All these facts add up to a picture of happiness.

What it all adds up to is that you have learnt a good lesson.

Everything you say adds up to justice.

addendum

1．addendum的复数形式是addenda，偶尔作addendums。

2．addendum和appendix不同，addendum是“补遗”，appendix是“附录”。

3．addendum是一个补遗，也许包括许多项。但有时也指补遗里的一项，所以一个包括许多项的补遗可以叫做addendum，也可以叫做addenda。（an addenda是美国用法。）

addict

1．addict是“使…沉溺”，不是“沉溺于”。“他以前一贯沉溺于赌博”该说He used to addict himself to gambling或He used to be addicted to gambling，不可说He used to addict gambling。习惯上多用被动语态。

2．addict后面接to和名词或to和动名词，不可接不定式，如不可说He used to addict himself to gamble和He used to be addicted to gamble。addicted to drink是可以说的，注意这里的drink是名词，不是动词，习惯上多用被动语态。

addition

in addition to（加在…上，不但…）里的to是介词，不是不定式的符号，所以该说in addition to doing this，不可说in addition to do this。

address

1．address现在只用作及物动词，作“向…讲话”和“写信给…”解，后面不可加to，如可以说address the audience或address the newspaper editor，不可说address to the audience或address to the newspaper editor。addressed to是可以用的，但这里的addressed是用在被动语态的过去分词。例如：This letter is addressed to a newspaper editor.

2．address the letter和address the envelope都可以说。

3．She addressed herself to carrying out the plan里的carrying是动名词，不可改作carry。

4．address作“地址”解的时候，前面习惯用at。例如：You must write to him at his new address.

5．信面上的所谓address有时包括姓名，有时不包括姓名。

6．address，lecture和speech不同。address指正式的演说或讲话，如毕业典礼上的校长演说。lecture指学术演讲，如对于外语学习法的演讲。speech是最普通的名称，如小组会上的发言。

7．在英国，address（演说）前面通常用give或deliver，但在美国通常用make。不论在英国或美国，speech前面通常用make，lecture前面通常用give或deliver。

adequate

下面两句意思相同：

Our fuel supply is adequate to heat the house this winter.

Our fuel supply is adequate for heating the house this winter.

adjust

下面两句里的反身代词可以省去：

He adjusts (himself) to circumstances readily.

I soon adjusted (myself) to my new work.

administrate

administrate作administer解，在美国比较常用，在英国极少用。

administration

在美国往往用the Administration指政府（就是总统和他的内阁），相当于英国的the Government。往往把总统的姓加在前面，如the Bush Administration。这相当于英国的把首相的姓加在Government前面，如the Blair Government。

admirable

可以说I had a cup of admirable wine last night。但不可说This wine is not admirable, Is this wine admirable? I want a cup of admirable wine或Please give me some admirable wine。参见most 4

admiration

1．admiration后面通常接for，有时接of，如his admiration for (或of) the book。in admiration of中必须用of。

2．admiration通常不用复数形式。但前面往往用a（中间加上形容词）。例如：We have a deep admiration for the Great Wall.

admire

1．admire后面接名词，不可接以that引导的从句，如可以说I admire his learning，不可说I admire that he is learned。I admire his being learned是可以说的，但不很自然。

2．I admire his learning和I admire him for his learning都可以说。

admission

admission现在比admittance普通。除了在No admittance except on business（闲人莫入）和No admittance（非请莫入）两种表达方式以外，admittance很少用。

admit

1．admit是“承认”，admit of是“有…的余地”，如I admit the truth of the statement和The statement admits of no doubt。人只可以admit什么，不可以admit of什么，所以不可说I admit of no doubt。

2．admit（承认）后面接动名词，不接不定式，如可以说He admits being ignorant of it，不可说He admits to be ignorant of it。

在admit和动名词的中间有时加上to，如He admits to being ignorant of it。

3．admit（承认）有时在它的宾语后面接表语。例如：He admitted himself a failure.

admittable

admittable现在极少用，该改用admissible。

admittance

参见admission

admittedly

admittedly（被人承认地）有时有“固然”的含意，有时没有，有这含意的时候后面有以but引导的从句。例如：

He is admittedly a talented actor.

Admittedly there has been some improvement, but the work is still unsatisfactory.

admitting

admitting有时没有它所依附着的名词。例如：Admitting that he is always sincere, he sometimes does not judge rightly.假使在第二个he前面加上we must remember，那末Admitting便依附着we了。

advance(d)

1．advance和advancement都是相当于动词advance的名词，但advance表达不及物的意思，advancement表达及物的意思，如the advance of knowledge是“知识的进步”，the advancement of knowledge是“知识的被人推进”。advance比advancement普通，如下面各种表达方式里都用advance，不用advancement：

the advance from gramophone to CD player, the advance of the army, the advance of evening, the advance of old age, the advance in rank, the advance in science

2．advanced和progressive不同。advanced是“高级的”，progressive是“向前进的”。如an advanced course in English是“一个高级的英语课程”（是高级英语），a progressive course in English是“一个循序渐进的英语课程”（也许从英语初步开始）。又如advanced ideas是“（比同时代的一般人的思想）先进的思想”，progressive ideas是“（赞成或提倡在政治上）进步的思想”。说“先进的”必须用advanced。

advancement

参见advance(d) 1

advantage

1．the advantages of e-mail over telegram里用over。

2．You have the advantage of me in experience（在经验方面你比我强）里的of改作over也可以。

adventure

1．He loves adventure（抽象名词）和He loves adventures都对。可以说He seeks adventures for adventure's sake。

2．adventure用作动词极不普通，最好不说adventure an opinion，该把adventure改作venture。

(ad)venturesome

adventuresome远不及venturesome普通。

(ad)venturous

adventurous比venturous普通。

advert

advert后面接to，作“谈到”解。现在远不及refer普通，如I shall advert to the matter again when a more suitable occasion arises里的advert最好改作refer。

advertise

advertise是“广告”，advertise for是“用广告征求”，如The shop advertises its wares和We have advertised for a secondhand motor-car。但advertise不一定有“预备出卖”的意思，如He did his best to advertise himself是“他努力使人家注意他”，并没有“推销自己”的意思。

advertisement

1．advertisement有时用作抽象名词，如Advertisement helps to sell goods。

2．一二百年以前书的开首的Advertisement是对读者的说明，跟现在的“广告”不同。

advice

1．单数形式advice和复数形式advices在公文和商业文件里都用作“报告”或“消息”解，如According to advice(s) from our agent, business is improving。在一般文字里该避免。letter of advice是“报告信”或“通知信”，如报告寄货或通知汇款。

2．说“劝告”advice前面不可加an，也没有复数形式。说“一项劝告”该说a piece of advice或a bit of advice，“多项劝告”是pieces of advice或bits of advice。用复数形式advices作“劝告”解是古语，现在不用。

3．take advice是“征求他人的意见”，take medical advice是“请医生诊视”，take legal advice是“请律师”，take the advice是“听从这劝告”，take his (或your等) advice有时是“听从他（或你等）的劝告”，有时是“征求他（或你等）的意见”。

4．his advice to read poetry是“他劝人读诗歌”，his advice on reading poetry是“他对于读诗歌的劝告”。

5．advice后面有时接以that引导的从句，那从句里用should或虚拟现在式。例如：His father's advice that he (should) drop the habit of smoking should be observed.

advisable

It is advisable that he (should) arrive at eight o'clock every morning里用arrive（虚拟现在式）或should arrive，不用arrives。

advise

1．advise him是“劝告他”，advise with him是“跟他商量”，现在不很普通。

2．advise有时用作“劝人采用…”解，如I will not advise such a course of action和The doctor advised artificial respiration。advise against作“劝人不采用…”解。例如：I advise against such a course of action. advise后面接动名词，不接不定式，如可以说He advises trying once more，trying不可改用to try。

3．说“劝某人…”，在指人的词的后面用不定式。例如：He advised her to read carefully.说“劝某人不…”，在指人的词的后面用not和不定式或against和动名词都可以，如He advised her not to read carelessly和He advised her against reading carelessly或He advised her against careless reading。

4．advised（劝告）后面有时接以that引导的从句，那从句里的动词通常用虚拟现在式。例如：I advised that he write (不用wrote) the report very carefully. advised和that的中间加上him也可以，但不很普通。

5．下面两句都可以说：

He advised me what to do.

Will you advise me which to buy?

把me省去也可以，但不很普通。

6．advise在公文和商业文件里往往用作“通知”或“报告”解。例如：

We will advise you in a day or two.

They have advised us of the arrival of the goods. (of偶尔省去)

They have advised the arrival of the goods.

We are pleased to advise you that things are improving.

这用法在一般文字里该避免。

7．You would be well advised to...（不定式）作I think you should...解，是英国公文里的陈套语。

advisedly

advisedly是“在审慎考虑以后地”，有“别以为偶然或贸然”的意思。例如：

When Tom called her a slattern, he used the offending word advisedly.

Everything in this difficult situation has been done advisedly.

adviser

adviser in English studies（英语研究指导员）和adviser on economic affairs（经济顾问）里的in和on都不可改作of。至于在什么场合用in，在什么场合用on，似乎没有一定。

advocate

1．advocate是及物动词，后面不可加介词，如不可说He advocates for reform。

2．advocate后面很少接以that引导的从句，如很少说He advocates that due attention (should) be paid to reform。

3．advocate后面接动名词，不接不定式，如可以说We advocate stopping the practice，stopping不可改用to stop。

aerodrome

aerodrome（飞机场）和airdrome同义，英国人多用aerodrome，美国人多用airdrome。现在一般用airfield和airport。

aeroplane

aeroplane（飞机）和airplane同义，英国人多用aeroplane，美国人多用airplane。airplane在英国也在渐渐多用起来。

affair

1．affair有时用作love-affair解。例如：He has had an affair with the girl.

2．复数形式affairs往往用作“情形”或“事态”解，并不指“多件事”，如He asked me how affairs stood（他问我情形怎样）和They are going to investigate affairs（他们将调查事态）。注意affairs前面没有the。

3．foreign affairs（外交［事务］），his financial affairs（他的经济情况），your own affairs（他自己的事情）等表达方式里用复数形式affairs。即使在foreign affairs expert等表达方式里也用复数形式。

affect(ed)

1．affect作“发生影响于…”解，这影响也许是好的，也许是不好的，但往往指不好的。假使它的宾语是health或指身体某部分的词，那影响总是不好的。如This may affect your health（这个也许将有害于你的健康）和My throat is always affected by bad weather。有时affected的意思不够明确，如The progress of the building has been affected by the storm里用affected不及用hindered, delayed, stopped等明确。

2．affected作“做作、不自然”解，语气比unnatural重。例如：His style is too formal and unnatural, and even affected.

affectation

affectation（假装、装模作样）和affection（爱好）现在截然不同，不可通用。No-one feels much affection for a person who shows affectation是“对于显露矫饰的人，没有人感到多大的好感”。

affection

1．注意下面各句都有a（或an）：

We have a deep affection for our mother country.

He has a real affection for her.

She has an extraordinary affection for her cat.

An affection has sprung up between the young man and the young woman.

2．在his, your等词后面习惯用复数形式，如I wonder who is the object of his affections。a man of deep affections等表达方式里也用复数形式。

3．affection比love语气轻些，可以说His was a home where there was no love and little affection。

affectionate

affectionate和dear不同，affectionate是“爱的”，dear是“被爱的”，如He is affectionate to me是“他爱我”， He is dear to me是“他被我爱”，就是“我爱他”。

affirmative(ly)

He answered（或replied）in the affirmative里的in the affirmative不可改作affirmatively。但He answered (或replied) in the affirmative不及He agreed, He assented, He consented, He accepted等普通。

afford

1．afford（给）可以带有双宾语。例如：It affords me great satisfaction to be able to help him.

2．can afford to...表示“做得到…”，“忍得住…”等意思。例如：

He can afford to keep a motor-car. （1.他做得到备一辆汽车。2.他备得起一辆汽车。）

She can hardly afford to wait for another hour. （她几乎做不到再等一小时［因为时间局促］。）

3．I did not think I could afford to lose my post. （我想我失去这个职位受不了［因为我靠它生活，或者因为我喜欢这种工作，或者因为颜面攸关，或者因为我不肯甘心失业，或者另有原因］。）

affront(ed)

关于an affronted look（一个感觉被侮辱的神情）等，参见much 3(5)E

afraid

1．much afraid, very much afraid和very afraid都作“很怕”解。但very afraid不妥，因为afraid是表语形容词。very much afraid最普通。相当于afraid的定语形容词是frightened。

2．afraid后面接不定式、of或以that或lest引导的从句都可以。从句开首的that通常省去。例如：I am afraid (that) we shall be late.

3．afraid后面接不定式作“怕…”或“不敢…”解，afraid后接of和动名词通常作“恐怕将…”解，但也往往作“怕…”或“不敢…”解。如afraid to die是“怕死”或“不敢死”，afraid of dying通常是“恐怕将死”，但也往往作“怕死”或“不敢死”解。afraid to see him是“怕见他”或“不敢见他”，afraid of seeing him通常是“（不要见他而）恐怕不免见他”，但也往往作“怕见他”或“不敢见他”解。假定你很怕伤风，该说afraid to catch cold或afraid of catching cold，假定你衣服穿得太少，恐怕就要伤风，该说afraid of catching cold。

4．I am afraid of you是“我怕你。”I am afraid for you是“我替你担心（恐怕你将受害）”。

5．I am afraid有时用作I am sorry解。例如：I am afraid I cannot tell you.但不可单用I am afraid代替I am sorry。

after

1．可以说He arrived after four weeks和He arrived four weeks after（作“他在四个星期后到达了”解），但不可说He will (或would) arrive after four weeks和He will (或would) arrive four weeks after。

从某时说到多少时间以后，不该用after，该用in。所以该说He will (或would) arrive in four weeks。但说He will arrive four weeks from now和He would arrive four weeks from then也可以。

假使说“某个时刻（point of time）或日期或事件以后”，尽可用after。例如：He will (或would) arrive after four o'clock (或after 5 July，或after the ceremony).

2．说“某事件的若干时间以后”该说“若干时间after事件”，不可说after若干时间of事件，如可以说two hours after his arrival和two years after her graduation，不可说after two hours of his arrival和after ten years of her graduation。

two hours after his arrival是“他到达两小时以后”，the two hours after his arrival是“他到达以后的两小时”，for two hours after his arrival是“在他到达以后的两小时全段时间里”，in two hours after his arrival跟没有in意思相同，within two hours after his arrival是“在他到达以后的两小时中的某时刻”。

注意下面第一句里没有the或for，第二句里有the，第三句里有for，第四句（跟第一句意思相同）里有in，第五句里有within：

Two hours after his arrival, I called on him.

During the two hours after his arrival, nearly a hundred people called on him.

For two hours after his arrival, nearly a hundred people called on him.

In two hours after his arrival, I called on him.

Within two hours after his arrival, I called on him.

3．“若干时间after日期或月份”通常把那日期或月份除外，如five days after 3 July指从7月4日算起的5天以后，就是7月9日，five months after July指从8月算起的5个月以后，就是明年的1月。但并不一定这样，所以five days after 3 July也许指7月8日，five months after July也许在指12月。可能被人误解的时候该避免这种结构。

4．可以说After his graduation he went abroad和After his graduation he will go abroad，但不可说After his graduation he has been abroad。从过去的某时或某事说到现在，不该用after，该用since。

这里所讲的after是介词。用作连接词也是这样，所以可以说He went abroad after he graduated，但不可说He has been abroad after he graduated，这里也该把after改作since。

5．half after four, five minutes after eight等是美国英语，相当于英国英语half past four, five minutes past eight等。在英国方言里也有half after four等。

6．以after引导的状语从句里用现在时态，不用将来时态，如I shall start after he comes。不该把comes改作will come。

7．下面各句都可以说，意思相同。有人以为第二句和第四句不好。

Having graduated, he went to Canada.

After having graduated, he went to Canada.

After graduating, he went to Canada.

After he had graduated, he went to Canada.

After he graduated, he went to Canada.

When he had graduated, he went to Canada.

8．after通常指时间先后的次序，behind通常指位置，如August comes after July里用after，A garden lies behind the house里用behind。下面各句里的after都该改作behind。

Don't stand after the door.

The cat is sitting after the sofa.

Something has got after the bush.

但往往after和behind可以通用，如Please shut the door after (或behind) you和He came in after（或behind）her。

9．be after作“追求、希求”解。例如：He is after you. （他正在找你。）和He is always after me to teach him the violin. （他老是要我教他小提琴。）注意第二句里用不定式。

10．after all有“虽然这样”的意思。例如：In coming home we got caught in the rain and became wet through and through, after all I don't mind as we had a fine time.不可说In coming home we got caught in the rain and became wet through and through, after all I wish I hadn't joined in the outing。

afternoon

1．afternoon（下午）是after和noon两个词合成的名词，“在下午”该说in the afternoon或during the afternoon。

2．this afternoon（今天下午）, yesterday afternoon（昨天下午），tomorrow afternoon（明天下午），every afternoon（每天下午）等表达方式前面不可有in或on，如I shall see him this afternoon里没有in或on。

3．after noon用作状语短语（如We left after noon today）比较少见。但shortly after noon（午后不久），immediately after noon（午后立即）等是普通的。

4．复数形式afternoons有时用作副词，作“在每天下午”解。例如：She helps me with English grammar afternoons. （她每天下午帮助我学习英语语法。）这主要是美国用法。

afterward(s)

1．在英国通常用afterwards，在美国两种形式都普通。

2．two years afterward(s)是“两年以后”，for two years afterward(s)是“在以后的两年里”。

again

1．again and again和time and again是“屡次地”或“频繁地”，now and again是“有时”或“偶尔”，only now and again是“难得地”。

2．比较下面两句：

These shoes cost me as much again as the last pair I bought.

（这双鞋子价钱比我最近买的那双贵一倍［就是加上百分之一百］。）

These shoes cost me half as much again as the last pair I bought.

（这双鞋子价钱比我最近买的那双贵一半［就是加上百分之五十］。）

against

1．fight, strive, struggle等词后面接against和接with意思相仿，但用against着重在困难中抵抗，如We fight for the weak against the strong。

2．against是介词，但有时把它的宾语省去。例如：

He had intended to come but somehow decided against (=against it).

After I made my suggestion, the verdict of all the members except John was in its favour, but his was against (=against it).

age(d)

1．下面各句意思相同：

I am twenty years of age.

I am aged twenty.

I am aged twenty years.

My age is twenty.

My age is twenty years.

另外也可说I am twenty years old和I am twenty，但不可说I am twenty of age, I am twenty years of my age, My age is twenty years old，或I am aged twenty years old。

（I am aged twenty years有时可能作“我［在容貌上或精神上好似］老了二十年”解。）

2．age前面可以用at，in或of，但意思不同：

He died at the age of ninety.

He died in his old age.

He died in an age of general unrest.

He is of my age.

第一句里的age指“年龄”，前面用at。第二句里的age指“人生的一段时间”，前面用in。第三句里的age指“时代”，前面用in。第四句里的of my age（跟我同年的）是形容词短语，前面用of。

3．at the age of...里用the，不可用an。

4．advanced age是“高龄”，old age是“老年时期”，所以可以说He died at an advanced age和He died in his old age，但不可说He died at an old age和He died in his advanced age。但虽然不说at an old age，却可以说at an extremely old age和at a good old age。

5．when I was of your age, a boy of about my age, a man of twice my age, of what age he is等表达方式里的of往往省去。I don't know what age he is和What age do you think he is?不及I don't know how old he is和How old do you think he is?普通。What age are you?不合习惯，该改作How old are you?

6．old age是“老年”，middle age是“中年”（从四十岁左右到六十岁左右）。old age和middle age前面没有the。说“少年”通常用youth，不说young age。单用age指old age现在很少见。

7．不可说My age is young或His age is old，该说I am young和He is old。

8．middle age是“中年”，the Middle Ages（有时写作the middle ages）是“中世纪”（没有一定的年限）。两种表达方式不可混用。相当于middle age的形容词是middle-aged，相当于the Middle Ages的形容词是medi(a)eval。

9．old age不可用作“古代”解。“古代”该说ancient times。

10．of an age是“同年龄的”，如He and I are of an age,但You are of an age to understand such things是“你到了了解这种事的年龄了”，of the age是“当代的”，of age是“成年的”。

11．假定你从生下来到现在，共有十八年零几个月，那末可说eighteen，但实际已到了第十九年，所以也可说in my nineteenth year，而且离十九岁不远了，所以也可说coming nineteen, going nineteen或rising nineteen。

12．for ages和for an age都作“经过很长时间”解。例如：

He kept me waiting for ages. （他使我等待了好久。）

He kept me waiting for an age.

agenda

1．agenda（议程）原来是复数形式，它的单数形式是agendum。但下面两点该注意：

（1）往往用agenda指各件事的全体，把它看作单数。例如：The agenda has not yet been prepared. （这种用法里的复数形式是agendas。）

（2）说“议程里的某项”很少用agendum，通常用item。例如：item (No) 5 (of the agenda)

2．the first item of the agenda, the first item on the agenda和the first item in the agenda都可以说。

agent

agent有时指secret agent（秘密使者，特务，间谍）。

aggression

the aggression of...（指某国等）是“…国侵略它国”，如the aggression of Nazi Germany（纳粹德国的侵略），说“…国被它国侵略”该说aggression on（或upon，或against）...，如Japanese aggression on （或upon，或against）Korea（本对朝鲜的侵略）。

aggressive

“侵略（性）的外交政策”该说aggressive foreign policy，“侵略战争”该说aggressive war，但说“侵略国”，aggressive nation不及aggressor nation普通。

ago

1．一般说来，用了ago不可用完成时态，如可以说She saw him a week ago，不可说She has seen him a week ago。但用了助动词或用在分词、动名词或不定式的形式里便可以用完成时态。例如：

She must have seen him a week ago.

She may have seen him a week ago.

She cannot have seen him a week ago.

Having seen him a week ago, she is always thinking of him.

She speaks of having seen him a week ago.

She seems to have seen him a week ago.

即使不用助动词，也不用在分词、动名词或不定式的形式里，偶尔也有用完成时态而用ago的。例如：I have long ago given up that habit.这里语气重在“早已…”。

2．说现在的多少时间以前，该用ago，如He started five minutes ago和He returned home twenty years ago。说过去某时的多少时间以前，该用before，如He told me he had seen her a few minutes before。不过英美也有人用ago的，往往用ago语气比较生动。说将来某时的多少时间以前，也该用before。例如：When you call at the shop again this afternoon, you may be told that the book has been sold only a few minutes before.说任何某时（不是现在、过去或将来的某时）的多少时间以前，也该用before。例如：He often forgets what he has heard only a few minutes before. （这三种场合里的before改作previously或earlier也可以，但不及before普通。）

3．It is five years ago that he returned home和It was five years ago that he returned home都可以说。用is着重“到现在已有5年”的意思，假使在ago后面加上now，这意思更明显。不可说It was five years ago now that he returned home。

4．as long ago as 1864等表达方式里在第二个as后面没有in。可以说as long as forty years ago，不可说as long ago as forty years。

5．She died three years ago next Monday是“她在下一个星期一的3年以前死去”。假定下一个星期一是8月5日，那末她便是3年前的8月5日死的。It happened a fortnight ago tomorrow是“这件事发生在13天以前。”

6．“最近过去的第二个晚上”习惯说two evenings ago，说“最近过去的第三个夏天”习惯说three summers ago。

agony

in agony（在苦恼中）不可改作in agonies。可以说an agony of terror, the agony of shame, agonies of pain，和the agonies of death。用agony或agonies，在agonies前面是否有the，都没有一定。

agree

1．agree作“承认”解，后面可以接以that引导的从句，如I agree (with you) that the book is well worth reading。

2．agree with是“同意”，后面接指人或表示“意见”的词，如I agree with you和I agree with what you say。agree to是“应允”或“同意于”，后面接表示“提议”、“办法”、“计划”等的词，如I agree to the proposal和Does he agree to this arrangement? agree on（或upon）是“（双方）决定”，如They agree (up) on these terms。近年来往往省去agree后面的to或on （或upon），把agree用作及物动词。

3．We are agreed里的agreed（互相同意的）是不及物动词的过去分词用作形容词，后面可以接以that引导的从句，如We are agreed that the meeting must be held not later than 8 August。We met at an agreed place at an agreed time和A joint declaration agreed by all the governments concerned will soon be published里的agreed是及物动词的过去分词。

4．They agreed to do it是“他们（听从了别人而）同意做这件事”，They agreed in doing it是“他们对于做这件事互相同意。”

5．下面三句意思相同：

I agree that he call on me every Sunday.

I agree that he shall call on me every Sunday.

I agree that he should call on me every Sunday.

注意第一句里用call（虚拟现在式），不用calls。

下面两句意思相同：

I agreed that he call on me every Sunday.

I agreed that he should call on me every Sunday.

注意第一句里用call，不用called。

比较下面两句（参见1）：

I agree that he call on me every Sunday. （我赞同他每星期日来访。）

I agree that he calls on me every Sunday. （我承认他是每星期日来访的。）

agreeable

下面的第一句比第二句普通：

He is agreeable to come.

He is agreeable to coming.

agricultur(al)ist

在英国agriculturist（农学家）比agriculturalist普通，在美国似乎两种形式都普通。

ahead

I have a very busy day ahead of me里的ahead指“在前”，就是指“以后”。We must decide a week ahead里的ahead指“预先”，就是指“以前”。

aid

1．aid的宾语后面接不定式或in和动名词都可以，如We aid him to do it和We aid him in doing it。

2．aid（帮助物）后面接to，如I hope this book will be a great aid to English composition。要是后面用动名词，接to或for都可以，如various aids to (或for) teaching foreign languages。

3．下面两句意思不同：

He came for our aid. （他来请我们帮助。）

He came to our aid. （他来帮助我们。）

4．What's this in aid of?和What's all this in aid of?都是口语，直译作“这（一切）帮助什么？”，就是“你（这样做）的目的是什么？”

aid(e)-de-camp

在英国通常用aide-de-camp，在美国两种形式都用。复数形式是aid(e)s-de-camp，偶尔作aid(e)-de-camps。

ail

1．说出了病名，便不可用ail，如可以说What ails him?和Something ails him，不可说A cold ails him。

2．ail不可用被动语态，如不可说He is ailed by something。

3．ail作“害病”解通常用现在分词ailing，指“有小病”或“略感不适”，如可以说She is not ill, but merely ailing。

aim

1．aim（不及物动词）在用作“目的在于…”或“使…目的在于…”解的时候，在英国后面通常接at和动名词，在美国通常接不定式。如在英国通常说He aims at mastering English和He aims his efforts at mastering English，在美国通常说He aims to master English和He aims his efforts to master English。但在aiming后面即使在英国也通常接不定式，那是因为不知不觉地避免...ing at...ing。

2．take aim（瞄准）里没有an, take good aim里没有a。

3．Her aim in visiting the school was to see the library等句子里的in不可改作of。She visited the school with the aim of seeing the library等句子里的with不可改作for。

ain't

1．ain't在口语里是am not的简写形式，主要用在疑问句里。例如：Ain't I qualified?在叙述句里比较少用，如I'm afraid I ain't qualified不及I'm afraid I'm not qualified普通，把ain't用作is not, are not, have not或has not的简写形式不算正当。

2．ain't有时写作an't。

air

1．统说“空气”，air前面没有the（当然在the air we breathe, the air in the room等表达方式里该有the）。说“空中”，air前面该有the。但by air中没有the。例如：We can now travel by air.假使把by改作through，便该有the。

2．take air是“被传布”，take the air是“在户外散步”或“开始广播”，take to the air是“开始飞行”。

3．in the air是“在空中”，in the open air是“在户外”，如Many birds are flying in the air和I am going out for a walk in the open air。

4．不可说The moon is in the air, There are a few stars in the air或There is not a cloud in the air，该把air改作sky。

5．on the air和over the air相同，都可以用作形容词短语或状语短语，都指无线电广播。例如：

She is on (或over) the air. （她正在广播。）

She is singing on (或over) the air. （她正在广播歌唱。）

The story is on (或over) the air. （1.这故事经常被广播。2.这故事正在被广播。）

The story is told on (或over) the air. （这故事经常被广播讲述。）

The story is being told on (或over) the air. （这故事正在被广播讲述。）各句里的on或over不可改作in。

aircraft

单数和复数同一形式。统指飞机、飞艇、汽球等。

aircraft(s)man

1．aircraft(s)man和airman不同，aircraft(s)man是“（英国）空军技师”，是地上工作人员，并不飞行，airman是“飞行员”。

2．英国皇家空军里的正式名称是aircraftman，不是aircraftsman。

aircraft(s)woman

1．aircraft(s)woman（英国空军女士兵）和airwoman（女飞行员）不同。

2．英国皇家空军里的正式名称是aircraftwoman，不是aircraftswoman。

airdrome

参见aerodrome

airplane

参见aeroplane

akin

akin是表语形容词，所以不可说very akin，该说much akin或very much akin。用very much比用much普通。相当于akin的定语形容词是kindred。

alarm

take alarm是“吃惊”或“受惊”，take the alarm有时是“吃惊”或“受惊”，但通常是“接到警报（而有所动作）”。Coming upon a snake, she took (the) alarm里通常不用the。Hearing an air-raid alert, she took the alarm里该有the。

alert

1．alert（机警的）用作定语形容词现在很普通。例如：an alert man, his alert attention和an alert fancy

2．alert用作动词作“促使…提防”解，有时在它的宾语后面接以that引导的从句。例如：The villagers alerted the traveller that wolves might come out in the night.

alienate

比较下面两句：

I hope nothing will ever alienate him from his brothers. （我希望没有什么事会使他跟他的弟兄们不和好。）

I hope nothing will ever alienate his brothers from him. （我希望没有什么事会使他的弟兄们跟他不和好。）

He is now alienated from her, but she still loves him是讲得通的，He is now alienated from her, but he still loves her却讲不通。

alight

The leaf looks like a bird alighted on the branch里的alighted是不及物动词的过去分词，用作形容词。

alike

1．alike是表语形容词，所以不可说very alike，该说much alike或very much alike。用very much比用much普通。相当于alike的定语形容词是like。

2．They are both alike里的both是多余的，该删去。

alive

1．alive是表语形容词，所以不可说very alive，该说much alive或very much alive。用very much比用much普通。相当于alive的定语形容词是living或live。

2．the greatest poet alive和the greatest living poet意思相同。the greatest poet living也不算错，但不很自然。the greatest poet now living最好。

all

1．we all, us all和all of us都可以说，you all, they all, them all, it all, all of you, all of them和all of it也都可以说。用在宾格，现在us all, you all, them all和it all比all of us, all of you, all of them和all of it普通。all we和all you从前也可以说，现在不通用。

2．all不可用于两个人或物，如可以说John, Henry, and Robert have all come，却不可说John and Henry have all come，该把all改作both。但A boaster and a liar are all one（说大话的人和说谎话的人是一样的）等句子里的all不可改作both。

3．all day比all the day普通得多。all night比all the night普通得多。all spring（或summer等），all week, all morning等表达方式在美国也通常不用the，在英国以前通常用the，如all the spring，现在不用the也很普通。

4．说“全部”有各种说法。例如：

all books（一切书），

all such books（一切这样的书），

all (of) the books（这些书的全部），

all (of) these books（这些书的全部），

all (of) those books（那些书的全部），

all (of) his books（他的书的全部）。

但不可说all of books或all of such books。

all the books, all these books, all those books, all his books等主要是英国英语，在all后面加上了of主要是美国英语。

5．all有时作“仅有的（东西）”解，如This is all I have和This is all the sugar I have。这两句直译作“这是我所有的一切”和“这是我所有的糖”；就是说“我仅有这个”和“我仅有这些糖”。That's all there is to it的意思是“只有那个，没有其他了”。

6．all＋名词有时用作形容词短语，如all anxiety（十分焦虑的）和all smiles（满面笑容的）。all anxiety里的anxiety是抽象名词，all smiles里的smiles是类名词。He is all ear(s)（他细心听着）和He is all eye(s)（他细心看着）里用ears或ear和eyes或eye都合乎习惯。He listened with all his ears（倾听）里的all决不可改作both。all ears和all eyes比all ear和all eye普通。

7．All...is not作“一切…不都是”解。All that glisters is not gold （Shakespeare）是“发亮的东西不一定都是金子。”All men are not honest照字面看来好像说“一切人都是不诚实的”，但实际说“一切人不都是诚实的”就是说“有些人诚实，有些人不诚实”；“一切人都是不诚实的”该说All men are dishonest或No man is honest。同样地，All my friends do not smoke是“我的朋友并不个个都抽烟”，并不是“我的朋友都不抽烟”；None of my friends smoke才是“我的朋友都不抽烟”。I do not know all of them是“我对于他们并不个个都认识”，并不是“我对于他们一个也不认识”；I know none of them或I do not know any of them才是“我对于他们一个也不认识”。这是习惯用法，该特别注意。

但有时这种句子并不是“并不都…”，却是“即使全部的…也不…”，如All his toys cannot make him happy是“即使他的全部玩具也不能使他快乐”，就是说“他虽然有许多玩具，却并不快乐”。

It did not rain all the month可能有两个意思：“并不全月都下雨”或“全月不下雨”。There was no rain all the month只作“全月不下雨”解。

8．all有时意思不明确，如All the angles of a triangle are 180°是“三角形的三角共有180度”；All the angles of a triangle are less than 180°是“三角形的每一只角小于180度”。这种句子该避免，如改作The sum of the angles of a triangle is 180°和Each (of the) angle(s) of a triangle is less than 180°较好。

9．All that I can say is this里的that是关系代词。在that后面加上了which，便把that改成了指示代词，语法也通，但不很自然，把that改成what便不通了，all what是绝对不可用的。

10．all right（不该写作all-right, allright或alright，参见alright）往往有“固然”的意思。例如：He got to the destination all right, but he was so very tired that he had to give up the idea of climbing the hills.

11．all the time在英国通常指一定的某段时间。例如：I was looking at it all the time.但在美国没有这种限制，往往用作always解。例如：He is tactful all the time.在美国有时用all of the time。

12．at all主要用在否定句、疑问句和表示条件的从句里。例如：

I did not go at all.

Did you go at all?

If you go at all, you will be interested.

但用在它处也有。如你原来以为你的朋友决不会到某处去，现在你知道他不但去过，而且是常去的，你可以说I am suprised at his going at all，就是说“即使他只去过一次，我也觉得奇怪了”。又如The question is not whether he works much, but whether he works at all。（问题并不是他工作得是否多，而是他是否工作。）

13．I am not at all tired和I am not tired at all都可以说，意思相同。

14．He was all covered with dust只有一个意思。但They were all covered with dust可能有两个意思：“他们全身都是灰尘。”或“他们全都一身灰尘。”下面各句都只有一个意思：

All were completely（或entirely，或wholly）covered with dust.

All of them were covered with dust.

They all were covered with dust.

They were all of them covered with dust.

15．注意下面各句里的of all...：

She disappeared on her birthday, of all days. （她不在别的日子失踪而偏偏在她的生日失踪。）

I met him in a lavatory, of all places. （我不在其他地方碰到他而偏偏在厕所里碰到他。）

Why did she give the baby a cigarette, of all things? （她为什么不给那婴孩任何其他东西，偏偏给他一支卷烟？）

You, of all people, have little reason to worry. （别人也许有忧虑的理由，你是没有的。）

Well, of all things! （唔，万万想不到［不发生其他事而竟然发生这样的事］！）

all-around

all-around是美国英语，相当于英国英语all-round。

allegation

参见allege

allege

allege有“虽然有人断言或宣称，却未必可靠”的意思，如It is alleged that they will be married soon是“据说他们不久就将结婚”，He came over to China at the alleged age of fifteen是“据说他15岁到中国来”。

allergic

be allergic to作“厌恶”、“极不喜欢”解。He is allergic to eggs, She is allergic to music等句子里的allergic原来是一种误用，但最近一二十年来很普通。

alleyway

alleyway（狭巷）只用在美国，在英国用alley。

allot

allot（分配）可以有双宾语。例如：They allotted the family three rooms.

allow

1．allow（给）可以有双宾语，如He allows his son ¥10 a week和He allows himself no luxuries。

2．allow不及permit积极，allow是“容许”，有“并不禁止”的含意，permit是“允许”或“准许”。Nothing is permitted, everything is allowed的意思是“一切都不（明文）准许，但也并不（明文）禁止”，但两个单词往往通用。例如：Allow (或Permit) me to congratulate you on your success.

3．allow用作“说”或“声称”解，如She allowed [that] he was right。主要用在美国。

4．allow of和admit of意思相同，作“有…的余地”解，如The question allows of no dispute。allow for是“考虑到”或“体谅”，如We must allow for accidents（我们须要考虑到意外）和He has indeed made many mistakes, but you must allow for his inexperience。（他诚然犯了许多错误，但你必须因为他缺乏经验而原谅他。）

allowance

make allowance for和make allowances（复数形式）for相同，都作“考虑到”或“体谅”解，参见allow 4

all-round

all-round（全面的）着重在才能、功用等。例如：all-round development（全面发展）和all-round education（全面教育）

allude

1．allude是不及物动词，后面接to，作“暗指…”、“暗示…”解。例如：He often alludes to his happy childhood.

2．严格地说，allude to是“隐约地说到”或“暗指”，并不是“明白地说到”，如有人说到你的事，却并不指明你，那是allude to，要是指明便是refer to。但很多英美人把allude to用作refer to解，这种用法有人认为是错误的。

allusion

1．allusion后面接to，作“暗指…”解，如his allusion to his happy childhood, allusions to Shakespeare和what he said in allusion toyou。

2．allusion有时统指allusions。例如：The essay is full of classical allusion.

3．很多英美人把allusion用作reference解，这种用法有人认为是错误的。

almighty

Almighty God和the Almighty都指“上帝”。用了God用the或不用the都可以，现在通常不用，不用God必须用the。也有人用God Almighty（没有the）。

almost

1．almost no..., almost nothing和almost never作“几乎没有…”等解，都是美国英语，在英国说scarcely（或hardly）any..., scarcely （或hardly）anything和scarcely（或hardly）ever。无论在英美都不说almost not，而用hardly或scarcely。

2．almost不可被not修饰，如不可说He is not almost so much interested as I thought，该把almost改作nearly。

alms

alms（施舍物）用作单数和复数都有。例如：an alms（单数）和these alms（复数）。即使用作复数，也不可说two alms, three alms等。alms虽然用作单数，却没有复数形式almses。

alone

1．alone, lone, lonely和lonesome的不同，下面几点该注意：

（1）alone是表语形容词，如可以说The man is alone，但不可说an alone man。

（2）lone是定语形容词，如可以说a lone man，但不可说The man is lone。这词现在不普通。

（3）alone是“独自的”，lonely是“（感觉）寂寞的”，一个人也许alone而并不lonely，也会虽不alone而感觉lonely。可以说Though I was alone, I was not lonely（虽然我独自一个人，我却并不感觉寂寞）和Though John was not alone, he was lonely. （虽然约翰并不是独自一个人，他却感觉寂寞）。用在地方，lonely有“不大有人到的”的意思，如a lonely house和a lonely wood。

（4）lonesome跟lonely相仿，但含有“凄凉”的意思。例如：Mary is very lonesome with her husband and children so much away.

2．alone是表语形容词，所以不可说very alone，该说much alone或very much alone。用very much似乎比用much普通。

3．not alone...but (also)现在不很普通，最好改用not only...but (also)。

4．She alone went是“只有她去”（没有别人去），She went alone是“她独自去”。Books alone delight him可能有两个意思：“只有书给他娱乐（其他东西都不能给他娱乐）。”或“只要书便给他娱乐（不需要其他东西）。”

5．leave him alone有时是“听任他独自一个人”，有时是“不干涉他”。let him alone是“不干涉他”。

let alone=to say nothing of（莫说、更不必提及）。例如：The house is uninhabitable in summer, let alone in winter.

aloud

read aloud是“读出声来”，并不是“高声地读”，但cry aloud是“高声地喊（或哭）”，shout aloud是“高声地喊”。

alphabet

alphabet是一种文字的按次序排列的全部字母。一个字母叫做letter，如英语有26个letters合成1个alphabet。

Alps

Alps（欧洲的阿尔卑斯山脉）前面有the。

already

1．already用在疑问句里往往有惊讶的意味。例如：Are you back already? Have you seen it yet?是问是否已经见过，Have you seen it already?是惊讶何以竟然已经见过。

2．already和all ready不可混用。例如：

He is already there. （他已经在那儿了。）

He is all ready there. （他在那儿完全准备好了。）

He is already all ready there. （他已经在那儿完全准备好了。）

They are all ready可能有两个意思。（参见all 14）

alright

alright等于all right，很多英美人认为不正当，但很流行。最好用all right。

also

1．可以说He did not come, and she also did not come，但不可说He did not come, and she did not come also，这里的also该改作either。

2．also是副词，但也用作连接词。例如：I study English, also Russian.在口语里时常有这种用法，有人认为用在文字里是不好的。可以在also前加上and。

3．注意下面第一句里用is，第二句里用are：

Not only the children but (also) their father is in town.

Not only the man but (also) his children are in town.

alternate(ly)

参见alternative(ly)

alternative(ly)

1．alternative(ly)和alternate(ly)不同。alternative(ly)通常作“两者任择其一的（或地）”或“两不相容的（或地）”解，not alternative(ly)作“并非两不相容的（或地）”或“也许两者都是的（或地）”解。alternate(ly)通常有两个意思：“交替的（或地）”或“一个隔一个的（或地）”。从前alternative(ly)也有alternate(ly)的两个意思，现在却没有了，如alternate work and play, alternate success and failure, on alternatedays和Boys and girls passed alternately中的alternate(ly)不可改作alternative(ly)。The boy and the girl come on alternate days可能有两个意思：“这男孩和这女孩轮流地每天来。”（今天男孩来，明天女孩来。）或“这男孩和这女孩都一天隔一天来。”

2．alternative用作名词，共有四个意思：

（1）“两个或两个以上的选择”，如The only alternative is coffee or （不用and）tea和We have the alternative of coffee, tea, or（不用and）water。

（2）“两个或两个以上的任何一个”，如Either alternative is good, Both alternatives are good, All the alternatives are good, The alternatives are coffee and (不用or) tea和The alternatives are coffee, tea, and (不用or) water。

（3）“一个以外的另一个”（共有两个），例如There is no alternative和The alternative is tea。

（4）“一个或一个以上以外的另一个”（共有至少两个），例如：We may drink either coffee or tea (or water), there is no other alternative和The only alternatives to (注意用to) coffee are tea and (不用or) water.注意and和or不可对调。

3．The only alternative to going to see him is to write to him里的to是介词，所以它后面的going不可改作go。

although

参见though

altogether

1．altogether作“完全地”和“就大体而论”解，如That was altogether bad和Altogether, I am not sorry for it。altogether并不作“一道”解，如不可说They went altogether，该把altogether改作all together。说“一共”用altogether或all together都可以。例如：There are altogether (或all together) twenty-four children in the class.

2．not altogether是“并不完全”。例如：He felt not altogether satisfied.

alumin(i)um

aluminium（铝）是英国拼写形式，aluminum是美国拼写形式。

alumnus

alumnus是masculine gender的单数形式，它的复数形式是alumni，它的feminine gender的单数形式是alumna，复数形式是alumnae。这些词在美国很常用，在英国很少用。在美国指“（某校的）毕业生或虽未毕业而已经离校的学生”，就是“校友”，在英国有时指“在校学生”。在美国往往把alumni兼指男女。

always

1．always有“每次”或“没有例外”的意思。例如：Rain and storm always comes with typhoon.假使你每次去看某个朋友，他总是在读书，才是always，假使是十次中有八九次这样，便不该说always，该说almost always。

不过always用在进行时态里却只有“时常”或“往往”的意思，如He is always asking questions是“他时常发问”或“他老是发问”。

2．always用在进行时态里，往往含有“使人不耐烦”的意思，如He is always asking questions有“他老是提问题，真是讨厌”的意思，下面几句都有这种含意：

You are always finding fault with me. （你老是找我的茬儿。）

She was always talking about her husband. （她老是谈着她的丈夫。）

You are always giving me flowers. （你老是送花给我。）

You talk as if I were always being ill. （照你说来，好像我老是害病。）

3．always用在不定时态和进行时态里，全句的意思往往大不相同。例如：

4．“常常不”不可说always not，如不可说She always does not laugh，该说She never laughs。

5．Whenever he meets me he always speaks of his father里的always最好删去，或者把Whenever改作When。

6．He is always here是普通的句子。He always is here!（该把is重读）是“（别以为他不在这儿）他的确常常在这儿！”通常在句尾用惊叹号。

am

I am的简写形式是I'm。I am not的简写形式是I'm not。Am I not?或Am not I?的简写形式是Ain't I?或An't I?也有人（尤其是英国人）用Aren't I?

a.m.（有时作A.M.）

1．a.m.=拉丁语ante meridiem，作“在上午”解（“在下午”是p.m.），用了它便不该再用morning。如不可说10.45 a.m. in the morning或tomorrow morning at 10.45 a.m.，该说10.45 a.m.（上午10点45分）和tomorrow at 10.45 a.m.。10.45是英国拼写形式，10:45是美国拼写形式。

2．用了a.m.便不该再用o'clock，如不可说10 o'clock a.m.，该说10 a.m.。也不可说half past eight a.m.，(a) quarter to nine a.m.等。通常a.m.前面用数字表示时刻，不用文字，如通常用7.16 a.m.不用seven-sixteen a.m.。

3．不该不说出钟点而用a.m.，如不可说tomorrow a.m.或on the 14th a.m.，该说tomorrow morning和on the morning of the 14th。

4．正午12点钟也算a.m.，写作12 a.m.或12.00 a.m.。但也有人写作12 noon或12.00 m.。m=拉丁语meridiem，正午。

AM

1．AM（=Master of Arts，文科硕士）是美国拼写形式，相当于英国拼写形式MA。

2．参见am

amaze(d)

关于an amazed stare（惊讶的凝视）等，参见much 3 (5) E

ambassador

ambassador（大使）在表示驻在国首都的城市名前面用in或at，在表示驻在国的国名前面用to，如Chinese Ambassador in Moscow，Chinese Ambassador at London和Chinese Ambassador to the United States。

ambition

1．ambition（抱负、大志）后面接for，of和动名词或不定式都可以，如ambition for success，ambition of getting it和ambition to get it。

2．单用ambition（如ambition for success）或前面加上an，the或his （或your等）都可以，但ambition of...ing前总有the或his（或your等）。

3．In his youth he had the ambition of being a pianist和In his youth he had ambitions of being a pianist意思相同。注意第二句里ambitions前面没有the。

ambitious

ambitious后面接of，for或不定式都可以，如ambitious of success, ambitious of getting it, ambitious for success, ambitious for getting it和ambitious to get it。

ameliorate

ameliorate不及improve普通。

amends

amends（赔偿）单数和复数形式相同，如an amends（单数）和these amends（复数）。现在用作单数普通些。即使用作复数，也不可说two amends，three amends等。

amenity

amenities（复数形式）统指一切使人生愉快的有形和无形的大小事物，如公园、好的学校和礼貌等都是。

America(n)

1．严格地说，America是“美洲”，不是“美国”，American是“美洲人”或“美洲的”，不是“美国人”或“美国的”，“美国”是the United States (of America)，“美国人”是citizen of the United States (of America)，“美国的”没有一定的词。但习惯上America往往指“美国”，American往往指“美国人”或“美国的”。虽然有英美人反对这种用法，可是已成习惯。

2．America虽然可以指美国，但不可用North America，South America，East America和West America指“美国北部”等，该改作the North of the United States等。

3．the Americas指“南北美洲（的各国）”。

amid(st)

1．amid和amidst现在都不普通，在英国amid更不普通，在美国amidst更不普通。

2．amid(st)后面接可数名词或不可数名词都有。例如：He always works amid(st) his books.和She kept cool amid(st) the panic.

ammunition

在现代英语里ammunition和munition不同，有下面两点该注意：

（1）ammunition用单数形式，munition用复数形式。但在名词的前面munition用单数形式也可以，如munition production和munitions production。

（2）ammunition（弹药）是munitions（军需物）的一部分，刀、剑、枪、炮、制服、粮食等是munitions，不是ammunition。

among(st)

1．among比amongst普通。amongst多用在元音前面，如amongst us。amongst在美国极少用。

2．在三个或三个以上的人或物前面，通常用among而不用between，但用了and通常不用among，如between A, B, and C，通常不作among A, B, and C。

3．He is sitting among his best friends里的He并不是his best friends中的一个。He is among my best friends里的He是my best friends中的一个。

4．among后面有时接不可数名词，如among the furniture和among the turf。这用法在英国比在美国普通。

amorous

现在amorous往往暗示着性欲。“恋爱诗”最好说love poetry，不说amorous poetry。“表示爱慕的一瞥”最好说a loving look，不说an amorous look。

amount

1．amount是不及物动词，后面接to，如The expenses amount to（总计）¥50和That amounts to（等于）a refusal。假使后面该用动名词，很容易误用不定式，该特别注意，如That amounts to saying that he is a genius里的saying不可改作say。

2．amount用作名词，只可用在不可数的东西，不可用在可数的东西，如可以说a large amount of literature，不可说a large amount of books，该把amount改作number。

ample

ample（充足的）可以用在无形的东西上，不可用在有形的东西上，如可以说ample time和ample opportunities，不可说ample tea和ample oranges。往往同一个词，当作无形便可以用ample，当作有形便不可用ample，如The ship has ample water to turn in里的water并不指水的本身，可以用ample，但ample water to drink却不可说。

amuse(ment)

1．amuse往往有“使…发笑”的意思，假使你听一个朋友唱歌唱得很好，不该说Your singing amuses me，这句好像说“你唱得不合腔调，使我发笑”。假使一个朋友告诉你一个意见或计划，你对他说Your idea amuses me，那便是说他荒谬，简直侮辱他了。amusement也是这样，如my amusement at his idea是“我对于他的意见的引为可笑”。

2．关于an amused glance（被逗乐的一瞥）等，参见much 3 (5) E

ancient

ancient通常指上古或太古，在西洋往往指Western Roman Empire灭亡以前（476年以前）。

and

1．记数在百位和十位或个位中间通常用and，如two hundred and forty-eight和seven hundred and four。在千位和十位或个位中间也通常用and，如three thousand and fifty-two和eight thousand and six。但在千位和百位中间不该用and，如six thousand four hundred，不作six thousand and four hundred。

2．许多修辞学书里说句首不可用and，其实句首用and很普通，而且有时语气上需要句首用and。即使用在一段文字的开首也可以。

3．A, B, and C（and前面有逗号）现在似乎比A, B and C（and前面没有逗号）普通。有时省去逗号意思不明白，所以最好不省去。

4．A, B, and C是正常的结构，A, B, C和A and B and C都是为了增加语势而用的结构，如I keep a cat, a dog, a horse和I keep a cat and a dog and a horse这两种结构通常该避免。

注意：Charles keeps a cat, a dog, a horse里有三件东西。假使只有两件，这种结构极不普通，如Charles keeps a cat, a dog极不普通。在事实上，一不留心，往往会写出类似这种结构的句子。如Charles lives in the country, keeps a cat and a dog里用and连接a cat和a dog，但在live in the country和keep a cat and a dog两种表达方式中间没有and，犯了跟a cat, a dog同样的毛病。He seldom drank, never smoked or gambled里该在never前面加上and。

不过对于在定语用法里的形容词，这结构可算普通，如a tall, green tree和a warm, bright day。

下面各句里把逗号代替and。这种用法在美国比在英国普通，最近一二十年才流行，多用在过去时态和短句里。

He turned, went out.

She looked at me, seemed to want to talk to me.

They asked for you, said they had an engagement with you.

5．Come and see me, Go and look at it和Try and do it等句子里的and有许多人说该改作to，因为Come以see me做目的，Go以look at it做目的，Try以do it做目的，每句里的两个动词，都不该当作并列的。这理由很充足，可是在事实上and这样用法很普通。在口语里比用to普通得多。这种结构不但用在come，go和try的后面，也用在learn，mind，send，stay，stop，write（写信）等词的后面。

上面的结构只用在现在时态和不定式里，不用在过去时态、分词或动名词里，如可以说：

Come and see me.

I ask you to come and see me.

I hope you will come and see me.

但不说：

He came and saw me.

He is coming and seeing me.

He has come and seen me.

He insists on coming and seeing me.

第二句是讲不通的。其他三句都讲得通，但He came and saw me跟He came to see me意思不同，He has come and seen me跟He has come to see me意思不同，He insists on coming and seeing me（他坚持要来，而且坚持要见我）跟He insists on coming to see me意思不同。

6．注意and在下面一句里的习惯用法：

Ask him again, and he will tell you (=If you ask him again, he will tell you). Ask属于祈使语气。同样地You push and I will pull里的push也属于祈使语气。下面各句里的and都脱胎于这个用法：

You have only to see him and you will find him interesting.

It is only necessary to see him and you will find him interesting.

Can you lend me your typewriter and I will return it to you in a few days?

Why don't you come this evening and we'll have a chat together?

He asked her to tell him the whole thing and he would advise her.

He told her to go out and he would follow.

上面各句里and后面的动词都属于将来时态。用其他时态的也有。例如：

Hesitate, and the chance is gone.

Alter the expression, and you alter the idea.

Give him tools and he worked well.

Give him tools and he would have worked well.

有时and前面只有名词而没有动词。例如：

Another attempt, and success is assured.

Another attempt, and success would be assured.

Another attempt, and success would have been assured.

7．Come and see me和Give me hope and give me life两句在语法结构上是相同的，可是在涵义上大不相同。第一句等于Come to see me，第二句等于If you give me hope, you (will) give me life。

8．下面各句里的and或and that作“而且…”解：

My fan is a present from a friend, and (that) a recent present.

I have lost one sheet of your letter and (that) the most important sheet.

Something has to be done about it, and (that) without delay.

She apologized, and (that) profusely, for being late.

9．用and连接的两个或两个以上的名词等，往往因为合成一个概念而被看作单数。例如：

The end and aim of the book is explained in the preface.

Going to bed early and getting up early is a good habit.

10．下面两句意思不同：

He did not speak clearly and correctly. （他不曾讲得清楚而正确。［他讲得清楚，但不正确。］）

He did not speak clearly or correctly. （他不曾讲得清楚，也不曾讲得正确。）

11．& (ampersand)代表and，主要用在商业文件等里，在一般文字里最好不用。

12．and/or作and或or解，如A and/or B=A and B, or A or B。主要用在表格和商业文件里，在一般文字里最好不用，如可以改用A or B or both。

A and/or B后面的动词可以用单数，也可以用复数，但意思略有不同。例如：

Henry and/or Peter is to be admitted. （大约只取一人）

Henry and/or Peter are to be admitted. （大约将取两人）

anecdote

anecdote有时统指“一切轶事”，如He is full of anecdote和He has a wealth of personal anecdote。

angle

angle（观点、方面、角度）前面习惯用from。例如：We must consider the question from various angles.近年来用得太多，如The book is good from every angle里用from every angle不及用in every respect自然。

Anglican

Anglican在英国作“关于Church of England（英国国教）的”解，但在美国往往作“英国的”解，跟English（形容词）意思相同。

angry

1．对人发怒，angry with和angry at都可以说，用with普通些。对事物发怒，angry at和angry about都可以说，但不可说angry with。

2．angry后面有时接以that引导的从句。例如：She is angry that he has not answered her letter.

annals

annals是复数形式。单数形式annal极不普通，不该用。

announce

1．announce不可有双宾语，下面两句都不可说：

He announced her his intention of going.

He announced her that he would soon go.

两句里announced后面都该加上to。

2．The work is announced finished是美国用法，在英国在announced后面加上to be。

annoy(ed)

1．annoyed后面有时接以that引导的从句。例如：She is annoyed that he has not answered her letter.

2．关于an annoyed voice（一个恼怒的语声）等，参见much 3 (5) E

another

1．another就是an＋other，所以不可说：

the another desk, that another desk,

this another desk, my another desk

各种表达方式里的another都该改作other。

2．another是“另外的任何一个”，在心里至少有三个（除了本身的一个，至少另有两个才可能有“任何一个”）。所以在一共只有两个的时候不可用another，如不可说I have two brothers, one is twenty, and another is fifteen，该把another改作the other。

3．another and better pen是“另外的好些的一枝笔”，another better pen是“另外一枝好些的笔”（指已说过的一枝或多枝好些的笔以外的一枝）。但another, better pen跟another and better pen意思相同，那逗号有and的作用。another and a good pen是“另外的好的一枝笔”。

4．another后面可以接数字和属于复数形式的名词，如another five hours。

5．If you don't like this copy, you may take another (one)里的one可用可不用。

6．another such (book)和such another (book)都可以说。

7．注意He seems quite another person than what he was（他跟以前相比，似判若两人）里用than。

8．one another和each other都作“互相”解。许多语法书里说one another只可用在两个以上，如The five boys help one another; each other只可用在两个，如The two boys help each other。但事实上这区别是不成立的，两种表达方式尽可通用。

9．one another的物主代词形式是one another's，不是one anothers'。但one another's fathers，one another's faces等表达方式里通常用fathers和faces，很少用单数形式。

10．one another不可用作主语，如不可说We know what one another wants，该说We know each what the other wants或Each of us knows what the other wants。假使一共有三个或三个以上的人，该说We know each what the others want或Each of us knows what the others want。

11．Every one of them looked at one another and smiled.当然是错误的，该把Every one改作All。

answer

1．answer the letter, answer the question和answer him比answer to the letter, answer to the question和answer to him普通。answer the purpose比answer for the purpose普通。answer the description和answer to the description都普通。

2．answer (to) the letter通常跟reply to the letter相同（注意reply后面的to不可省去）。但有时answer有“答复…的内容”的意思，如复信里说I have your letter, but as I am very busy,I cannot answer it at present。明明在复信，还说不能answer。不过有时answer只有“报告收到（信）”的意思而reply to才有“答复…的内容”的意思。例如：I answered your letter by sending a postcard last Monday and have since been waiting for time to reply to it.

3．answer（名词）跟reply对比，往往有“中肯的答复”的意思。例如：Your reply is not an answer.（你的答复不中肯，你答非所问。）

4．He answered her not a word和He answered her nothing里的answered作“把…作为回答”解。He answered her not a word是“他连一个单词都没有回答她”，不是“他对于她的问题里的所有单词连一个也不回答”。

5．answer后面有时接以that引导的从句。例如：He answered that he could not go.有时在answer后面另有宾语。例如：He answered me that he would not go.

6．answer有时被用作抽象名词，如The letter is still awaiting answer和Please let me have a few lines of answer。

7．商业复信的开首往往用In answer to your letter...。在一般通信里该避免。

an't

an't=ain't.参见ain't

anticipate

1．anticipate和expect意思略有不同。anticipate指可喜的事，有“盼望”的意思，expect不一定指可喜的事，如可以说We anticipate his arrival，不可说We anticipate his death，但可以说We expect his arrival和We expect his death。

就结构讲，anticipate和expect后面都可以接以that引导的从句，如可以说We expect that this will happen和We anticipate that this will happen。但expect后面可以接宾语和不定式，anticipate却不可以，如可以说We expect this to happen，却不可说We anticipate this to happen。

anticipate和expect还有一点不同：expect后面接不定式，anticipate后面接动名词，如I expect to read the book with great interest和I anticipate reading the book with great interest。

2．有时anticipate含有“有所准备”的意思。例如：She anticipated our arrival by cooking a good dinner.

anxiety

1．anxiety（渴望）后面可以接不定式，如an（或the，或his等）anxiety to follow the example。

2．anxiety（渴望）后面可以接以that引导的从句，那从句里用shall或should，如I am pleased with your anxiety that your brother shall（或should）behave well和I was pleased with your anxiety that your brother should behave well。

anxious

1．anxious后面接about或concerning作“焦虑的”解。例如：I am anxious about（或concerning）your health.后面接for或不定式作“急切的”解，如I am anxious for your safety和I am anxious to help you。

2．在anxious（急切的）后面的以that引导的从句里该用shall或should，如I am anxious that he shall（或should）avoid the mistake和I was anxious that he should avoid the mistake。有时用虚拟现在式。例如：I am（或was）anxious that he avoid the mistake.

3．anxious后面可以接for和宾语和不定式。例如：I am anxious for him to try his best.

any

1．在否定句里，用any或every意思大不相同，该特别注意，如I do not know any (one) of them是“我对于他们一个也不认识”；I do not know every one of them是“我对于他们并不个个都认识”。

但I do not know any (one) of them虽然只有一个意思，I do not care to know any (one) of them却可能有两个意思：“我对于他们一个也不想去认识。”或“我对于他们并不任何一个都想去认识。”（哪个我想去认识，哪个我不想去认识，我自己有主张。）这第二个意思跟I do not care to know every one of them相仿。Not any person has read all these books也可能有两个意思：“没有人把这些书都读过。”或“并不是任何人把这些书都读过。”这里第二个意思跟Not every person has read all these books相仿。

2．在否定词后面用any既然是完全否定的意思，所以在要表示一部分的否定便不可用any，却该用some，比较下面各句：

I do not know any of them. （我对于他们一个也不认识。）

I do not know some of them. （我对于他们有几个不认识。）

If you do not know any of these words,... （假使你对于这些词一个也不识，…）

If you do not know some of these words,... （假使你对于这些词有几个不识，…）

3．把any用在主语里而在谓语里用否定词，这种说法是不合习惯的（我只见过一次），如可以说No man can do it，但不可说Any man cannot do it。下面几句都不可说：

Any book is not perfect. （该说No book is perfect。）

Any of his brothers is unmarried. （该说All his brothers are unmarried或None of his brothers are married。）

Any friend of mine knows no French. （该说None of my friends know French。）

Any language cannot be mastered in half a year. （该说No language can be mastered in half a year。）

4．any不可指两个人或物中间的任何一个，如不可说any of my two brothers，该把any改作either。

5．the＋属于最高级的词＋of any...是一个普通而不合理的结构，如He is the most handsome of any man I know和He has the best knowledge of English of any one of my friends。这两句可以改作He is the most handsome of all men I know或He is more handsome than any other man I know和He has the best knowledge of English of all my friends或He has a better knowledge of English than any other of my friends。

6．any用在属于比较级的词的前面，作at all解，如Is that any better?和I will not do it any more。这种用法是英美通用的。在美国any往往用作at all解而并不用在属于比较级的词的前面，如I cannot help him any和He did not mind this any。any用作at all解，也用在different前面。例如：Is this any different from that?

7．I may leave here any time (that) I want to (leave here)里的that通常是省去的。

anybody

1．anybody不可写作any body。

2．anybody比anyone通俗，口语里多用anybody。

3．anybody属于单数形式。例如：Anybody who comes is welcome.把anybody当作复数是英美人常有的错误。anybody既然属于单数形式，当然不可说If anybody come, ask them to wait。通常该把them改作him。在需要特别说明“兼指男女”的时候，该用him or her，但通常用him，用了him or her嫌呆笨。同样地，该说If anybody comes, he will be welcome和If anybody comes, ask him to leave his address。

4．anybody有两个恰巧相反的意思，一个是“重要的人”或“有地位的人”，一个是“不重要的人”或“没有地位的人”，很容易引起误解。可是看了全句总是明白的，第一个意思比较普通些，大都用在疑问句、否定句和表示条件的从句里。例如：

Is he anybody?

I don't think she was anybody in those days.

He knows everybody who is anybody.

If he is anybody, we ought to have heard of him.

He knows two or three anybodies作“他只认识两三个不重要的人”解。

5．anybody跟everybody不同，但I do not lend my typewriter to anybody可能有两个意思：“我不把我的打字机借给任何人。”或“我并不把我的打字机对于任何人都借出。”把anybody改作anyone也是这样。参见any 1

6．不可说Anybody cannot do it，该说Nobody can do it。参见any 3

7．Don't anybody talk to me!和Don't talk to me anybody!都是“任何人别和我谈话！”anybody可以说是呼唤语。

anyhow

1．anyhow（无论如何）和anyway在英美都通用，但在英国anyhow普通些，在美国anyway普通些。

2．可以说The problem is worth discussing anyhow you look at it。

anyone

1．anyone作“任何人”解，不作“任何一个”解。说“任何一个”该用any one，如any one of us和any one of these。把any one用作“任何人”解也可以，但现在不很普通。

2．用了anyone，不可用one，one's等词指它，如If anyone comes, ask him to wait里的him不可改作one。

3．参见anybody 2

4．anyone跟everyone不同，any one跟every one不同，参见any 1和anybody 5

5．不可说Anyone cannot do it，该说No one can do it。参见any 3和anybody 6

anything

1．anything不该写作any thing。

2．anything跟everything不同，参见any 1

3．不可说Anything does not disturb me，该说Nothing disturbs me。参见any 3

4．anything有时用来指跟上文某个形容词相似的任何形容词。例如：I do not mean that he is too fond of it, he is not too anything.

5．He used to walk anything from two to five miles an hour里的anything from...to...作“至少…至多…”解，anything改作anywhere也可以。

anyway

参见anyhow

anywhere

1．anywhere跟everywhere不同，参见any 1

2．I will go anywhere the people want me to go里可以在anywhere后面加上where或that。

3．He used to walk anywhere from two to five miles an hour里的anywhere from...to...作“至少…至多…”解，anywhere改作anything也可以。

4．There wasn't anywhere where she could sit alone and think里的anywhere用作名词。

apartheid

apartheid（［尤指南非的］种族隔离）前面没有the。

apartment

从前apartment在英美都指一套房间（suite of rooms），现在在美国指一套房间，在英国指一个房间（room），所以现在美国人所说的an apartment，英国人叫做apartments。英国人所说的flat却相当于美国人所说的apartment。an apartment of four rooms是美国英语。

美国的apartment building或apartment house相当于英国的block of flats。美国的apartment hotel相当于英国的block of service flats。

apologize

1．apologize是不及物动词，说“因某事向某人道歉”该在表示人的词的前面用to，表示事的词的前面用for。例如：I have to apologize to you for not answering promptly.

2．apologize后面接以that引导的从句通常是“道歉着或辩解着说…”。例如：I must apologize (to you) that if I offended you I did not mean to.

apology

1．apology通常不用作抽象名词，如可以说make an apology, make apologies, make his apology（或apologies）等，却不说make apology。但a letter of apology, a word of apology等表达方式里的apology不可改作apologies。in apology for里也必须用单数形式。例如：In a little while she smiled at us again, as though in apology for her show of temper.

2．apology的复数形式apologies在习惯上常用，却并没有“多次道歉”的意思，如make (his) apologies, accept my apologies, with apologies for...等表达方式都没有多次的意思。

apparatus

an apparatus是“一台机器”，apparatuses是“多台机器”。但实际上复数形式很少用，却用单数形式统指机器（像furniture统指家具一般），如We are well provided with wireless apparatus和He has bought a microscope and some other bits of apparatus。

apparel

apparel统指“衣服”，不指“一件衣服”。“一件衣服”该说an article of apparel。这词现在不普通。

apparent(ly)

apparent(ly)往往有“看起来明明这样而其实未必这样”的含意，如The prime minister resigned for the apparent reason that his health was failing，就是说“在表面上因为身体不好而辞职，实际也许另有原因”。往往和real(ly)对比，如apparent rather than real（表面上的而不是真实的）。

appeal

1．appeal在美国通常用作不及物动词，后面接to，appeal to有种种意思。例如：

appeal to the court（向法院上诉），

appeal to history（引证历史），

appeal to the public（向大众呼吁），

appeal to patriotism（引起爱国心），

appeal to force（求助于武力）

I appeal to you to say whether I am not right. （我求你说我是否不对。）

This book appeals to them. （这本书引起他们的兴趣。）

在美国往往用作及物动词，作“将（案件）上诉”解。例如：He appealed the case three times.

2．说“因不服（判决等）而上诉”不论在英美都用appeal（动词或名词）against，如He is going to appeal against the decision（或sentence）和He is going to lodge an appeal against the decision（或sentence）

3．The boy appealed to his mother to tell him what to do和The boy appealed to his mother to know what to do两句里的to tell和to know都是不定式，但to tell是appealed to的表语，是属于his mother的，to know用作表示目的的副词，修饰appealed。

4．“上诉人”是appellant，不是appealer。

appear

1．appear是不及物动词，当然不可说I have read the article on Japanese economy appeared in yesterday's paper。appeared前面该加上that或which。

2．He appears (to be) willing to go with us里的to be可以省去。

3．this appears to me (as) the only way out里的as用的少，不用的多。

appearance

1．说“表面情形”该用复数形式。例如：I believe you are perfectly honest, but appearances are rather against you. （我相信你是完全诚实的，但表面情形却是不利于你的。［就是说就表面情形而论，好像你有不诚实的地方。］）注意appearances前面没有the。

2．to all appearance和to all appearances两种表达方式相同，作“显然”解，第一种形式主要用在英国，第二种形式主要用在美国。例如：To all appearance(s) he is fit for the post.

append

append是“把…附加上去”，不是“附加什么在…上”，如可以说The author has decided to append a glossary to the book，不可说The author has decided to append the book with a glossary。

appendix

1．appendix的复数形式用appendices或appendixes都可以，appendixes普通些。

2．注意an appendix on irregular verbs to the grammar book里用on和to。

3．参见addendum 2

apply

They will apply the money to build(ing) up a little library等句子里用不定式或to和动名词都可以。These principles apply to learning foreign languages里的learning不可改作learn。

appointment

1．作“约会”解时appointment后面接for，如an appointment for tomorrow morning和an appointment for seven o'clock。说明了时刻也有接at的，如an appointment at seven o'clock。说“职位”appointment后面接of或as，那后面的名词前面往往没有a（或an），如an appointment of（或as）(a) treasurer。说“任命或委派职位”appointment后面接to，如his appointment to the professorship。

2．下面两句里的by appointment意思不同：

The dean receives visitors by appointment（预约）.

The dean fills his post by appointment（任命）.

3．appointment（约定）后面有时接不定式。例如：He forgot an appointment to address a meeting that evening.

appreciate

1．appreciate后面接以that引导的从句主要是美国用法。例如：I appreciate that the plan has worked well.在英国通常在that前面加上the fact。

2．appreciate后面接动名词，不接不定式，如可以说He appreciates being advised，不可说He appreciates to be advised。

3．I shall appreciate it if you will give me his address里的it最好不要省去。

4．It is appreciated that...和It will be appreciated that...都是公文里的惯用语，有人以为可以省去，如It is appreciated that you have accomplished the task可以改作You have accomplished the task。

appreciation

appreciation of是英美通用的，appreciation for是美国英语。

appreciative

appreciative后面接of。例如：We are appreciative of your suggestions.

apprehend

用作“了解”解时apprehend不及understand普通，用作“恐惧”解时apprehend不及fear普通。

apprentice(ship)

1．apprentice（学徒）和apprenticeship后面都接to。如an apprentice to a carpenter和his apprenticeship to a carpenter。可以说his apprenticeship to journalism。

2．bind...apprentice to...（使…做…的学徒）是习语，总是用apprentice不用apprentices，如He was bound apprentice to a carpenter和They were bound apprentice（不用apprentices）to a carpenter。

3．apprentice（及物动词）后面接to，作bind...apprentice to...解。例如：He was apprenticed to a carpenter.

apprise

apprise不及inform普通。

approval

1．approval后面不可接不定式，如不可说We have obtained his approval to enter his garden，该把to enter改作of our entering。或者把approval改作permission或consent。

2．approval copies available from 1 October to 31 October是“从10月1日到10月31日（该书）样本供人免费审阅，不买可以退货”，注意用approval，不用approved。

approve

approve作“赞成”或“认为良好”解的时候后面现在几乎总有of，如I don't approve of his conduct和Do you approve of her choice?

approximate

approximate作“（虽然并不正确但是）接近正确的”解，a very approximate estimate是“一个几乎完全正确的估计”，不是“一个很约略的估计”（a very rough estimate）。

April

1．April，January，February等词都不可指阴历，指阴历四月通常用the fourth moon，正月是the first moon，二月是the second moon，等等。

2．说“某年某月”，先写月，后写年，中间可以用逗号，但通常不用，如April 2001和April, 2001。说“某年某月某日”，那年份前面通常用逗号，但不用的也有，如24 April, 2001或April 24, 2001，24 April 2001或April 24 2001。April 24 2001里最好用逗号，因为24和2001粗看上去好像是242001。

3．“某月某日”有下面各种写法。注意不论怎样写法，月份和日子中间没有逗号：

① 24 April, ② 24th April, ③ April 24, ④ April 24th,

⑤ April the 24th, ⑥ the 24th April,

⑦ the 24th of April, ⑧ the 24th day of April

①和②在英国比在美国用得多。③和④英美通用。⑤和⑥在英国比在美国用得多。⑦是着重式。⑧只用在正式文件里，不用在一般文字里。当然，在信函的date里不用有the的任何形式。

在英国也有人写作24 IV或24. IV，主要用在正式文件里。

在信函里有时用April twenty-fourth或April twenty-four。在请帖里用April the twenty-fourth或April twenty-fourth。

4．“某月某日，星期几”照英语习惯该先写星期几，后写某月某日，如Friday, 24 April，不作24 April, Friday。逗号可省去。

5．in April of 2001和in the April of 2001都可以说。

6．下面每组里的两句都可以说，意思相同：

apt

apt，liable和likely三个单词意思相仿，但下面几点该注意：

（1）三个单词后面都可以接不定式，作“易于…”、“有…的倾向”解。

（2）在英国apt只用在一般的或习惯的情形，不用在一时的情形，如说I am apt to catch cold if I go out without my overcoat，却不说I am apt to catch cold if I go out tonight without my overcoat，这里不用apt而用likely（am likely也可以改作shall be likely）或liable。在美国apt却也用在一时的情形。

（3）用在一般或习惯的情形，apt通常用在不好的或没趣的事情，如说apt to catch cold, apt to get into trouble, apt to make mistakes等。liable也用在不好的或没趣的事情，但往往后面的不定式所说的是害及那句子的主语的。如Damage is apt to be done里用apt，不用liable，因为to be done不害及damage。但This is liable to be damaged里可以用liable，因为to be damaged是害及This的，又如I am apt to catch cold或I am liable to catch cold都可以说，因为to catch cold是害及I的，但不该说Sleeping out of doors is liable to make one catch cold，因为to make one catch cold不害及sleeping。不过这个区别，英美人也并不一致遵守。

（4）liable用在一般的情形和特殊的情形都可以。

（5）likely用在一般的情形和特殊的情形都可以，用在不好的事情和好的事情也都可以。

（6）likely比apt和liable表达更大的可能性，比较：

Children playing in the street are apt（或liable）to meet with accidents。

Children playing in busy streets are likely to meet with accidents.

aptitude

aptitude除了在前面接an的时候以外，通常是抽象名词，如He has an aptitude for business和He has little aptitude for business。但偶尔也用复数形式。例如：his superior aptitudes and abilities

Arab

1．Arab，Arabian和Arabic三个形容词在现代英语里有这样的区别：Arab是Arabia地方的人的，如Arab girl和Arab philosophy。Arabian是Arabia地方的，如Arabian gulf和Arabian desert。Arabic是Arabia的人的语言或文学的，如Arabic word和Arabic literature。

同一个词，也许可以被Arab或Arabian修饰，但意思不同，如Arab village是Arabia人住的村，也许在Arabia，也许不在Arabia。Arabian village是“在Arabia地方的村”，村上住的也许都是Arabia人，也许不都是Arabia人。“阿拉伯国家”可以说Arab state或Arabian state，Arab country或Arabian country。

2．Arab和Arabian都可以用作名词，指Arabia地方的人，似乎Arab普通些。

Arabian

参见Arab

Arabic

参见Arab 1

arbiter

“仲裁人”的正式名称是arbitrator。arbiter现在主要用作譬喻，如arbiter of our fate。

arbor

Arbor Day（美、加、澳、新等国的植树节）前面没有the。（Arbor Day是内布拉斯加州在1872年4月10日首创，现在各州都有，澳大利亚的南澳大利亚州也有，但日期各处不同，大都在4月的下半月或5月的上半月。）

archipelago

...Archipelago（…群岛）前面有the，如the Malay Archipelago。

aren't

aren't通常被用作are not的简写形式。但在疑问句里往往用作am not的简写形式。例如：Aren't I the same person as I was last year?这用法可说只在英国流行，在美国几乎是没有的。

Argentine

Argentine是南美洲共和国Argentina的形容词。Argentina的正式名称是the Argentine Republic，简称the Argentine，注意不可作the Argentina或Argentine。

arise

arise现在主要用在无形的东西，说到有形的东西通常用rise。例如：

Jane's anger arises from the misbehaviour of her children.

The sun rises in the east.

arithmetic

arithmetic是“算术”，不是“数学”（mathematics）。不包括代数、几何、三角等。

arm

keep at arm's length是习语，有时照字面解，如The mother kept her baby at arm's length, thinking that he might try to kiss her。有时作“跟…冷淡、疏远”解，注意arm's前面没有an。at arm's length单独用（没有keep）也没有an，作“一臂之远”解，例如：He held the picture at arm's length to show it to me.

armament

armament和armaments意思相同。即使在名词前面两种形式也都可以用，如armament(s) race（军备竞赛）和armament(s) expenditures（军备费用）。

armful

参见-ful

Armistice

Armistice（停战、休战）前面有the。但Armistice Day（第一次世界大战停战纪念日［11月11日］）前面没有the。1954年起在美国称作Veterans' Day。

army

在英国army and navy和navy and army两种形式都用，有些人以为该用第二种形式。

around

around和round都可以用作副词和介词，现在around在英国比从前少用，但在美国却很常用。下面各句都是美国英语：

He turned around.

Like the moon, the arficial satellites（人造卫星）move around the earth.

I went around to the post-office.

He loafed around the city.

They live in the house around the corner.

Around 800 men came.

在英国第一句到第五句里的around都改作round，第六句里的around改作about。

arouse

arouse（唤起、激起）和rouse的不同，跟rise和arise的不同相仿，arouse现在主要用在无形的东西。例如：

That aroused my curiosity.

That aroused my suspicions.

arrange

1．We have arranged (for) the concert, They are arranging (for) a picnic等句子里的for不用的多，用的少。注意concert和picnic都是事，不指东西或人。We have arranged for a new classroom和They are arranging for a guide等句子里的for不可省去。

2．I have arranged for him to go是“他去”，不是“我去”。I have arranged with him to go也许“我去”，也许“他去”，也许“我和他一同去”。I have arranged with him to let me go当然是“他让我去”。在容易被人误解的场合，该避免I have arranged with him to go一类的句子。

3．arrange（安排、预定）后面可以接以that引导的从句，那从句里用shall或should，如We have arranged that he shall（或should）start work next Monday和We arranged that he should start work next Monday。也可以用虚拟现在式。例如：We (have) arranged that he start work next Monday.

arrangement

1．在用作“办法”或“计划”解时，习惯用复数形式arrangements。例如：The arrangements have been made in good time.

2．arrangement（安排、预定）后面可以接以that引导的从句，那从句里用shall或should，如We have made an arrangement with him that she shall（或should）start work next Monday和We made an arrangement with him that he should start work next Monday。也可以用虚拟现在式。例如：We (have) made an arrangement with him that he start work next Monday.

arrear

arrears比arrear普通，in arrears也比in arrear普通。但in arrear of（落后于、不及）里的arrear不可改作arrears。例如：In this respect, France is in arrear of the United States.

arrest

1．arrest是“逮捕”，说个人捉住了什么人不可用arrest。如说捉住了一个小偷，该用catch，不可用arrest。

2．The police have made two arrests是“警察逮捕了两个人”，不是“警察们执行了两次逮捕”。注意用made。

arrive(d)

1．arrive的过去分词arrived可以用作形容词，作“已到的”解，如the newly arrived traveller和Arrived at the shop, I asked to see some shirts。但is arrived，are arrived等现在不普通。

2．arrive home里的home是副词，习惯不说arrive at home。当然，在arrive at his home里必须有at。

3．arrive(d)是一时的动作，所以不可说He has arrived for a week，该改作He arrived a week ago或It is a week since he arrived。

art

1．Bachelor of Arts（文学士），Master of Arts（文科硕士），Faculty of Arts（文学院）等表达方式里的Arts是liberal arts的简称，指语言、哲学、历史等，别于专门的或职业的教育，注意用复数形式。liberal arts前面有the。

2．fine arts（美艺术）前面有the。通常包括绘画、建筑和雕塑等，有时也包括诗歌、音乐、舞蹈和戏剧。the arts=the fine arts。

3．the pictorial art（画术），the photographical art（照相术），the healing art（医术）等表达方式里有the。

4．arts college是“文学院”，不是“美术学院”。但英国的Royal Academy of Arts是“美术院”。

artist

artist在单独用的时候往往指画家，但画家自己通常不用artist而用painter。

artiste

artiste是“艺人”，指以歌舞为职业的歌舞家等，指男或女都可以，并不是artist的女性式。

as

1．such children as love their books里的as是关系代词，用作love的主语。such books as are loved by children里的as也是关系代词，用作are loved的主语。这样一讲，便知道such books as are loved by children里的are决不可省去，但这种verb to be很容易被忽略。例如：

such points as are discussed in the book,

such questions as are often asked by schoolboys,

such preparations as are now being made,

such arts as are practised by many

上述各种表达方式里as后面都必须有are。

2．下面各句里的as都是关系代词：

The author was brought up in a small village, as is recounted in some of his stories.

As is announced in today's papers, all the schools will reopen on 1 September.

The boy was run over by a motor-car, as often happened in holidary season.

As is often the case, the girl forgot to bring her dictionary.

Helen was somewhat crazy, as all her acquaintances could see.

As you will find out, all is now settled.

各句里的as都指主句所表达的意思，如第一句里的as指作家在小村里长大这件事。as的这种用法很普通，但也很容易被误认作连接词而加用it。例如：

The author was brought up in a small village, as it is recounted in some of his stories.

As it is announced in today's papers, all the schools will reopen on 1 September.

这it是要不得的。这样用法的关系代词as一定属于单数形式，as are和as were是不可能的。注意English as it is spoken in South England和China as I see her等表达方式里的as是连接词，不是关系代词，所以it和her不可少。

上面第一句和第二句里以as引导的从句都用属于被动语态的动词，那is可以省去，如The author was brought up in a small village, as recounted in some of his stories和As announced in today's papers, all the schools will reopen on 1 September。

3．2里所讲的as是关系代词，下面各句里的斜体as也是关系代词。

Please come as soon as is possible. （is通常省去）

He shows a readiness to work as hard as is necessary on any and every occasion.

She always acts as appears best to her.

We must assume that the accident occurred as is alleged. （is可以省去）

4．English as it is spoken in South England里的it is可以省去，成为English as spoken in South England，作“像英国南方所讲的那种英语”解，跟English spoken in South England（没有as）意思略有不同。又如the name as mentioned in the letter, the results as announced in today's paper和the answer as given below。

注意上述各种表达方式里的名词前面都没有such。假使有了such，便该在那过去分词前面加上verb to be，如such English as is spoken in South England和such a name as is mentioned in the letter。参见1

也得注意并非所有这类短语都可以在前面加上such，在后加上verb to be，如Truth as opposed to falsehood和actual conversation as distinguished from imagined conversation不可改作such truth as is opposed to falsehood和such actual conversation as is distinguished from imagined conversation。

跟as＋过去分词相仿的结构有grammar as against idiom, absolute as distinct from relative（绝对的，别于相对的）等。

本节里所举的as spoken，as mentioned，as announced，as given，as opposed和as distinguished跟2里所举的as recounted形式上相同，但语法上不同，这里各种表达方式等于as it is...或as they are...，但as recounted等于as is recounted。

5．下面各句都可以说，但用her和him比较普通些：

当然，Such a man as he is welcome里的he不可改作him，I recognized the man as him who had called in the morning里的him不可改作he。

6．照一般语法书说，as...as...用在肯定句里，so...as...用在否定句里，如He is as old as she (is)和He is not so old as she (is)。但事实上并不都是这样。在否定句里用as...as...也普通，在口语里更普通。如He is not as old as she (is)。用了as...as...有时暗示着那第二个as后面的人或物有着高程度的那形容词（或副词）所指的性质，如He is not as old as she (is)有时含有“她是老年人”的意思。

在isn't，wasn't，don't，can't等后面，尤其多用as，如He isn't as old as she (is)比He isn't so old as she (is)普通，She doesn't work as quickly as her brother比She doesn't work so quickly as her brother普通。但假使在形容词或副词前面加了quite，却通常用so而不用as，如He isn't quite so old as she (is)比He isn't quite as old as she (is)普通。

not so old as she (is)不可能有“并非跟她同年（而比她年龄大）”的意思，not as old as she (is)才可能有，所以He is not as old as she (is), but much older里的as不可改作so。

7．He is as old as she当然不错，但在口语里往往说He is as old as her。

8．as可以表示原因。例如：As you are busy, you need not go with me.这样用法的as语气比because轻。它所引导的从句通常在主句前面。要是把以as引导的从句用在主句后面，那从句里所说的事该是对方所知道的，否则句子便不好，如You need not go with me, as you are busy是好句子（因为对方当然知道他自己很忙），但I cannot go with you, as I am busy便不好（因为对方未必知道我很忙）。即使那从句里所说的事是对方所知道的，如果句子比较长，也最好不用在主句后面，如You need not go with me, as you are busy preparing your lessons and writing your exercises in various subjects里该把as从句用在主句前面。

As you are busy, you need not go with me可说相当于You are busy, so you need not go with me, As I am busy, I cannot go with you可说相当于I am busy, so I cannot go with you。注意用了as便不用so，用了so便不用as，不可两个单词都用。在两三百年以前这种两个单词都用的句子是普通的，但现在绝无仅有，不可仿效。As...so...现在并不作“因为…，所以…”解，却作“正像…，…”解。例如：As you like music, so I like poetry.这句是“正像你喜欢音乐，我喜欢诗歌”，不是“因为你喜欢音乐，所以我喜欢诗歌”。

比较下面三句：

In autocratic countries, as some are very rich, others are very poor.（在独裁统治的国家里，因为有些人很富，所以别人很穷。）

In autocratic countries, some are very rich, so others are very poor.（意思同上句）

In autocratic countries, as some are very rich, so others are very poor. （在独裁统治的国家里，正像有些人很富，别人很穷。）

9．As you are busy, you need not go with me不可改作Just as you are busy, you need not go with me。As you like music, so I like poetry可以改作Just as you like music, I like poetry。

10．beautiful as she is, late as he was, child as he is等表达方式里的as都作“虽然”解。注意那形容词或名词该用在as前面，也要注意那名词前面没有a。

这种结构里as前面不一定用形容词或名词，也有用副词或动词的。例如：

Much as I should like to see you, I am afraid you may find it inconvenient to come in this hot weather.

Search as they would, they could find nobody in the house.

但下面两句里的as并不作“虽然”解：

Realizing as I do that I shall be very much occupied in the afternoon, I must send off all these letters this morning.

Absorbed as he was in a mathematical problem, he did not notice my entering the room.

beautiful as she is当然是从属分句，主句的开首有时有yet。例如：Beautiful as she is, (yet) she is not a pleasant companion.

11．so...as和so...that不可混用，such...as和such...that也不可混用，注意下面各句：

Here is so big a stone as no man can lift.

Here is so big a stone that no man can lift it.

Here is such a big stone as no man can lift.

Here is such a big stone that no man can lift it.

用了as便不用it，用了that便用it。as是关系代词，that是连接词。也许有人要说：as也可以用作连接词，that也可以用作关系代词，那末不是it的用和不用没有关系了么？这道理也讲得通，可是习惯总是习惯，是不可改动的。

12．as用作“当…的时候”解的时候引导的从句里的动词不可作将来时态，如不可说Count the children as they will enter the room，该把will删去。比较下面两句：

Please post this letter for me as you pass the post-office. （当你经过邮局的时候，请替我寄这封信。）

Please post this letter for me as you will pass the post-office. （因为你将经过邮局，请替我寄这封信。）

13．8里说过as在表示原因的时候语气比because轻。Because it is getting late, we must start at once可以改作强势式It is because it is getting late that we must start at once。但As it is getting late, we must start at once不可改作It is as it is getting late that we must start at once。

14．so...as to...（不定式）跟...enough to...（不定式）相当，如Write so carefully as to make every sentence clear和Write carefully enough to make every sentence clear。注意不可用...enough as to...，如不可说Write carefully enough as to make every sentence clear，该把as删去。

15．as from主要用在法律、契约、公告等文件里，作“从…日开始”解。例如：The library will be open to the public as from 6 May, 2001.和As from 6 May, 2001 the library has been open to the public.在一般文字里不该用它。如不可说I shall use my bicycle as from Wednesday next，该把as删去。

16．The editor has bronght the material up to date as of May. 2001里的as of主要用在正式文件里。His air as of having forgotten about something important puzzled me里的as of作like that of解，现在比从前少用。

17．as per作“依照”解，是商业文件里的陈套语，如as per your request和as per our records。在一般文字里不该用它。该用according to。

18．He often talks to me as if（或as though，现在as if比as though普通得多）he were my father等于He often talks to me as he would talk if he were my father。were属于虚拟语气，不该改作is，下面两句都有错：

The party goes on as if（或as though）nothing has happened.

They are running about as if（或as though）they are madmen.

has该改作had，are该改作were。

但在It looks as if（或as though）和It seems as if（或as though）后面往往用属于现在时态的动词。例如：It looks（或seems）as if（或as though）a storm will soon come.不过有些语法家以为这里总该把will改作would。He is running about as if（或as though）he were a madman和He is running about as if（或as though）he was a madman都可以说，不过有些语法家以为总该用were。

He ran about as if（或as though）he were a madman, He ran about as if（或as though）he was a madman和He ran about as if（或as though）he had been a madman都可以说，但用were不及用was普通，用had been很不普通。

19．as for和as to都可以用在句首，作“至于…”解。例如：As for（或As to）his father, I do not know him at all.但as to可以用在句中，作“关于…”解，as for却不可，如I am in doubt as to his nationality和Nothing as to his past is known两句里的as to都不可改作as for。

as to这样用作“关于…”解很普通，有些英美人不赞成，说它意思模糊，但用得适当，意思并不模糊。不过该注意，在可能用确切些的介词的时候，最好不用as to，如下面各种表达方式里的介词不该改作as to：

my plans for the future, a keen interest in science,

a correct idea of love, his views on education,

her objections to the scheme, their attitude towards us

20．as to往往是多余的，如下面各句里的as to该删去：

I asked him as to what he wanted.

I do not care as to when she will arrive there.

Doubt is expressed as to whether they are safe or not.

An interesting question remains as to where the rare plant is to be found.

21．as to不但往往被多余地使用，而且往往引起语法上的毛病。如An interesting question remains as to where the rare plant is to be found里的as to虽然是多余的，却不算错，但The question remains as to where it is to be found要算错了，因为the question该有一个indirect question做它的同位语。同样地，the doubt as to...也是错的。

It is not quite clear as to where the rare plant is to be found等句子里的as to用得更错，因为句首的It指where the rare plant is to be found这一从句，这从句属于主格，当然不可同时作as to的宾语。

还有用了as to很容易把它后面该用的to忘掉，如下面各句里斜体的to很容易被忘掉（实际是不可省的）：

I want to find out as to whom these papers belong to.

He advised me as to whom I should apply to for help.

No information is obtainable as to to what extent things have improved.

22．as to里的to是介词，不是不定式的符号，so as to...和such as to...里的to是不定式的符号，不是介词，比较下面各句：

As to writing English, he cannot do much.

We must work hard so as to serve the people better.

The problem is such as to interest only a few.

23．as for只可以用在句首，通常全句有轻视或消极的意思。例如：

As for that young man, I am ashamed of him.

As for the other books, nobody looks upon them as of much importance.

As for a visit to the city, I am afraid it is out of the question at present.

通常不说：

As for that young man, I am proud of him.

As for the other books, everybody looks upon them as of great importance.

24．as best I（或you等）can和as well as I（或you等）can都作“竭力地”解，注意第一种表达方式里best后面没有as。

25．as it is，as it was和as it were三种表达方式不可混用。as it is和as it was都作“在事实上”或“就实际情形而论”解，第一种表达方式属于现在时态，第二种表达方式属于过去时态，如As it is, we cannot help her和As it was, we could not help her。As it were意思大不相同，作“好像”、“有几分相似”或“未尝不可说”解，were属于虚拟语气，可以用在任何时态的句子里。例如：He is（或was，或has always been）, as it were, friends with his dog.

26．(so far) as concerns，as follows和as regards（这里regards后面不可加上to）三种表达方式里的动词都有s，不可更改。

27．as well as跟and不同，也跟not only...but (also)...不同，A as well as B=not only B but also A，作“不独B，而且A”解。I am a Chinese, but I have foreign friends as well as Chinese friends是通的，I am a Chinese, but I have Chinese friends as well as foreign friends却讲不通。

28．A, B, as well as C是不该用的，如不该说I read French, German, as well as English。“我不仅读英语，而且读法语和德语”该说I read French and German as well as English。

29．as well as是连接词，不是介词，如不可说He advised me as well as answering my question，该把answering改作answered。He is a painter, engineer, and poet as well as being a sculptor里的being该删去。

30．both...as well as...是错误的，绝对不可用。

31．not only...but...as well颇有人用，但不及not only...but also...或not only...but...普通。

32．下面两句意思不同：

I shall not go as well as you. （你将去，但我将不去。）

I, as well as you, shall not go. （你将不去，我也将不去。）

33．as and when是公文里的陈套语，如As and when we get further particulars, we shall let you know。用when就够了。

ascertain

1．ascertain是及物动词，但往往有不带特定宾语的用法，后面没有宾语。例如：I will ascertain (about it).

2．ascertain后面可以接以that引导的从句。例如：We must ascertain that everything is as supposed.

3．ascertain不及find out普通。

ash

参见ashes

ashamed

1．ashamed of doing it是“做了它而觉得可耻”。ashamed to do it有时是“做了它而觉得可耻”，有时是“因为觉得可耻而不愿做它”，但虽然有“不愿做它”的意思，并不一定“不做它”。

对于表示没有意志（volition）的动作的动词，说“…了而觉得羞耻”习惯用不定式而不用of和动名词，如I am ashamed to find from your letter that I have not yet replied to your previous one里用to find而不用of finding，那find是没有意志的动作。

2．ashamed of himself和ashamed of doing it都可以说，但不可说ashamed of himself of doing it，第二个of该改作for。

3．ashamed后面有时接以that引导的从句。例如：I am ashamed that you should think me stupid.

4．ashamed通常是表语形容词，很少用在名词前面。所以该说much ashamed或very much ashamed，不该说very ashamed。用very much比用much普通。

相当于ashamed的定语形容词是没有的，ashamed偶尔这样用，如an ashamed look和an ashamed person。

5．ashamed of him是“为了他感觉羞耻”，ashamed for him是“代他感觉羞耻”。

ash(es)

1．ash和ashes都作“灰”解，复数形式普通些。burn（或reduce）to ashes和lay in ashes（把…烧毁）里的ashes不可改作ash。

2．ash往往指“（尚未散开的一团）灰”，如the ash of a cigar。

3．可以说a few grey ashes。

Asian

不论用作形容词或名词（亚洲人），现在Asian比Asiatic普通得多。我们自己是亚洲人，必须用Asian。

Asiatic

参见Asian

aside

aside from是美国英语，相当于英国英语apart from，作“除…以外”解。

ask

1．ask his name是“问他的名字”，ask his opinion是“问他的意见”，ask the way是“问路”，ask the time是“问时间”，但ask the price有时是“问价”，有时是“讨价”。I asked him the price是“问价”，He asked the price of ¥20是“讨价”。

ask（问）可以有双宾语，如I asked him his name和He asked me my opinion。

2．He asked me something是“他问我一个问题”，He asked me for something是“他向我要些东西”。

3．I asked him a question比I asked a question of him普通。I have a question to ask (of) you里的of可有可无。

4．'Are you sure of it?' he asked（问）(of) me里的of可有可无。I am afraid it is too much to ask（请求）of him里的of不可省去，偶尔用from。

5．ask和ask for都作“请求”解。ask通常用于无形的东西，如ask a favour，ask advice，ask permission和ask clemency。ask for用于有形的或无形的东西都可以，如ask for bread，ask for money，ask for a ticket，ask for help，ask for information，ask for leave，ask for pardon和ask for forgiveness。假使说出了那被请求的人，用了ask该在那宾语后面加上of和指人的词，用了ask for该在ask后面加上指人的词，如ask a favour of him和ask him for bread。ask a favour of him改作ask him a favour也可以，但ask用作“请求”解带有双宾语，那直接宾语只有favour，却不说ask him advice或ask him permission。

6．He asked about you是“他问起你”，He asked after you是“他问起你的健康情况（或生活情况）”，He asked for you是“他问起要见你（或跟你联系）”。

7．He asked me 'Will you go with me?'是正常的英语。He asked me whether I would go with him也是正常的英语。He asked me, Would I go with him?不是正常的英语，但这种结构在不很严谨的文字里时常见到。

8．ask（请求）后面可以接以that引导的从句，那从句里用shall或should或虚拟现在式，如I ask that he shall（或should）call this evening, I ask that he call（不用calls）this evening, I asked that he should call that evening和I asked that he call（不用called）that evening。

asleep

1．asleep是表语形容词，不可用在名词前面，在名词前面该用sleeping，如The baby is asleep和the sleeping baby。

2．形容asleep的程度普通用fast或sound。因为它是表语形容词，所以不该说very asleep。much asleep和very much asleep都可以说，但都不及用fast或sound普通。

aspiration

He has aspirations to be an engineer等句子里习惯用复数形式aspirations。

aspire

aspire是不及物动词，后面习惯接to、after或不定式，如He aspires to excellence, He aspires after perfection和He aspires to be a hero。接at或for也可以，但不很普通。

aspirin

three aspirin，three aspirins和three tablets of aspirin都作“三片阿司匹林药片”解。

ass

1．ass（驴）就是donkey，在动物学上只用ass，普通多用donkey。

2．ass和donkey都借用作“呆子”解。普通用ass，用了donkey便有戏谑的意思，如叫人donkey并不只是说他是呆子，却有“呆得可爱”或“呆不可当”的含意。

3．ass和donkey是“驴”，跟mule（骡）不同。mule是雌马和雄驴所生的。雌驴和雄马所生的叫hinny，但也往往叫做mule。

assassinate

1．assassinate和murder略有不同：assassinate是“暗杀”或“行刺”，往往在公共场所进行，目标通常是公务人员。murder是“谋杀”，通常在秘密场所进行，目标不拘何等人。

2．说“刺客”用assassin。也有assasinator这词，但很不普通。

assemble

1．下面两句意思相同：

We are assembled here to discuss the question.

We have assembled here to discuss the question.

2．assemble together里的together是多余的。

assert可以说He asserted that he was innocent和He asserted that his sister was innocent，但不可说：

He asserted himself to be innocent.

He asserted to be innocent.

He asserted his sister to be innocent.

该说He declared himself (to be) innocent和He declared his sister (to be) innocent.

asset(s)

assets原来是单数形式，并没有asset这词。但asset现在很普通，它的意思是“可贵的东西”、“优点”、“利益”、“好处”等，如Good health is a great asset和The new teacher is an asset to the school。它的复数形式是assets。例如：Through all her troubles she had the assets of good health and good spirits.

assign(ment)

1．assign用作“指定（功课）”解和assignment用作“被指定的功课”解都是美国用法。

2．下面各句都可以说：

The authorities assigned him an important task.

He was assigned an important task.

An important task was assigned him.

The authorities assigned him to an important task.

He was assigned to an important task.

The authorities assigned an important task to him.

An important task was assigned to him.

3．assignment（被指定的功课）后面接in，如an assignment in physics。

assist

1．assist不论用作及物动词或不及物动词，后面接不定式不及接in和动名词普通，如He assisted (her) to do it不及He assisted (her) in doing it普通。

2．assist不及help通俗，在口语里通常用help。

associate

associate with是“跟…交友”，be associated with是“（被使）跟…（在业务、事务等上）联合”，如He associates with all kinds of people和He is associated with Mr Brown in business。

assume

1．assume和presume略有不同。I assume that you can do it是“我假定你能做它”，assume后面通常有that，I presume you can do it是“我相信你能做它”，presume后通常没有that。

2．assuming不必属于固定的某词，如下面第二句也不算错：

Even assuming a great willingness on the part of all our friends to help, we must not forget that few of them are properly prepared for it.

Even assuming a great willingness on the part of all our friends to help, few of them are properly prepared for it.

assurance

1．除人寿保险以外，说保险通常不用assurance而用insurance。即使说人寿保险，现在用life assurance也不及用life insurance普通。在美国几乎完全不用。参见assure 2

2．assurance（保证，断言）往往用复数形式。例如：

Despite her assurances, I did not believe her.

3．下面三句意思相同：

He needed an assurance that he could reach home safely.

He needed the assurance that he could reach home safely.

He needed assurances that he could reach home safely.

注意第三句里assurances前面没有the。

assure

1．assure是“使…深信”，不是“深信”，如可以说：

I am assured of his honesty.

I am assured that he is honest.

但不可说：

I assure his honesty.

I assure that he is honest.

2．assure his life是“为他保人寿险”，但除了人寿保险以外，说保险通常不用assure而用insure，如insure his house。即使说保人寿险，现在用assure也不及用insure普通。在美国几乎完全不用。

3．下面两句意思相同：

His work assured him a degree of happiness.

His work assured a degree of happiness to him.

但不及下面三句普通：

His work ensured him a degree of happiness.

His work ensured a degree of happiness to him.

His work ensured a degree of happiness for him.

astonish(ed)

1．astonish比surprise强，astound比astonish更强。

2．关于astonished eyes（惊奇的眼睛）等，参见much 3 (5) E

astound

参见astonish

at

1．说到地方，at指较小的，in指较大的，如in China（国家），in Shanghai（大城市），at Jiangwan（江湾镇）。不过大小并没有绝对的区别，广州是大城市，但和广东省比较起来便小了，所以可以说at Guangzhou,guangdong或in guangdong, at Guangzhou。但说到省不可用at，所以江苏虽然比全中国小，却不可说at Jiangsu, China或in China, at Jiangsu，该说in Jiangsu, China。国家和大陆都该用in，不可用at。国际大都市用at和in都有，但在London前通常用in，不用at。

虽然说到很小的地方，假使那说话的人住在那里，那末也不妨把那小地方看得大些，如住在江湾镇的人可以说in Jiangwan。假定你向朋友报告你住在江湾，你说I am now living at Jiangwan，以后便可以用in。例如：I am very happy in Jiangwan.

说到某大城市的某大建筑物，往往在大城市名称的前面用at。例如：the Pantheon at Rome和the Acropolis at Athens。

说到商店、机关、学校等，假使看作一个地点（point）用at，假使看作一个场所（place）用in，如I met him at the post office和I work in the post office。但the barber's（理髮店），Green's（Green所开的店）等前面只用at，不用in。

说到门牌只用at，不用in。例如：He lives at 1184 Fuzhou Road.路名前面该用in，不用at，如in Fuzhou Road，不可说at Fuzhou Road。但说“在…路口”便可以用at，如Fuzhou Road, at Shanxi Road和at Fuzhou Road and Shanxi Road。

2．说到时间，at (1)指时刻。例如：

at three o'clock, at twenty (minutes) past four, at an early hour, at dawn, at daybreak, at daylight, at sunrise, at noon, at midday, at nightfall, at sunset, at dusk, at twilight, at night, at midnight, at this moment, at any time

（2）指较短的时期。例如：

at night, at New Year, at Easter, at midsummer, at Christmas, at the beginning of the month, at the end of the week, at the weekend, at the present day, at an earlier period

下面各种表达方式现在比较少见：

at day（在破晓时），at morning（在破晓时），at evening（在薄暮）

上面（1）和（2）里都有at night。（1）里的作“在薄暮”解，（2）里的作“在夜里”解，通常指黄昏或上半夜。

3．at five years old和at five miles distant里用at，有人以为该改作at five years of age或at the age of five years和at five miles' distance，可是这种不合理的用法很普通，尽可用得。

4．在信封地址前用at有转交的意思。例如：

Mr A. C. Lee

at 1184 Fuzhou Road

Shanghai

Mr Lee经常不在福州路1184号，请那儿的人收下转交。

athletics

参见-ics

Atlantic

英美人所说both sides of the Atlantic指英美两国。英国人说across the Atlantic指“到美国去”或“在美国那边”，美国人说across the Atlantic指“到英国去”或“在英国那边”。

attach

The receipt is attached hereto里的hereto在商业信函里往往用，实际不必要。The receipt is attached herewith里的herewith竟可以说是错误的。因为attach后面习惯接to，不接with。

attain

attain和attain to有时可以通用，有时不可通用。在end（目的），object（目的），ideal（理想），aspiration（愿望）等词前面，该用attain，不用attain to。在power（权力），prosperity（繁荣），distinction（著名），knowledge（知识），wisdom（智慧）等词前面，在表示年龄的词语（如old age, his twentieth year等）前面用attain或attain to都可以。

attainment

说“学识”习惯用复数形式。例如：He is noted for his scholarly attainments.

attempt

1．an attempt to do it和an attempt at doing it都可以说，用不定式普通些。

2．attempt通常指可数的一次一次的尝试或努力，make an attempt里的an决不可省去。但make little attempt（几乎不尝试），make small attempt（几乎不尝试），和without attempt（不尝试）等表达方式都可用。

3．attempt用作动词，后面接不定式或动名词都可以。如They will attempt to do it和They will attempt doing it。用不定式普通些。

4．attempt很容易犯双重否定的毛病，如不可说The work was attempted to be done quickly，该改作An attempt was made to do the work quickly。

attend

1．说“出席于…”用attend或attend at都可以，用attend普通些。

2．说“侍候”用attend或attend upon（或on）都可以，说医生或护士的侍候病人，用attend普通些。

3．说“注意于”或“从事于”用attend to，如I will attend to the matter soon和The child is now old enough to attend to his own needs。

attention

1．该说I want to call（或draw）his attention to the matter，不可说I want to call（或draw）the matter to his attention。但该说I want to bring the matter to his attention，不可说I want to bring his attention to the matter。I want to call the matter to his attention等句子偶尔也有，但不及I want to bring the matter to his attention普通，不算正当。也有I want to call to your attention that the matter needs to be looked into immediately等句子，在call后面用以that引导的从句做它的宾语，不是正常的用法。

2．不可说pay attention on，该把on改作to。

3．pay attention to作“注意”解，有时也作“向（女子）献殷勤”解，pay his（或your等）attentions to作“向（女子）献殷勤”解。注意第一种表达方式里用单数形式attention，没有his等词，第二种表达方式里用复数形式attentions，有his等词。

4．注意下面第一句里的a charming attention（一个可爱的殷勤行为）和第二句里的attentions：

When he offered to carry the basket for her, she considered it a charming attention.

She loves her children, but takes care not to spoil them with too many attentions.

5．下面两句里的to是介词，所以后面用动名词：

I advise you to pay more attention to recording new uses of old words.

Special attention has been paid to describing the treatment of unusual cases.

6．写信给大机关或大商店，假使需要某人或某部门注意，可以在称呼语后面或后面的下一行或两行加上Attention...或Attention: ...或Attention of...。例如：

Attention Mr J. D. King, Attention Accounting Department,

Attention: Mr J. D. King, Attention: Accounting Department,

Attention of Mr J. D. King. Attention of Accounting Department.

attic

attic是“顶楼”，在英国通常是穷人住的。它跟garret意思相同，在暗示穷困、简陋等意思的时候多用garret。

attire

attire统指“衣服”，不指“一件衣服”。现在不普通。

attitude

说“对于…的态度”，attitude后面接towards或to，如my attitude towards（或to）him和a respectful attitude towards（或to）criticism。my attitude on the question和my attitude towards（或to）the question都可以说，因为用question，所以可以用on。

attract

The scenery attracted her to loiter on the way里的attracted用得不对，该改作tempted。

auction

sell by auction（拍卖）是英国英语，sell at auction是美国英语。put up to auction是英国英语，put up at auction是美国英语。

audience

严格地说，audience是“听众”，不是“观众”，跟它相当的指“观众”的词是没有的。spectators是spectator的复数形式，不能算跟它相当。但事实上audience往往被用作“观众”解。

aught

除了for aught I know（据我所知道）这一表达方式以外，aught现在不通用。

aunt

在英语里“姑母”、“姨母”、“伯母”、“婶婶”和“舅母”都叫aunt。为区别得清楚些，“姑母”、“伯母”和“婶婶”叫paternal aunt，“姨母”和“舅母”叫maternal aunt，但总不及汉语的完备。paternal aunt和maternal aunt这种名称，除了在必须区别的时候以外，习惯上不用。

author

1．author是“著作者”，一篇文章或一本书的作者是author。但在单独用时，总指文学家，就如汉语“作家”这名称。

2．author不指“校订者”、“翻译者”或“编辑者”。

3．有些著作人用the author代I或me。似乎不很自然。

authoress

除了必须指出性别的场合以外，authoress现在很少用。

authority

1．说“主管人员”或“当局者”，习惯用复数形式authorities，前面有the，如the authorities和the local authorities。

2．说“某科权威”，authority后面接on，如He used to be considered an authority on Chinese history和Harold Williams is a well-known authority on (Jonathan) Swift。

3．a well-known Swift authority=a well-known authority on Swift

auto

auto是automobile的简写形式，是美国英语，现在几乎不用。

automatic

automatic一般译作“自动的”，当然不错，但有被误解的可能。其实automatic的“自动”是“自动电话”、“自动手枪”等的“自动”，不是“自动参加”，“自动坦白”等的“自动”。automatic有“机械地、没有意志地、自会动起来的”、“并非自发自愿的（involuntary）”的意思，跟“自动参加（voluntary parcipation），“自动坦白”（voluntary confession）等里的“自动”恰恰相反。

automa(tiza)tion

说生产的“自动化”现在用automation，不用automatization。

automobile

automobile在英国现在远不及motor-car普通，在美国也远不及car普通。在美国在名词前面通常用automobile，如the automobile business。

autumn

1．spring，summer，autumn和winter四个单词译作“春”、“夏”、“秋”、“冬”，从表面看，不能算错，其实不很正确。“春”、“夏”、“秋”、“冬”习惯从“立春”、“立夏”、“立秋”、“立冬”算起，但spring，summer，autumn和winter从天文学上说从“春分”、“夏至”、“秋分”、“冬至”算起，从立春到春分的一段时间是“春”，但不是spring而是winter，从立夏到夏至的一段时间是“夏”，但不是summer而是spring，其余两季也是这样。依照民间通俗用法，在英国把2月、3月和4月当作spring，把5月、6月和7月当作summer，依次类推。在美国把3月、4月和5月当作spring，6月、7月和8月当作summer，依次类推。

2．in autumn和in the autumn都可以说。during the autumn里的the不可省去。Autumn has come等句子里不可加the。spring，summer，winter和fall也是这样。

3．在美国很少用autumn，通常用fall。

avail

1．avail myself（或yourself等）of作“利用”解，下面两句都可以说：

I shall avail myself of your kind offer.

He availed himself of the opportunity.

这两句都属于主动语态，决不可成为被动语态。

下面这种句子却有人用，但不合语法，最好不用：

Your kind offer will be availed of (by me).

The opportunity was availed of (by him).

为什么不合语法呢？因为myself和himself都脱掉了。

所说不合语法的结构在美国比较流行。在美国也有I shall avail（没有myself）of your kind offer等句子。

2．His advice availed (us) nothing（他的劝告［对于我们］没有用）等句子里的nothing是副词。

3．of no avail（完全无用）, of little avail（没有什么用处）等是形容词短语，to no avail（完全无用），to little avail（没有什么用处）等是状语短语。例如：

He tried, but his effort was of no avail.

He tried, but to no avail.

available

1．available有时用在它所修饰的词的后面，如I will send you all particulars available和I hope to see as much as possible in the short time available。

2．近几年来available很常用，比obtainable和procurable普通。

avenge

1．avenge是“为（某人）报仇”或“因（某事）报仇”，不是“向（某人）报仇”。假使你的哥哥被敌人打伤，你要替他报仇，可以说I will avenge my brother，也可以说I will avenge my brother's injury。但不可说I will avenge the enemy。说I will avenge the enemy便是说“我要替敌人报仇”。

2．说“为某人向另一人报仇”该在指另一人的词前面用on或upon。例如：I will avenge my brother on（或upon）the enemy.

3．avenge通常指“为（他人）报仇”，revenge通常指“为（自己）报仇”。avenge有“扶助（弱者）”的意思，revenge有“为…泄愤”的意思。

4．相当于avenge的名词是vengeance，相当于revenge的名词也是revenge。

avenue

1．在英国avenue普通指两旁有树的路，在美国往往指任何宽阔的街道。

2．美国的Fifth Avenue等街道名前面没有the。

average

average在作“寻常的”或“一般的”解的时候，后面的名词用单数形式比用复数形式普通，假使后面的名词是单数形式，前面用the或an都可以，如the（或an）average college student和average college students。

averse

averse（不喜欢的、愿意的）后面现在通常接to，偶尔接from。后面接to和动名词比接不定式普通，如I am averse to hearing this music比I am averse to hear this music普通。

aversion

aversion（厌恶）后面通常接to，偶尔接from，for或towards。后接to和动名词比接不定式普通，参见averse

aviatress

参见aviatrix

aviatrice

参见aviatrix

aviatrix

aviatrix，aviatress和aviatrice都是aviator（飞行员）的女性式，aviatrix最普通。除了在必须指出性别的场合以外，普通用aviator而不用这些词。

avoid

1．avoid后面接动名词，不接不定式，如可以说You had better avoid reading in the train，不可说You had better avoid to read in the train。

2．avoid作“避免成功”解，企图避免而未能成功便不能说avoid，如不可说I avoided meeting him, but somehow bumped against him，该把avoided改作tried to avoid。

await

1．await和wait的不同，下面几点该注意：

（1）await不及wait普通。

（2）await是及物动词，后面不可加介词，如可以说I await your reply，不可说I await for your reply。

（3）await是及物动词，wait也可以用作及物动词，往往两个单词可以通用。例如：I await（或wait）your decision.

（4）await后面可以接动名词做宾语，但不可接不定式，wait后面可以接不定式做它的状语短语，但不可接动名词，如I shall await hearing from you和I shall wait to hear from you。这两句里的await和wait不可对调。await后面的动名词虽然偶尔在形式上是主动语态而在意思上却是被动的。例如：In revising the dictionary the author found a great deal of material awaiting working up.

（5）wait for可说等于await，如I am waiting for him和I am awaiting him意思相同。但wait for后面接了宾语还可以加上不定式，await却不可，如I am waiting for him to come里的waiting for不可改作awaiting。

awake

awake，awaken，wake和waken这四个单词意思相仿，而且都可以用作及物动词和不及物动词，用法也没有绝对的区别，但下面几点可以参考：

（1）用作“醒”或“使醒”解，wake最普通。

（2）用作“醒悟”和“觉醒”解，awake和awaken普通些。

（3）waken和awaken很少用作不及物动词。

（4）wake后面往往用up，waken后面有时也用up，但awake和awaken后面都不用up。

（5）只有wake有“醒着”的意思，例如：That kept me waking.

awaken

1．参见awake

2．注意I was awakened to the danger里的awakened后面用to。

awakening

注意He was now enjoying an intellectual awakening to a far different life from that which he had hitherto lived里的awakening后面用to。

award

award在作“授与”解的时候可以有双宾语，如They awarded the prize to him和They awarded him the prize都可以说。

aware

1．aware后面接of或以that引导的从句，如He is aware of our presence和He is aware that we are here。

2．在how，what，when等词的前面，aware后面的of可有可无。例如：I am not aware (of) how long he has lived here.

3．aware是表语形容词，前面不用very，习惯用well。

away

away用在back，behind，below，down，off等词前面作“相去得远地”解是美国英语，如He came to China away back in 1950和This specimen is away below the average。

awful(ly)

在口语里awful也用作副词，作awfully（很）解，但只用在形容词或过去分词前面，不用在动词后面，如I am awfully glad和He was awfully surprised里的awfully可以改作awful。但I dread awfully to see it里的awfully，不可改作awful。