英语语法是遣词造句的一套规则。对于中国学生来说，语法觉得难是因为有许多规则还有不少例外。这些例外生命力很强，形成习惯表达法即惯用法。惯用法是语法的特例，它跟语法既是亲家又是冤家，它们既大体一致又常常发生矛盾。一旦发生矛盾，语法就必须让步。如我们不可以说That seems an apple/a teacher,但可以说That seems a big/green apple/a successful teacher。在apple/ teacher之前必须加一个描绘性形容词，或者说That seems to be an apple/a teacher ，That seems like an apple/a teacher。又如我们希望做某事，可以说I want/wish/hope to do sth ， 但表示否定的意思，却只能说I don’t want /wish to do sth，而不能说I don’t hope to do sth。总之，像这类现象不胜枚举，所以说惯用法似乎更难。
为此，这个学习园地解答英语语法和惯用法中的疑难点，包括AmE和BrE存在的差别以及在具体词汇用法和句法结构中各语言学家的不同论述，同时提供有关英语语言及其发展的新信息或资料，以期帮助不同层次学生的学习需求。
1.汉语的表示“一本这样的书”“一个这样的学生”等，不能说成a such book /student,不定冠词必须位于such之后：即such a book/student。 such之后跟一个单数可数名词时，名词前必须有不定冠词，否则就是错误的：*such book/student。但是such位于not/no/any之后，名词前不用定冠词是正确的说法， 因为no such/not…any such=否定+such a的意思。如:
I have got such a book.
=I haven’t got such book.
=I have got no such book.
There is not such an animal at the zoo.
=There is not any such animal at the zoo.
=There is no such animal at the zoo.
2.下面哪些说法是正确的:
A. only/quite/rather few days/students…
B. only/quite/rather a few days/students…
C. only/quite/rather little water/milk…
D. only/quite/rather a little water/milk…
E. very a few days/students…
F. a very few days/students…
G. very a little water/milk…
H. a very little water/milk…
B,D,F,H的说法是正确的，only/quite/rather表示肯定的意向，所以之后必须跟a few /little。如果用very时则放在a之后。
3.问:all the books/children=all books/children?
答:all the+复数名词具有特指含义，all+复数名词具有泛指含义。试比较：
⑴ I have read all the books you lent me.
⑵ A library must keep and collect all books if possible.
⑴ All the children in Class 3 passed the test.
⑵ All children are sometimes naughty.
但是，all+复数名词也可以有特指的意义。这时，其后必须跟限制性定语。如上面两组中的第⑴句中去掉the,也可以表示特指。因为有后置定语you lent me和in Class 3 修饰。
4.“我买不起那辆昂贵的车”译成I can’t afford that an expensive car为什么不正确？应是that expensive a car。that为什么要置于expensive之前？这里的that是副词，副词修饰形容词（expensive），所以不定冠词应位于形容词之后，名词之前。能这样用的副词还有as,so,too和how(ever)。它们的固定语序是：as/so/too/that/how(ever)+副词+形容词+a/an+名词。如：so/too dark a room
that beautiful a girl
as nice a picture as that one
how strong the student
当形容词前有such或what修饰时，a/an要紧跟在such或what之后。如:
Such a beautiful girl
=so beautiful a girl
What a nice picture (it is)
=how nice a picture (it is)
5. Half an hour∕a mile∕an apple∕a cup of...表示“一半的”，在这种结构中，a也可以位于half之前，多见于AmE。如：a half hour/mile/apple/cup of...
如果把这“一半”当作整体看待，half+a/an之前可以加一个限定词，而a half之前不能这样用。如：
this/that
the first/second half+an hour/a mile...
another/the other
6.定冠词+不可数名词
物质名词和抽象名词通常属不可数名词，不跟冠词连用。 当抽象名词被一个后置定语修辞时，通常要加定冠词，表示特 指的意义，其意义缩小到一个特定的范围。试比较：
Water boil at 100°C.
The water in the cup is very hot.
Snow is white.
The snow around the house has melted.
I love music,poetry and art.
The music I heard last night was beautiful.
I like the art of the 18 centry.
但是，在一定的语言环境中，也可以不带限制性后置定语，表示你我双方都明了的意义。试比较：
It is impossible to breathe without air.
The air is not fresh.
Would you like coffee or cream?
The coffee was all right,but the cream was sour.
Milk is good for the health.
Please warm up the milk.
7.world,sun,moon,sky等前用the或a?
这些名词均指“独一无二”的意思，必须与the连用。但是，当这些名词前有一个描绘性的形容词修饰时，变成了普通名词，表示各种各样的景象。这时可与不定冠词连用。如： a. new/dark/changing/safer...world
a. burning/hot/newly risen/scorching...sun
a. bright/brilliant/full/pall...moon
a. blue/clear/cloudy/sunny...sky
8. He can speak German in another few months的说法为什么不对？
表示一个人在“能力”或“体力”上能不能做某事时，can, be able to, be capable of和it is possible for sb to do sth 通常表示相同的意思。如：
He can speak/is able to speak German fluently.
He is capable of speaking German fluently.
It is possible for him to speak German fluently.
但是，表示将来有能力做某事时，要用will/shall be able to, 不用can。由于句中有个表示将来的时间状语in another few months, 所以该句不符合习惯表达法。
如果现在决定将来是否有能力做某事时，can和be able to才可以通用。如：
He can/will be able to speak German fluently after he has finished his course.
If it is fine tomorrow, we can/will be able to visit the Great Wall.
9. 下面三个句子中，为什么只有第三句是正确的？
From our cottage the ocean waves were able to be heard.
A bottle of ink is able to last half a year.
A computer is able to do the complicated work.
Be able to后面不能跟被动结构，改用could第一句就可以了。Be able to的主语必须是指人或高级动物的名词或智能的机器，他们才有能力做某事，所以第三句是正确的。第二句的主语是a bottle of ink, 一瓶墨水能用多久，只能用can 表达，所以是错误的。
10. 多项选择：
a. I can’t afford the house/it nowadays.
b. I can’t afford to buy the house/it.
c. I can’t afford the money for the house.
d. I can’t afford the money to buy the house.
e. I can’t afford so much money.
f. I can’t afford 35000 dollar.
g. I can’t afford 35000 dollar for the house.
h. The house cannot be afforded.
以上选项中c,d是错误的，其余的是正确的表达法。Afford 通常与can/can’t/be able to连用，表示有/没有支付钱的能力和做某事的充裕时间。所以不能接money 一词作宾语[句c, d]。如果只是说“付得起或付不起钱”时，afford 则可以接money一词作宾语[句e].或接具体款目作宾语[句f. g]。afford是及物动词，但不能用于被动结构 [句h]。
11. 动态形容词和静态形容词
比较下面两组句子：
Be careful/ quick/ calm…
*Be old/ tall/ happy
He is being careful/ foolish/kind….
*He is being old/ tall/ happy…
形容词分静态（stative）和动态（dynamic）。静态形容词表示静止的，动态形容词具有动作和活动的特征。在句法上，静态形容词不能与祈使语气用在一起，不能用在be的进行时结构中。所以上面两组句子中的第二句都是错误的。
12. 本义形容词和转义形容词
本义（inherent）形容词直接描绘名词所表示的对象。它可以是定语形容词又可以是表语形容词。如：
a hungry man → The man is hungry.
her soft voice → Her voice is soft.
the green leaves → The leaves are green.
大多数形容词是本义的，它往往可以派生出一个意义相同或相似的名词：hungry→hunger , soft → softness , happy → happiness , green → green等。
转义（noninherent）形容词不是直接描绘或说明名词所描绘的对象，它只能作定语形容词用，不能作表语用。试比较：
a true scholar → *The scholar is true.
a true report → The report is true.
a strong opponent → *The opponent is strong.
a strong soldier → The soldier is strong,
a complete stranger → *The stranger is complete.
a complete failure → The failure is complete.
a wooden actor → *The actor is wooden.
a wooden cross → The cross is wooden.
以上每组中的第一句都是转义形容词，所以不能转换成表语。每组的第二句都是本义形容词，所以既可以作定语又可以作表语。
转义形容词可看作与相应的副词有关：
He is a true scholar. → He is truly a scholar.
It is a complete failure. → It’s completely a failure.
She is a strong opponent. → She is strongly an opponent.
转义形容词不像本义形容词能派生出一个名词。试比较：
a firm handshake → the firmness of the handshake
a firm friend → * the firmness of friend
a true report → the truth of the report
a true scholar →¬ *the truth of the scholar
13. all与主语、(介词)宾语同位时的位置：
观察下列句子中的all位置：
a. we all (=all of us)
The students all know the answers.
(=all the students)
b. I gave an apple to the students all.
c. Have you drunk it all (=all of it)
d. It was all our fault.
e. what fun it was all.
句b 和e是错误的。当(介词)宾语是名词短语时，all 不能位于之后作同位语，应改为all the students 或all of the students或all of them/them all。当be 之后的表语由于结构需要而位于主语之前时，all也要向前移位于be 前面，句e的正确语序what fan it all was.又如：I could only think how unfair it all was.
14. all but 有两种意思：①almost/nearly ②except(for)
当all but 用在(分词)形容词、副词、动词之前，表示almost/nearly 的意思。如：
we have all but finished it.
He is all but tired after a long journey.
The watch was all but over when we arrived.
All but 之后接名词(短语)或代词时，作except(for)解。如：
All but John/him passed the text.
I’ve learned the poem by heart, all but the last verse.
The money has been paid back, all but a few pounds.
15. all可接一个认为可分的单数可数名词，但名词前必须带限定词。在许多情况下与whole表示相同的意思。注意all与whole的位置和限定词的用法:
All the/his family, story, banana…
=the /his whole family, story, banana…
与时间名词连用时，whole 的语气比all强。在AmE 中，all与时间名词连用常省略冠词the。如：
The whole day/morning/week/month/years…
= all day/morning/week…
= throughout the day/morning/years…
All唯独不与hour和century连用，要用whole表示：the whole hour/century。在否定句中，all之后仍然不用定冠词。如：
I haven’t seen him all day/morning.
16.让步状语（从句）
英语的“让步”（concession）相当于汉语的 “虽然；尽管•••仍；不顾 ”等意思，通常由以下介词（短语）和连词表示相同的意思：
In spite of
｝ his injured leg, he won the race.
Despite
his leg was injured
(Al)though ｛
he injured his leg, he won the race.
Injured as his leg was ,he won the race.
要注意下面的几点用法：
① despite 比 in spite of较为正式,但in spite of比despite的语气稍微强些，都可跟一个表示让步的关系分句：
In spite of
｝ the fact that his leg was injured,he won the
Despite race.
这种结构比较啰嗦，虽然语法上是正确的。
② despite of的结构现在很罕见，已被废弃。In despite of 是一个陈旧的惯用词组。在兰登 （Random）词典（1987)和英语介词用法词典（by F.T.Wood,1979）上有以下例子：
He persisted in his conduct, in despite of repeated warning.
He was tolerant in despite of his background and education.
③ 语法学家一直认为though不如although来得正式，虽然可以交换使用，但还是有若干不同之处：
a. 为了强调对照，可以把though引导的分句中的某个成分置于句首，although的分句不能这样用。如：
Poor though he is, he is happy.
Fail though I did, I would not abandon my goal.
Bravely though they fought, they had no chance of wining.
b. though之前可以加even，表示强调，与even if相当，但although不能与even连用。 如：
Even though/If I didn’t know anybody at the party, I had a good time.
c. though之前还可以加as，其用法和意义与as if相当，但although就不能这样用。如：
He behaves as though/if he were better than us.
d. as引导让步从句时，虽与（al）though同义，但必须用倒装结构，以区别于as当连词时表时间或原因。如：
Patient as/though he was, he had no intention of waiting three hours.
Try as he does, he will never be top of his class.
比较下列句子：
I met John as/when I was coming here.(表时间)
As/since I couldn’t speak French, I lost my way.（表原因）
17. almost在句中的位置，会影响句子的意思。试比较：
We almost sold the house.(but we didn’t )
We sold almost all our furniture.(but we kept some)
almost应于被修饰的词（组）的前面，如：
The baby’s almost walking now.
She’s almost thirty.
She said yes almost before he’d finished speaks.
They’ll almost certainly forget to do it.
Almost half of the students visited the Great Wall.
18.almost, nearly和practically这三个副词与“几乎/差不多”的意思有关，在许多情况下没有多大差别，如：
It’s almost / nearly / practically dark.
Almost / nearly / practically everyone went there.
在选用这三个词时，要注意以下几个点：
A. Nearly可以用在very, pretty和not之后，其他两个不可以这样用。如：
It’s not / very / pretty / nearly /﹡almost /﹡practically dark.
B. Almost 和practically 可以用在any（或复合不定代词/副词），no（或复合不定代词/副词），none和never之前，而nearly不能这样用。如：
Almost / Practically /﹡Nearly nobody came / any bus came.
I almost never see her.
Almost / Practically no answer was given.
在BrE中，更常用hardly any 或scarcely any替代almost no。如：
almost no
There was｛ hardly any ｝snow that winter.
scarcely any
C.这三个词都可以用在all,every(或复合不定代词/副词），always或谓语动词否定式之前。如：
We almost / nearly / practically didn’t have food to eat.
We almost / nearly / practically always have food to eat.
Almost / nearly / practically everyone/all the students have food to eat.
19.another的用法
下面哪些词组是正确的表示法呢？
a. My another friend/photo…
b. Another my friend/photo…
c. This another friend/photo…
d. A quite another question/book…
e.Another two friends/photos…
f.Another additional question/book
※g.Another cups of tea
Another是an+other的意思，因为有不定冠词，就不能再another之前再加其他限定词，以上句a)-d)均是错误的表达法，应改为：
Another friend/photo of mine
Another of my friends/photos
My other friend/photo
This other friend/photo
Another 只能限定可数单数词，不能限定复数名词，所以句g是错误的。但是在复数名词前加上一个基数词two, three, four…则是标准英语。所以句e)是正确的。
Another指“另一个”，additional也是表示这个意思，所以一起使用（局f）。下面几个词组表示相同的意思。
Anther two books/days
Two more books/two books more
A further/an extra two books/days
An additional two books/days
20.least or the least?
Least是多功能的词，可以当限定词，代词或副词用。又是little的最高级形式。何时选用the least，下面几点供参考：
A. 当限定词用在名词前要用the least,如：the least danger/water/apples/students等。
B. 当代词单独使用时，least之前the可以省略。如：
Buy the one that costs (the) least（Longman）
People will choose the product that costs least (Macmilan)
the least当先行词后随定语从句时，the不能省略。如：
It was the least I can do to help.
Giving him food was the least we could do.
The least后随of-短语时，the 也不能省略。如：
He was the man who did the least of the work and got. the most of the money.
Money is the least of my problems right now.
注意：the least of 之后的名词是可数的，必须用复数，见上一例。
C．least当副词修饰形容词/分词形容词或修饰形容词+名词的短语时，必须用the least。如：
She chose the least expensive of the hotel.
I think you are the least suitable person for the job.
Least修饰谓语动词时，位于之前不必加the；位于句末时，可加可不加the。如：
He liked Miss Smith (the) least.
It was the answer he least wanted to hear.
It happened just when we least expect it.
21. than any or any other?
比较下列句子：
She runs faster than any girl in the class.
He runs faster than any girl in the class.
London is more densely populated than any city in the world.
London is more densely populated than any city in China.
每组的第一句属逻辑上的错误。因为any girl包括了she；any city in the world已经包括了London。比较级不能把自身包括在比较级范围内。所以必须在any之后加other (any other girl/any other city), 才能把自身排除在比较范围之外，以避免与自身进行比较。
每组的第二句是正确的，因为he可以与any girl in the class, London可以与any city in China进行比较。又如：
The film is more interesting than any novel.
The train runs much faster than any car.
22. than anyone or anyone else?
如果比较的另一方是复合不定式(everyon，everything等)或复合不定副词(every where等)，这时在后面必须加else加以排除。下面每组中的第一句是错误的，第二句是正确的：
Knowledge is more important than anything.
Knowledge is more important than anything else= (any other thing)
I don’t know how to do it; you can ask everyone.
I don’t know how to do it; you can ask everyone else (every other person)
You must have left the keys somewhere.
You must have left the keys somewhere else.
else 是副词，修饰复合不定代词或复合不定副词时，必须做后置修饰语。
23. 有关年龄的说法
询问一个人的年龄和进行回答，下面各句式表示等同的意义。其中age是正式的用法，old已口语化：
What’s your age？
A What age are you？
My age is twenty（years）．
I’m twenty years of age.(不能省略age)
I’m aged twenty（years）．
I’m age twenty（years). (AmE)
B: How old are you？
--I’m twenty (years old).(不能加of age)
24. “他比我大两岁”可用下面的句式表示：
He is two years older than me/I.(口语)
He is older than me/I by two years.
He is two years my elder.
He is my elder by two years .(非正式的)
He is two years senior to me.(少用)
25. 询问一个人的高度时，可用下面的句型：
How tall is he？
----He is about 6 feet/1.8 metres tall.
How high is he？
----He is about 6 feet /1.8 metres high/in height.
----His height is about 6 feet/1.8 metres.
26. foot 作为度量单位后接tall和high时，国外绝对大多数语法书和词典都认为用零复数或feet均可。如：
She is five foot/feet tall.
The building is 30 foot/feet high.
如果没有tall 或high时，用feet 是通常的用词。如：
She is only five feet.
The building is 30 feet.
当foot之后接inches时，许多语法书和词典都一致认为用零复数foot。如：
She is five foot three（inches）.
The building is 30 foot 8 inches in height.
但是，构成复合词时，只用foot。如：a four-foot deep river/a 5000-foot high mountain。
27. 一条河有多长，多宽，多深，用下面表示法均可：
The river is 3,000 metres long/in length.
The river has a length of 3,000 metres.
The river is 30 metres wide/in width.
The river has a width of 30 metres.
The river is 10 metres deep/in depth.
The river has a depth of 10 metres.
同样，这块木头有多厚应是：
The wood is 0.5 metres thick / in thick.
28. Out通常作副词小品词和表语形容词用。Be out随着不同的主语或与其他词语相关联时，能表达各种不同的意思，多半表达一种状态或情况。现整理归纳如下。
You were out when I called.(不在/出去）
The house was silent and all the lights were out.(灯熄了)
We do have the book you ask for , but it is out at the moment. (借出/租出，被借走)
Your can’t hide your gambling any longer — the secret is out. (泄露出去/泄密)
The exam results aren’t out yet.(未公布)
The rose will be out in June.(开花)
The starts are out tonight. (出现/能看见)
Workers at this factory are still out. (罢工)
Their business was so successful that they managed to pay back the loan before the year/month was out. (今年年终 /本月底）
The Social Democrats were out after 15 years in power. (下台/不执政)
Two of the best players on the team were out after ten minutes. (出局/被淘汰）
The head referee said the ball was out. (出界)
Now that the tide was out, we could walk across the sands. (退潮)
The book/magazine is just out.(出版)
The copy machine is out again.(机器或电器设备等出故障)
Our estimates were only out by a few dollars. (误差，错误，不准确)
You were 2.5cm out/out by 2.5cm in your measurements. (同上)
I must have been out for a couple minutes before I recovered consciousness. (昏迷)
This year pink is definitely out. (过时/不时髦)
Every month the magazine lists what’s out and what’s in.(同上)
Anything that costs more than 5,000 is out. (不能接受/不可能）
Smoking is definitely out among the children. (同上)
The company is simply out to make large profit. (力图做某事)
She doesn’t usually help the charity — she’s only out for the publicity. (力图获得/意在...)
He is a dangerous man, and he is out for revenge. (同上)
Paul reckoned we’d need 12 gallons of paint, and he wasn’t far out. (基本正确)
We are facing a major crisis and there is no easy way out.(出路)
29. out of 是复合介词，用在系表结构 be out of 和另一个系表结构be out（见学习园地之13）一样，表示多种意思，of之后的名词决定be out of 的意思。现整理归纳如下：
I’ll be out of town for a couple of weeks. (不在/离开某处)
The copy machine is out of order. (出故障)
(比较：The copy machine is out. )
The car/girl was out of sight. (看不见)
Both she and husband are out of work/employment / a job. (失业)
The patient are now out of danger. (脱离危险/脱险)
Nelon shirts were out of fashion 20 years ago. (不时髦，过时)
(比较：Tight jeans are definitely out. )
The crowd were out of control after being so excited. (失控/难以控制)
The machine is out of repair. (坏了/无法修理)
The violinist /singer is out of tune. (变调/失调)
The President was out of power. (下台)
(比较：The President was out in power. )
The photo is out of focus. (焦距没调好/焦点没对准)
The apple/ shelf was out of reach. (够不着)
He must be out of his mind/head to have spent that much money. (极其愚蠢/昏了头脑)
My hat was out of shape after the rain. (变形)
Everyone was fighting everyone else——I’m glad to be out of it. (没有参与/置身事外)
We’re out of toilet paper/food，etc. (耗尽/没有了)
Rest is now out of the question. (不可能)
She is out of patience towards her son. (失去耐心)
After hearing what he said she was out of temper. (发脾气)
30.“一群”（畜牲/动物）在英语里有固定的搭配。现归纳整理如下：
A a flock of geese/ducks/sheep/goats(禽类和羊类的名词)
B a herd of cattles/elephants（牧群或兽群类的名词）
C a pack of volves/dogs/hunds（犬类的名词，一起生活和猎食的动物，尤指狼群）
D a pride of lions（通常只接狮群的名词）
E a school/shoal of fish/dolphins/whales（水生动物群的名词）
F a swarm of bees/wasps(黄蜂)/locusts(蝗虫)/ants/flies (成群飞行昆虫类的名词)
31.一袋/盒/包已包装称重待售的食品，英国英语（BrE）、美国英语（AmE）和澳大利亚英语（AuE）表示法不一样。
一盒口香糖：a packet of chewing gun (BrE/AuE)
a pack of chewing gun (AmE)
一袋炸薯片： a packet of crisps (BrE/AuE)
a bag of crisps（AmE,also AuE）
一盒/袋饼干：a packet of biscuits (BrE/AuE)
a packet of cookies (AmE)
一袋麦片：a packet of cereal (BrE/AuE)
a box of cereal（AmE）
一盒香烟：a packet/box of cigarettes (BrE)
a pack of cigarettes(AmE)
一袋500克通心粉：a 500g packet of spaghetli (BrE)
a 500g packet of spaghetli (AmE)
总之，BrE用a packet of，表示“一袋/盒/包”，而AmE用a package of 或a bag/box of 表示。
32. 有学生问：以下两种结构相等吗？
He asked me to swim.[1]
He taught me to swim.[2]
答：这两个结构不相等。句[1]的不定式to swim是宾语me的补足语，me to swim是复合宾语又称复合结构。又如He told me to go there with her.
句[2]是双宾语结构，即间接宾语+直接宾语。因为swim是teach教的直接内容。如果在to swim之前加how，就更容易理解：teath how to swim.
但下一句的结构与句[2]的又不一样：
Failing the test taught me to work harder.（测验不及格使我更用功读书。）
to work harder不是直接宾语，而是宾语me的补足语。如果进一步改写，那就看得更清楚：
Failing the test taught me that I need to work harder.
再举一例：
The experience taught her to share with others.
=The experience taught her that she should share with others.（那次经历使他明白应与别人分享。）
在通常情况下，sth teaches sb to do sth的结构中，不定式是宾语补足语；sb teaches sb else to do sth的结构中，不定式是直接宾语。
33. 有学生问：be certain / sure to do 和be certain / sure of doing表示的意思相同吗？
1） be certain和be sure在用法上有许多相似的地方，后面可以接to-不定式或of+ing形式，但在意义上有差异。如：
to succeed.
They are certain / sure
of succeeding／success.
to pass his exam．
George is certain／sure
of passing his exam．
接to-不定式是指说话者的态度：(相信)他们肯定会成功／(相信)乔治肯定会通过考试。接of+ -ing形式是指句子主语的态度：他们相信自己一定会成功／乔治相信自己会通过考试。
即使主语是第一人称，也存在同样的差别。如：
I am sure to win.(There is widespread confidence that I shall win.)
I am sure of winning．(I feel confident that I shall win.)
2） be certain to和be sure to可用副词certainly和surely来改写句子(美国英语多用surely)。如：
They will certainly／surely succeed．
George will certainly／surely pass his exam.
也可以用it is certain that来改写，但sure不能用于it is sure that的结构。如：
It is certain／*sure that they will succeed．
据DCE，在英国英语中，当你确“知”某事的真相时就说certainly或I’m certain．
当你表示确“信”某事如此时就说surely或I'm sure。但在否定句中，sure和certain的意思相同。如：
where he is
I’m not sure／certain
how to do it．
3）be certain和be sure接that-或wh-分句，表示说话者对将来或过去的事情的态度。接wh-分句时，介词of可随意使用。如：
The police are certain/sure(that)he was murdered.
Are you sure (of) how much the machine costs?
Are you certain(of)whether the problem was solved?
4） be certain／sure除接of外还可以接about。be certain about不如be certain of常见且不能接 -ing形式。如：
Are you certain of／about that?
No one was certain about his qualifications for the post．
5）在英国英语中，certainly用来表示十分肯定的回答，而美国英语用sure或surely。
—May I borrow your knife? -- Certainly／Sure／Surely.
一Can you dance? -- I certainly／sure／surely can.
6） be certain和sure的否定式是be not certain／sure，也可以是be uncertain／unsure。如：
certain (that)he deserves promotion．
I am not
sure whether he deserves promotion．
uncertain
They were (of) who was to blame.
unsure
34、缺乏/缺少，可用下面的表示法之一：
A I have been/run short of money/people,etc
（比较：The money has been/run short.）
We are/go short of management personel/water, etc
We have a shortage of
be short of中的short是形容词，go/run short of 中的short 是副词
B He does not want for money/food.
He has never wanted
For want of anything bettet to do I watched television for a while.
If we fail it won’t be for want of trying.
(=We have tried even if we fail.)
want for 指缺乏/少时通常用于否定句。上面最后两句中的want为名词。
lacked
C The army food/facilities.
was short of
lack 比 be short of 显得正式。但lack或be lacking in 通常与抽象名词连用，如：
lacks
He ability/conscience/enthusiasm, etc
is lacking in
这里的lacking 是表语形容词，不是进行时。这可以从下一句得到确认：
A diet lacking in nutritional value will not keep a person healthy.
名词短语lack of sth也是表示缺乏/少，如：
Lack of sheep has made him irritable.
A lack of food caused her to/made her (to) grow weak.
The drought was caused her to/by a lack of rain.
D That part of the town is completely void of interest for the visitors.
Her performance was void of any real intersity(激情).
He is completely void of charm(吸引力)so for as I can see.
be short of 之后通常接非人称名词，又如：be void of reason/commonsense/meaning/effect等。间接，也有人接人称名词。如：
Suddenly the street was void of people.(Family Word Finder by Reader’s Digest.)
35、travel, trip, tour, journey这四个词都含有“旅行、旅游”的意思。travel指去往远方（特别到国外）的长途旅行或一段时间的旅行；trip指短途的旅行，tour通常指短途的参观性质或浏览名胜的旅行，通常指不到一天的多人参加的远足/外出参观；journey通常指陆地的漫长而艰难的旅行，从甲地到乙地所走的路程和所花的时间。
A travel 作名词用是不可数的。因此，说“一次旅行”要用a journey 或 a trip。如：
I hope you will have a good journey/＊a good travel.
I love travel/travelling.
但指去过好几个地方的（一系列）旅行（尤其到国外旅行），travel 可用复数形式。如：
Hello, you’re back from your travels.
She’s off on her travels again.
Her travels have taken her to many parts of the world.
Write a book about one’s travels.
B in one’s travels 指“在旅途中”（in the course of one’s travels）,on one’s travels 指“在旅行期间”（travelling）。其实用起来没有那么严格区分，如：
Have you ever come across my friend John Smith in your travels?
If you happen to meet my friend John Smith (while you are) on your travels, you might remember me to him,
We met a lot of interesting people on/in travels.
C 各种形式的旅游/行有一定的搭配：航空/太空/出国旅游必须用travel：air/space/foreign travel;骑车/乘船/垂钓/露营/购物等旅行用trip： a cycling boat/fishing/camping/shopping trip，一天游也用trip： a day trip；乘车/火车/徒步/观光等旅行用trip 或 tour；a bus/ car/ coach/ train/ walking/ sightseeing trip/tour；乘车旅行有时也用journey： train/car/bus journey； business travel/trip除指商务旅行外，有时指公务出差。
36 有学生问，下面两句的in ten minutes的意思相等吗？
I can run 2 miles in ten minutes. [1]
The first two races will be run (off) (= will happen) in ten minutes. [2]
上两句中的ten minutes 意思正相反。句[1]的ten minutes 指“10分钟内”：我10分钟能跑2英里。句[2]的指“10分钟后”：头两场比赛再过10分钟开始。
in用作时间介词有两种含义：“在…之后”和“在…之内”。
A “在…之后”是指以现在为起点的将来一段时间，跟将来时连用。这时的in 相当于“after”的意思，但不能用after 替换之(也可以用’s(s’））+ time 或若干时间+ from now表示。如：
It’s Monday. I’ll be back in four days. (=on Friday)
in three months
I’ll see you in three months’ time
in three months from now
如果不是指以现在为起点的将来一段时间，就不能用’s(s’)+ time。试比较以下例句：
Sanderson will run a mile in four minutes.
(in = within: 将在4分钟内跑一英里)
Sanderson will run a mile in four minutes’ time.
（将在4分钟后开始跑一英里）
B in 指“在…之内”时，与within 同义。如：
Rome was not built in a day.
A fast train does the journey to London in three hours.
The work was done in a week.
在通常情况下，如果谓语动词是终止性的，in 作“在…之后”解释，如果谓语动词是持续性的或终止性的动词与频度时间状语连用表示能够重复的行为动作。in 作“在…之内”解。试比较：
I’ll call on him in a week ( from now ).
I’ll call on him twice in (= within ) a week.
He’ll come in a month ( from now ).
He’ll come several times in (= within ) a month.
由于in 既指“在（若干时间）之后”又指“在（若干时间）之内”，所以I can do it in ten minutes。就有两种意思：“过10分钟我才能做”或“在10分钟之内我能做完”。在这种情况下，可以使用更正式的within 和 in ten minutes from now 来改写这个句子：
within ten minutes.
I can do it
in ten minutes from now.
C in与finish和complete (尤其是过去时)连用，通常作“within”解释。如：
I finished the exam in / within an hour and a half.
We should be able to complete the work in four days.
in three months.( in the space of three months from when he started it )
He finished the job ? (in) three months from then.
* in three months’ time.
37 时间/时刻的表示法
A 英国人问时间时说：
Have you got the time?
or: What time do you make it?
美国人则说：
Do you have the time?
or: What time do you have?
B 如果小孩能看懂钟表上的时间，英国人说他们能tell the time，美国人则说tell time。
C 讲到几点“正”时，o’clock可省略：
(at) eight/eight o’clock (A.M/P.M)
为了强调准点，可用sharp或just（注意位置不同）：
(at) eight (o’clock) sharp
(at) just eight (o’clock)
D 中午12点：twelve (o’clock)/miday/noon/twelve noon
午夜12点：twelve (o’clock)/midnight/twelve midnight
E 8.05/8:05: eight 0 five/five (minutes) past eight
AmE又说：five (minutes) after eight
8.17/8:17: eight seventeen/seventeen minutes past eight
8.30/8:30: eight thirty/half past eight
BrE又说：half eight
AmE又说：half after eight
注意：1. minutes在5或5的倍数之后可以省略。
2. 在含有past/after之后不用o’clock。
F 8.15/8:15: eight fifteen/(a) quarter past eight
AmE又说： (a) quarter after eight
8.45/8:45: eight forty-five/(a) quarter to nine
AmE又说： (a) quarter of nine
G 8.01/8:01: eight 0 one/a (one) minute past two
AmE又说： a (one) minute after two
7.59/7:59: seven fifty-nine/a (one) minute to eight
差1-2分钟到8点或8点过1-2分钟，更常说：
nearly eight (O’clock)/coming up to eight/just befor eight
just after eight/(BrE) just gone eight
或说：around/about eight
K AM/am和PM/pm是拉丁语，即in the morning/in the afternoon，所以用了AM/PM不能再用in the morning/afternoon，如：（at）8/eight AM/PM，或：(at) 8/eight in the morning/afternoon
(at) 8/eight AM in the morning/afternoon
L AM/am和PM/pm也不能与o’clock连用，如在（at）7/seven O’clock AM/PM中，应去掉o’clock或去掉AM/PM。
M 火车/飞机时刻表要用24小时制表示，不用AM/in the morning和PM/in the afternoon。如下午1:35/晚上8:05应用13.35/20.05表示，读成：thirteen thirty-five/twenty 0 five.如果是整点14.00/20.00用hundred一词：fourteen/twenty hundred (hours)
8.30的快车读作(the) eight-thirty exprees，不用o’clock。但整点快车，通常插入o’clock：（the）ten o’clock express.
N 你的表比标准时间快了/慢了五分钟，用five minutes fast/slow；如果每天走快/慢了，用it gains/loses (time)。
38 “随着时间/岁月的流逝”可用下面黑体部分的句子或介词短语表示：
As time passed
As time went on , he slowly recovered from his injuries.
As time went by
over/with time
The curtains have faded
as years have gone past
Over the course of time, holes have formed in the rock.
As time has moved on
, she has been used to living here.
As time has marched on
39 下面是有关time的谚语：
A Time and tide wait for no one.（岁月不待人）
B Time heals (all wounds).（时间治愈一切）
Time is the best healer.（时间是最好的医生）
Time is a (great) healer.（时间是治愈创伤的良药）
C Time flies.（光阴似箭/时光飞逝）
D Time is money.（一寸光阴一寸金/时间就是金钱）
E Time passes/moves on.（时光/间流逝）
F Time is of the essence.（时间是关键）
G Time hangs heavy.（时间难以打发）
H There’s no time like the present.（事不宜迟/说干就干）
I Time is the father of truth.（时间是真理之父）
J Time tries truth/all things.（时间检验真理/一切事物）
K Time works wonders.（时间创造奇迹）
L Cirecumstances change with the passage of time.（时过境迁）
M It’s only a matter/queslion of time.（只是时间问题）
N Times are changing.（时代在变）
O Keep up/move with the times.（跟上时代潮流）
P Keep pace with the times.（与时俱进）
40. 有学生问:下面两句中为什么第一句是错误的?
absented
Several students from the lecture.
were absent
1 absent当及物动词用时，必须接一个反身代词作宾语再接from，否则是错误的。这时与to be absent (adj) from同义。to absent oneself from通常表示“蓄意/故意的行为”(a deliberate action)，而to be absent from则没有这个含义，它仅表示缺席者未曾出席。试比较：
did you absent yourself
Why (from school) yesterday?
were you absent
2 要表示缺席者所缺席的场所：不论名词absence或形容词absent均接介词from。如：
His absence from work／the meeting was not noticed．
Why were you absent from school/work/home yesterday?
3 不是指缺席的场所，absent之后可以接其他介词。如：absent on business(因事缺席)，absent with leave(请假缺席)，absent without leave(无故缺席)等。试比较：
Mr Smith is absent from London.（现在不在伦敦）
Mr Smith is absent at/in London.（不在这里，现在伦敦/或去伦敦了）
during his absence from London（他离开伦敦期间）
during his absence at/in London（他在/去伦敦期间）
4 absent作名词前置定语时，有两种截然不同的意义：absent修饰指人的名词时，如absent friends／students…，指“不在场的(朋友)／缺席的(学生)”；absent修饰抽象名词时，作“茫然的／心不在焉的”解，如：an absent look／expression／air…名词absence不能作定语用，本意为“缺席／不在场”，但转义为“缺乏／缺少”，后随of。如：the absence of the information／evidence／definite proof／standard rules…
5 absent作动词和作形容词用，读音不同。
40 accept和receive的区别
accept和receive都是及物动词,都有“收到、接收”之意。如：accept/receive a present/a gift/an invitation/an offer等，但含义不大相同。receive仅仅指接收所给予的，没有承诺或给予同意；accept指乐意地接受所给予的，含有积极的心理意识。如：
The head has already received several calls from angry parents.
I received a phone call from my friend．
He was accused of accepting bribes．
She was in London to accept an award for her latest novel．
They offered her a job，and she accepted without hesitation.
从以上实例可以看出，receive仅表示不拒绝接受，没有主观因素；accept表示情愿地接受，有明显的主观色彩。在accept当中，含有receive的意味；在receive当中，没有accept的含义。这从下面一例便能看出：
I received her invitation, but I didn’t accept it.
41 “去看电影”这个意思能有哪些表示法？
我们可以用cinema/film/picture/movie这四个词表示，除了cinema之外，其余三个词都要用复数形式。如：
Let’s go to see the cinema (BrE)/films/(moving) pictures/movies(AmE).
或:Let’s go to see a film/a picture/a movie(AmE).
但“去看戏”用go to the theatre表示。
42 关于be + n和be + of + n的结构
be + n和be + of + n均是系表结构，但使用的场合不同。be + n中的be相当于数学中的等号，经常用于表示身份的句子中间，如在I'm a teacher．/He is my brother．/She is Mary．的句子中，I = a teacher，he = my brother，she = Mary。但不能说 * They are both height. * The problem is importance. * The work you are doing is value.因为they和height，the problem和importance，the work和value之间不能划等号。这时必须用be + of + n的结构，或者用be + 名词的相应形容词的结构：They are both of height(=both tall /high)．/The problem is of importance(= is important)．/The work you are doing is of value(=is valuable)．
be + of + n的结构通常用于表示某人或某物的属性或特征，相当于汉语“具有”的意思，of之后常接抽象名词。再看下面的实例：
The steel produced in this factory is of good quality (=is qualified)．
Playing fire is of danger (=is dangerous)．
Such a tool is of use (=is useful)．
These two pairs of shoes are of the same size．
43 有人问：decided作分词形容词用，与decisive有何区别？
decided和decisive这两个形容词在意思上有相当大的重叠，但含义却有微妙的差别。如decided victory和decisive victory都指“决定性胜利”的意思。decided victory指真正的(real)、无疑的(unmistakable)胜利，而decisive victory指决定战争终局的胜利(即给一个明确的结局)。如：The Battle of Sarotoga was a decisive victory for the Americans．(萨拉托卡之役是美国人的决定性胜利——使他们最终取得了胜利的结果。)总之，decisive暗示的是结局，而decided只表示暂时的确定。再看两组例子，便可进一步理解decided和decisive的区别：a decided chairman指一位对自己的观点充满信心且毫无顾虑地、毫无保留地把它们表达出来的主席——一位坚定的主席。a decisive chairman指一位能使自己的决定得到认可和执行的、有说服力的主席，或暗示一位不需多少犹豫就能坚决做出决定的主席——一位果断的主席。又如在一场网球赛中，a decided advantage指一个明白而无可置疑的优势——一个明显的优势，但比赛胜负还拿不准；然而，a decisive advantage指“一个决定性的优势”，选手事实上是不会输的，他处在尽可能强大的状态。
44 下面两句有何区别？
The old man didn’t die happily.
Happily, The old man didn’t die.
第一句的happily是谓体附加状语（predication adjunct）,修饰谓语：这老人死得不快乐。
第二句的happily是外加状语（disjunct）,修饰整个句子：幸好，老人没有死。
英语语法把状语分为三大类：附加状语（adjunct）、disjunct (联加状语)和disjunct (外加状语)。可参阅R.Quirk等人著的《A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language》（1985）Chapter 8。
45 有学生问：为什么My pen was lost.不是被动结构？
答：I lost my pen. 通常没有相应的被动结构：？My pen was lost by me.但My pen was lost.是正确的英语：我的钢笔丢失了，这里的lost是形容词，已失去过去分词的特征。lost作形容词常用在系表结构中，现归纳整理如下：
1 sb is lost (in someplace)（迷路，失散）
We’re truly lost (=got lost) in the forest.
2 sb is lost without sth/sb（迷惘，不知所措）
The old man was lost without his glasses.
We’d be lost without you.
3 sb is lost in sth（专心于，沉醉于；在…中消失）
She was completely lost in her book/the music.
The ship was lost in hurricane.
4 sb is lost for words（不知说什么好）
The old lady was so surprised that she was lost for words.
5 sth is lost（遗失，失去……）
My pen is lost (in the room).
6 sth is lost to sb（某人丢失）
The opportunity was lost to him.
7 sth is lost on sb（未被领会；对某人不起作用）
The joke was lost on him.
All my good advice was lost on them.
8 All is not lost.（口语，还有一线希望。）
46 有人问：in the outskirts of (the city/town)是习惯表达法，但现在也能见到on the outskirts of 的结构。有何依据？
答：in the outskirts of确实是习惯用法，这在20世纪国外有影响的词典里都是这样用。但现代英语确实也有人用on the outskirts of 的结构，这在21世纪初出版的剑桥《国际英语词典》（International Dictionary of English 2004）上有此实例：
The factory is in/on the outskirts of New Delhi.
这家工厂在新德里的郊区。
47 有学生问：ban, forbid和prohibit表示“禁止” 的意思，有何区别？
答：1 ban, forbid和prohibit都是及物动词，表示“禁止”的意思，ban的语气最重，指政府机关或权威机构正式禁止能危害公众利益或安全的行为，而且多见于被动语态。如。
Ban atomic and nuclear weapons!
Swimming is banned in this river.
He was banned from driving for six months.
Bicycles are banned from the new mototway.
2 prohibit也是指政府机关或权威机构禁止（做）某事，如法律和法规禁止赌博、贩酒、吸烟等，是比较正式的用语，应用范围较ban广。如：
the carrying of firearms.
The law prohibits
the passengers from carrying firearms.
Prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages!
The school authorities prohibit loitering on or near school grounds.
3 forbid 是最普通用词，语气比prohibit弱。可用于较细小的事情，比ban/prohibit含有较为个人的意味。例如禁止吸烟、饮酒、外出、肉食等。如：
His father has forbidden him to go out at night.
It was useless to forbid children to play in the park.
4 这三个动词虽然在意思或语气上有些不同，但实际用起来就没有那样严格的区分。如“禁止抽烟”都可以用这三个动词表示：
In most offices nowadays smoking is forbidden/prohibited/banned.
5 这三个动词都可以接名词短语或-ing分词结构作宾语。ban和prohibit还可用于ban/prohibit sb from doing sth的结构。传统语法只用forbid sb to do sth的结构，不用forbid sb from doing sth,但现代英语可以这样用。如：
Army policy forbids soldiers from talking to the news media.(麦克米伦：《高级英语词典》)
He is forbidden from leaving the country.(剑桥：《英语学习词典》)
Women are forbidden from going out without a veil(面纱).（朗文：《当代英语高级词典》）
同样，ban/prohibit sb from doing sth不能改用ban/prohibit sb to do sth表示。
48 关于n-to-be的复合词
在n-to-be的结构中，to之前可加一个表身份的名词构成复合词，作future（未来）解。如：his bride-to-be（他的未婚妻/准新娘），her (bride) groom-to-be（她的未婚夫/准新郎），teachers-/scientists-/mother-to-be（未来的教师/科学家/准妈妈）等。
49 economic和economical的区别
这两个形容词在意义上似乎没有多大的关联。
1 economic是名词economics（经济学，经济）的形容词形式，也可以是economy（经济）的形容词形式。所以，指与经济科学和经济制度有关的，要用economic,如：economic history（经济史），the economic basis（经济基础）/policy（经济政策）/system（经济制度）/blockade（经济封锁）/problem（经济问题）/bankruptcy（经济破产）/situation（经济形势）/measure（经济措施/比较：economy measure节约措施）等。
2 economical指与“节约的、节剑的”有关，以避免浪费，因此也是economy（经济）的形容词形式，如：an economical worker/housewife/shopper（节剑的工人/家庭主妇/顾客），（form）an economical habit（养成节约的习惯），an economical administration（节约开支的行政机关），an economical stove（节约燃料的炉子）等。
3 由于economic和economical都与名词economy（经济）有相关意思，因此在19世纪政治经济领域的economical man在20世纪被称为economic man（经纪人），economic有时也可以用来表示“节约的”。但着重点和涉及面往往略有不同。据读者文摘的《英语准确用词词典》，从生产者、销售者、出租者等的角度来讲，常用economic。如：economic prices（低廉的价格）和economic rents（低廉的租金）就是那些使店主或房东不盈不亏或者少量获利的价格和租金。从消费者、购买者、租方等的角度来讲，就用economical。如：economical prices（实惠的价格）和economical rents（实惠的租金）就是那些对顾客或租户来说划得来的价格和租金。
4 economical能用在be economical of 的结构，economic不能这样用。如：be economical of one’s time（节约时间）/money（节约用钱）/energy（节约精力）/fuel（节约燃料）等。
50 do 和make指“做”的意义时，能等同吗？
make和do都有许多释义，当指动手“做”某事时是同义词。如：make/do a translation, make/do sth, make/do a suit, make/do a report等。但make和do能互换的情形是不多见的，一般它们都有自己的固定搭配。如：make a face/faces（做鬼脸）/make one’s choice（做出选择）/make a show（做样子）中的make不能用do来替代；do one’s homework（做作业），do business（做生意），do a sum in one’s head（做心算）中的do不能用make来替换。make和do都可以用于许多短语中，什么时候用make或do, 并无规则可循，我们应留心它们的固定搭配。下面是make和do作“做”解时的一些固定搭配：
A make an effort（做出努力）/contribution to（做贡献）/love（做爱）/a model aircaft（做飞机模型）/clothes（做衣服）/toys（做玩具）/a cake（做糕饼），make a deal with（做成交易），make a note (of)（做笔记），make friends with（做/交朋友）等。
B do one’s lessons（做功课）/good（做好事）/well（做得好）/right（做得对）/evil（作孽）/one’s best（做最大努力），do the cooking（做饭），do one’s hair（做发型），do one’s repair（做修理工），do something stupid（做蠢事）等。
C 试比较：
—What are you making? —A cake/shirt.
问：你在做什么？ 答：做糕饼/衬衫。
—What are you doing? —Cooking/Doing my homework.
问：你在干什么？ 答：做饭/做作业。
make常用来表示做出原先不存在的事物（见以上A），如：make artificial flowers/a noise/a fire等。
do则指做某个动作，如：do the shopping/labour/my exercises等。
D make除指“做”外，还有“作”的意思。而do没有“作”的意思。如：make a decision（作出决定）/an arrangement（作出安排）/preparations（作准备）/a statement（作声明）/an explanation（作解释）/an investigation（作调查研究）/merry（作乐）/false evidence（作伪证）/a poem（作首诗）/a self-criticism（作自我批评）等。
E 试比较下面两个句子：
She made him a good husband.[1]
She made him a good wife.[2]
这两句结构完全不同。句[1]的a good husband是宾语him的补语，有对应的被动式：He was made a good husband.句[2]的a good wife是主语she的补足语，因此不可能有被动式，句子的意思是：She was a good wife to him.
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