第二章  常用易混短语辨析
1.add to, add … to, add up to
add to 是个及物动词词组,后直接跟宾语,意为:"增加,增添"addto的意思是"把……加到……上"add是个及物动词,to是介词。add up to "加起来等于,总达"的意思,后多跟数字。如:
His illness added to our difficulties.他的病增加了我们的困难。
Would you please add a few notes  to  the article?你能给这篇文章加些注释吗?
This bill adds up to  $15.这个账单总计15美元.
2.adhere to, stick to
两个短语都是"坚持"之意。如果坚持的是"意见,计划,决定,原则"等,两词可互换。如果坚持的是一种活动,只能用stick to。如:
He sticks to (adheres to) his opinion.他固执已见。
He sticks to the study of English.他坚持学习英语。
3.a kind of, of a kind, kind of
a kind of 是前置定语,后接不可数名词或可数名词单数,意为:"一种,某种"of a kind 是固定短语,作后置定语,意为:"同类的,质量低劣的"kind of 是副词短语,意为:"有一点,稍微,似乎"。如:
It was a kind of fruit with a hard crust.那是一种壳很硬的水果。
They are two of a kind.他们俩是一种货。
We had coffee of a kind.我们喝的咖啡质量太差。
He looks kind of weak after his illness.他病后有点虚弱。
4a many of, many a
a many of 相当于a great (good) many, 后接名词的复数,谓语动词也用复数。many a 表示“许多”,后接名词单数,谓语动词也用单数。如:
There are a many ( a great many) schools in Zhengzhou.郑州有很多学校。
Many a man has seen the film before.很多人以前看过这部影片。
5.anything but, nothing but, none but
anything but 意思是“根本不,决不”,后接名词或形容词。nothing but意为“仅仅,只不过”,相当于onlynone but 相当于nothing but,意思是“除了……之外,什么也没有”,或“只有”。如:
The exam was anything but easy.这一次考试绝不容易。
He is nothing but a teacher.他只不过是个教师而已。
They chose none but the best.他们只有选择最好的。
6.as a result, as a result of
as a result 是个介词短语,作接续状语,用逗号与其他部分分开,意思是:“结果,因此”。a
s a result of 是短语介词,后接名词或名词短语,意思是:“由于……的结果”,“因为……”。如:
She didn’t study hard, as a result, she failed in the exam.她学习不努力,结果考试没及格。
He was killed as a result of the plane crash.他死于飞机失事。
7.as it is , as it was, as it were
as it is 用于句首,意思是:“照当时的情况”或“事实上”,过去时用as it was as it were 是独立成分,作插入语使用,常位于句中,意思是:“可以说,好像是”。如:
As it is, she has to stay at home.事实上,她非呆在家里不可。
The sky is covered,as it were, with a black curtain.天空好像被黑幕遮住了似的。
8.at (the) least, in the least
at (the) least 意思是“至少”,“不论怎么样”。in the leastnot连用,意思是“一点也不”。如:
It requires at leats 2 days.这事至少需要两天的时间。
I’m not in the least tired.我一点也不累。
9.at ease, with ease
at ease 意思是:“快活地,舒适地”。with ease表示“容易地”的意思,相当于easily,如:
I always feel ill at ease in strange place.profit的形容词在陌生的地方我总感到很不舒服。
This thing can be done with great ease.这件事情轻而易举地就可办成。
10.before long, long before
before long是“很快,不久”的意思,可用于各种时态。long before是“很久以前”的意思,一般用于过去时态。如:
I will see the film before long.我不久就要看这部电影。
He said he had seen the film long before.他说他很久以前看过这部电影。
11.begin with, to begin with
begin with 是动词短语,作谓语,表示“以……开始”的意思。to begin with 是不定式短语作独立成分,作插入语使用,意思是:“首先”。如:
Let’s begin with the question.让我们先从这个问题谈起。
I can’t go to travel. To begin with, I have no time, besides, I have no money.我不能去旅游。首先我没时间,再说我也没钱。
12.be responsible for, be responsible to
两词均表示“对……负责”。be responsible for是对事负责,be responsible to是对人负责。如:
I’ll be responsible for what he has done.我会对他做的一切负责。
He is responsible to me.他对我负责。
13.break one’s word, eat one’s words
break one's word意思是“失言,食言,毁约”的意思,word只能用单数。eat one's words意思是因为意识到自己的过失而“收回前言”,或者“承认错误”,words只能用复数。如:
He is a man who never breaks his word. 他是个绝不食言的人。
It’s hard for a haughty man to eat his words.要一个傲慢的人认错很难。
14.by contrast, in contrast to (with)
be contrast 是个介词短语,表示“通过比较,对比之下”的意思。in contrast to (with)是个短语介词,意思是“和……对比”,“与……截然不同”。如:
We can find the similarities and differences between them by contrast. 通过比较,我们能看到他们之间的共性与不同点。
In contrast to (with) your belief, we succeeded.与你认为的正相反,我们成功了。
15.by heart, at heart
by heart 意思是:“靠记忆”,常与get, learn, know等搭配。at heart意思是:“在内心深处”。如:
My daughter learned many poems by heart.我女儿背了许多许。
You are corrupted at heart. 你骨子里是腐败的。
16..compare to, compare with
compare to 一般用来说明两个比较对象之间的共性,意思是:“把……比作……”。compare with意思是:“把……和……相比较”,目的是出不同点。另外,compare with可与can not或者can连用,意思是:“(不)能相比,(不)可匹敌”等意思。如:
Shakespeare compared the world to a stage.莎士比亚把人生比做舞台。
The lecturer compared the two poets with each other.这位演讲者把那两个诗人相互作了比较。
He can not compare with Shakespeare as a writer of tragedies.作为一个悲剧作家,他无
法与莎士比亚相比。
17.complain about/ on, complain of
两个短语都有“抱怨”的意思。complain about/ on批“抱怨”时,意思是泛泛的、没有具体内容的唠叨。complain of 是有具体的“抱怨”的对象和肉容,也可以用来表示“投诉”的意思。如:
She always complains about (on) her life.她总是抱怨生活。
She complains of his laziness.她抱怨他太赖。
18.correspond to, correspond with