adventure与venture

这两个词都有冒险的意思，都可用作名词和动词。那么它们之间究竟有何不同呢?adventure多用于褒义场合，指危险中非常激动人心的经历。

例如：He talked about his adventure in the desert.他讲述了他在沙漠中的一些冒险经历。

venture主要用于商业上的冒险和投机活动，特别指那些不是一下子发迹就是输得精光的投机活动。作动词时，还可表示冒昧，敢于的意思。

例如；One lucky venture in Australia made his name overnight.在澳洲一次幸运的投机使他一夜成名。I venture to say that by the year 2500 there will be men living on the moon.我敢说，到公元2500年会有人在月球上居住。

answer for与answer to

这是两个比较容易混淆的词组。这两个词都是动介型短语动词，介词后接名词或代词作宾语。answer for是“对……负责”、“因……(错误)而负责”的意思。

例如：Do you think parents should have to answer for their children's behavior?你是否认为父母应对子女的行为负责?

You will have to answer for your wrongdoing one day.终有一天会你会为你的错误行动付出代价。而"answer to"是“适应，符合”和“与……一致”等意思。

That answers precisely to our need.这正好符合我们的需要。

This is the answer to the question.这就是问题的答案。

apply for与apply to

apply for是一个大家都很熟悉的词语，意思是“申请，请求”。

例如：I want to apply for the position.我想申请这个职位。

apply to 可以表示“敷上，涂上”。

例如：Apply some medicine to his wound.在他的伤口上敷一些药。它还可用来表示“努力，专心”，相当于 “devote…to”。

例如：He applied himself to the research.他很卖力地做此项研究。

at all与after all

这两个是介词短语，都在句中作状语，起加强语气的作用，但其用法和意义是有区别的。前者常用于否定句，疑问句和条件句中。用于否定句时，表示“根本”；用于条件句时，译为“当真，实在”。

例如：I didn't understand him at all. 当时，我根本不明白他的意思。

If you want to keep your job at all, do it well.若你要保住这份工作，就得好好做。

after all常常用来表示“毕竟，终究”的意思。Don't blame him, he is a little boy after all.别责备他了，他毕竟还是个孩子。So you see I am right after all.你看，终究还是我对。

base与basis

这两个词在作名词时可表示"基础；基地"，但其意义是不同的。base用来指某物体的具体"基础"或底部的"支柱"。

例如：We camped at the base of the mountain.我们在山脚下扎营。

Our company's base is in New York , but we have extended many branches all around the world.我们公司的总部设在纽约，但是分公司遍及全世界。

而basis则用来表示抽象意义上的"基础"，常用于比喻句。

What's the basis of your opinion?你的意见的根据是什么？

We are willing to develop economic relations with all countries on the basis of mutual benefits.我们愿意在互利互惠的原则下同各国发展经济关系。

be about to，be to do，be going to

都可用来表示"将要做某事，但含义和用法有所不同。be about to 从时间上来讲，等于be just going to do，意思是"即将，马上就要去做"。因此，在由这个短语构成的句子中，一般不可再加上表示时间的状语（如at once, next）

例如：I am about to leave for Shanghai.我将要去上海。

be to do主要表示安排或计划要在将来做的事情，它还可以表示命令等语气，相当于should, must 等。它可以同将来的时间状语连用。

例如：The US President Bill Clinton is to visit Japan next week.美国总统比尔?克林顿将于下周访日。The letter is to be handed to him in person.这封信必须面交他本人。

be going to do 一般可以和be to do 换用，它在通常情况下表示计划，安排或准备去做某事的意向，但并不一定马上去做。它一般都与时间状语连用；此外，它还可以用来表示某种推断或可能性。

例如：What are you going to do for your holiday?假期有什么打算吗？It's going to rain soon, look at those black clouds.看那些乌云，快要下雨了。

beat，hit，strike

这三个词都有"打；击；敲"的意思，但仔细分辩，还是有其各自的用法。beat 表示"连续不断地打击"；尤其指心脏的跳动。hit表示"撞击"（尤指一次性的）或命中（目标）。而strike除了与hit同义外，还可以理解为划（火柴）；给人深刻印象等。

例如：The man looked dead but his heart was still beating.这个人看上去已经死了，可心脏还在跳动。He hit the ball so hard that it went over the wall.他使劲地击球，结果球越过了墙。

She struck (or: hit) him hard on the head with a vase.她用一只花瓶使劲地往他头上一敲。

He went in, struck a match and lit a candle to give light. 他进屋，划了根火柴并点燃了蜡烛照亮了房间。The foreigner was deeply stricken by the beauty of the West Lake.外宾对西湖之美印象极深。

beside与besides

这两个词都是介词，且只相差一个字母，但意义却相差甚远。beside的意思是在……旁边 和与……比较起来。

例如：May I sit beside you?我可以坐在你的旁边吗？

This year's profits don't look very good beside last year's results.与去年相比，今年的利润看来不太好。

besides的意思是除……之外（还），相当于 "in addition to"。

例如：There were three other people at the meeting besides Mr. Smith.与会的除了史密斯先生外，还有三人。

注：besides还可作副词用，解释为此外，而且。

例如：I don't feel like dancing tonight. Besides, I will have an exam tomorrow.我今晚不想跳舞，再说我明天还要测验呢。

blow up与blow out

blow up一词的含义颇多，可归纳为：

1. 炸毁The soldiers blew up the bridge with dynamite.士兵们用炸药把桥炸毁了。

2. 发脾气，责骂 When we arrived a little late, our boss blew us up.我们晚到了一会儿，老板就骂了我们一顿。

Mary was two hours late home from the party and his father really blew her up.玛丽聚会后回到家里比她答应的时间晚了两小时就遭到她父亲的一顿骂。

3. 打气 Be sure to blow up the type before you drive off.开车之前，一定要把轮胎打足气。

而blow out则表示吹灭。

She blew out the candle on her birthday cake.她吹灭了生日蛋糕上的蜡烛。

Blow out the lamp, please.请吹灭灯。

break into与break in

这两个词组长得很像，有人甚至认为它们完全可以互换，其实则不然。 "break into"表示破门而入，闯入。

例如：A house was broken into between midnight and 5am.在午夜到早上5点这段时间，有人闯入一家房子。

The robbers broke into his home and robbed him of many possessions.强盗们闯进他的家中，抢走了许多财物。

但它还有一个意思，就是突然开始……"，即to suddenly start to do sth."。

例如：The audience broke into cheers as the band came on stage.当这支乐队一出场，观众就报以热烈的掌声。

而 "break in"的另外一个意思是打断（话）；插嘴。

例如：Don't break in when he is telling the story.他讲故事的时候，别打断他

There's no doubt about it," he broke in."那是毫无疑问的，他插嘴说。

Excuse me for breaking in on your conversation.请原谅我打断了你们的谈话。

burn out与burn up这两个词组都是动副型动词，在表示烧光，烧尽时，可通用。

例如：The big fire burned out (up) two tall buildings.这场大火把两座高楼烧掉了。

burn out主要指灯泡，设备等烧坏；它还可以表示放火将……赶出。

例如：Any electric light bulb will eventually burn out.任何灯炮最后总会烧坏。

I turn on a switch but the light had burnt out.我打开电源，但电灯已经烧坏了。

Hundreds of families have been burnt out of their homes.有人放火使数百人无家可归。

but do与but to do

这两个词组都可表示除了做……之外的意思，相当于except do与except to do。它们属于 "but不定式结构，即but是介词，后接带to的不定式和不带to的不定式。比如在but前面的句子中出现了实义动词do, but后一般接不带to的不定式。反之则用but to do的形式。

例如：He could do nothing but wait.他除了等，别无它法。

He had no choice but to kill himself.他除了自杀外，别无其它选择。

by chance与by any chance

by chance表示偶然地，意外地，碰巧的意思，相当于by accident，在句中作状语。

例如：I had no idea he was there. I met him by chance.我不知道他会在那儿，我是偶然碰见他的。

The news came to my ears by chance.我是偶然听到这个消息的。

by any chance表示万一；也许的意思时，在句子中作插入语，它一般用于否定句或疑问句中。

例如：If, by any chance, he failed to come, we'll ask John to work the machine.万一他不来，我们就叫约翰开机器。

Have you by any chance a map of Shanghai?你也许有上海的地图吧？

but for与but that

but for表示要不是的意思，相当于if it were not for, if it had not been for。它常用于虚拟语气。for 是介词，其后只能接名词（词组）。

例如：But for your help and guidance, I should fail.要不是你的帮助与指导，我早就失败了。

but that 表示除……以外，除非等意思，相当于except that; 也可以表示要不是的意思。but that后接从句。例如：We ask nothing from you but that you should give a clear statement of the facts.我们什么也不要你的，就是要你把实情清楚地交代出来。

He would have helped us but that he was short of money at that time.要不是他当时没有钱，他就帮助我们了。

It will go hard but that we shall bring more land under cultivation.除非我们扩大耕地面积，否则事情就不好办。

can与be able to

这两个词都可以表示“能够”。can通常用来表示现在的一般能力。如：Look, I can do it.嗨，我会做这事啦。而当表示将来能力时，一般要用will be able to。此外，be able to 还表示要经过一番努力才能做到的事。如：If I concentrate on the work, I'll be able to work out the problem.如果我集中思想于工作的话，我就可以想出这个问题的解决方法。I'll be able to speak French in another few months.再过几个月我就可以说法语了。

call on与visit

call on：“拜访”，为社交用语，强调较正式的访问。如：I hope to call on you at your office at three o'clock today.我希望今天下午三点钟到办公室去拜访你。

visit：“访问，参观”，指为一定目的去访问某人或参观某地。如：Professor Li is often visited by his students.学生们常去看望李教授。

注意：call at与call on都可以作“访问”解，但call at后接地点；call on后接人。如：I called at the bank and drew some money today.今天我去银行取了些钱。

centre与middle

centre“中心”，指圆和球体的中心点并可用作比喻，指事物或活动中心。如；He placed the flowers in the centre of the table.他把花放在桌子的中央。At the centre of the park there is a monument in memory of the hero.在公园的中央有一个英雄纪念碑。London is the political, economical and cultural centre of Britain.伦敦是英国政治，经济和文化中心。

middle：“中间”，指空间或时间意义上与两端等距离的中间部分。如：He telephoned me in the middle of the night.他半夜给我打来电话。Soon they were in the middle of the river.不久他们来到河中央。

chance与opportunity

chance表示“机会；可能性（强调偶然性）”，如：If we can swim, the chances are that we can save our lives.如果我们会游泳的话，我们就有可能得救。Harold has lost a lot of money so he wants to take a chance on stock exchange.海洛得丢了很多钱，因此他想在股票上碰一碰运气。

而opportunity表示机遇（强调好时机），既可作可数名词又可作不可数名词。如：This has been my only opportunity to practise speaking English.这一直是我练习英语口语的唯一机会。I am very glad to have had the opportunity to talk to you.我很高兴能有机会与你交谈。

certain与sure

certain表示“有把握的，确信的”，语气较强，主语可以是人也可以是物，表示有充分的信心。有时也有“某些”的含义。如：It is certain that the temperature will rise.气温一定会上升。He is certain to come.他一定会来。

sure“确信的，无疑的”，作此义解时，主语常为人而不是物。如：He is sure to succeed.他一定会成功。注意：certain和sure在接不定式和of短语时意思上有差别。试比较：They are certain/sure to succeed.他们一定会成功。They are certain/sure of success.他们有成功的把握。第一例用不定式表示说话人对某事的推断，有“一定，必然”的含义；第二例用of短语表示主语本人的信念，有“确信，对...有把握”的含义。再如：The strike is certain/sure to take place.罢工必然会发生。They are certain/sure of victory.他们确信会获得胜利。

care about与care for

这是两个动介型短语动词，后接名词或代词作其宾语。在表示“为...担忧”的意思时，两者可交换使用。

care about主要用来表示“对...感兴趣；关心；在乎”的意思。如：I don't much care about going.我并不很想去。I don't care about what people think.我不在乎人们怎么认为。

care for则主要用来表示“喜欢，对...中意”和“照顾”等意思。如：She doesn't seem to care for him.她好像不喜欢他。Small children are well cared for in nurseries when their parents are working.当父母在工作时，孩子们在托儿所里受到良好的照顾。

carry on与carry out

carry on意为“进行，继续”，强调一个行为的进行过程。它可以不跟宾语，也可接表示“工作，讨论，竞赛，战斗”等一类的名词作宾语，相当于continue。它另可作“经营”解，相当于manage。如：Don't let me interrupt you, just carry on.别让我打断你，请继续。I'll try to carry on the work in spite of difficulties.尽管有困难，但我还是会继续这项工作。Rising costs make it hard to carry on the business.成本上升给生意经营带来了困难。

carry out意为“进行，贯彻，实现”，含有按照某个要求或准则进行的意思。它必须接宾语，且宾语往往是表示“工作，活动，职责，命令，计划”等一类的名词。此词语相当于put into practice。如：I have some difficulties in carrying out her order.我感到执行她的命令有些困难。The government was trying to carry out the policy of "family planning".当时，政府正尽力贯彻“计划生育”政策。

catch up with与keep up with

catch up with为“赶上（某人或某事）”，有追上并可能超过的含义。如：We'll do out best to catch up with the advanced industrial countries.我们将尽力赶超先进的工业国家。

keep up with作“不落后于（某人或某对手）”解，有与之并驾齐驱的含义。如：The girls had to run to keep up with the boys.这些女孩子不得不加快脚步以赶上男孩子们。

cause与reason

cause指造成一种事实或现象的“原因”，尤指自然原因或客观原因。如：What's the cause of his success?他成功的原因是什么？

reason指说明一种看法或行为的“理由”，它往往是通过逻辑推理得出的。如：Give me your reasons for refusing.给我你拒绝的理由。This is the reason why he killed the woman.这就是他杀掉那个女人的原因。

clothes，clothing，cloth

这三个词都与人们穿的“衣”有关，但含义却不同。clothes永远以复数的形式出现，指人们穿的各种衣服包括裤子，内衣，衬衫等；其前不能用数词修饰。如：These clothes are new.这些衣服是新的。Do I have to change my clothes for the meeting?我去参加会议要换衣服吗？

clothing是集体名词，为衣物的总称，是一种区别于其他事物的概念。除了衣裤之外，它还包括帽，袜，手套，被褥之类的东西，如：The shop sells articles of men's clothing.这个商店卖男式服装。In winter, children need warm clothing.冬天，孩子们需要暖和的衣服。

cloth一般用作不可数名词，指“棉布，毛织品”；它亦可作可数名词，指“某一特定用途的一块布”，复数形式是cloths。如：He will take three yards of cloth to make a suit.他做一套衣服要三码布。She cleaned the window with an old cloth.她用一块旧布擦窗户。

chief与main

这两者都表示“主要的”。chief表示所指的对象在重要性、地位、等级方面高于其他同类事物，暗示其他事物处于从属或次要地位。

main多用来形容事物的某一组成部分，表示该部分在重要性、力量、大小等方面超过其 他部分，起着主体的作用。The chief reason for going to school is to learn. 去学校主要是去学习的。The president is chief of the armed force.总统是武装部队的首脑。Our main meal is in the evening.我们的主餐是在晚上。Note down the main points of the speech.请记下讲演的要点。

choose与select

choose为“挑选，选择”，使用范围较广，指从众多的对象中挑选，这种挑选取决于个人的意志与判断，不强调客观标准。它所选择的对象可以是不同种类的，可以是有形的或无形的。choose带有最终选定的含义，即表示选定后不再变化。如：In the new department store there is a lot to choose from.在新的百货商店有很多可供选择的商品。He chose Miss Li for his wife.他选李小姐为妻。You have to choose between life and dead.你必须在生与死之间作出选择。

select为“挑选，精选”，语气比choose重，多用于正式场合。它指仔细地，审慎地精选，强调客观性，而不是主观性。它所挑选的对象可以是有形的或是无形的，但一定是同一种类的。如：The best machines were selected and sent to the exhibition.最好的机器被选去参展了。He selected a birthday present for his dear daughter.他为他亲爱的女儿挑选了一个生日礼物。

come to one's help与come for one's help

come to one's help表示“来帮某人的忙”，与come to help someone意义相同。如：When they heard my cry, they immediately came to my help.他们一听到我的叫声就赶忙来帮忙了。When one man is in difficulties, ten thousand come to his help.一人有难，万人帮忙。

come for one's help表示“来求某人帮助”，与come to ask someone for help意义相同。如：When he is short of money, he often comes for my help.他缺钱花的时候，他常来找我帮忙。She couldn't solve the problem, so she came for our help.她不能解决这个问题，因而来找我们帮忙。

continual与continuous

这两个形容词均可表示“连续不断”的意思，但它们在含义上有区别。continual指某一动作不时重复，重复之间有短暂停顿的含义；还有使人不愉快的含义。如：We are not happy with those continual interruptions.我们对那些不断的打扰很生气。My work has been delayed by his continual visit.我的工作被他频繁的拜访给耽搁了。

continuous指某一动作在一段时间内没有中断的含义，表示“持续不断”的意思。如：We felt tired after two days' continuous flight.经过两天不停的飞行，我们感到很累了。There was continuous fighting on the frontier all day yesterday.昨天一整夜，边界上的战斗没有停过。

compare...to与compare...with

compare...to为“把...比喻为，把...比成“，指不同类事物的比较，表示抽象的比喻。compare...with为“把...与...比较”，指两个同类的事物相比较，表示人和人，事物与事物之间异同的程度。Life is compared to a voyage.生命常被比作一次航行。People compared him to a little white cat.人们把她比作一只小白猫。Compared with many women, she was indeed very lucky.与许多其他女人相比，她的确很幸运。Compare your translation with his, you'll find how many mistakes you've made.与他的翻译相比，你会发现你的有很多错误。

consider，regard as，treat as

consider和regard as都表示“认为是”，两者常可换用。前者偏重经过考虑后的看法，后者则偏重“把...看作”的含义，且必须与介词as连用。如：They considered Miss Shen a good English teacher.他们认为沈小姐是一位优秀的英语教师。I regard her as my own sister.我把她看作自己的亲妹妹。They regarded me as their best friends.他们把我看作是最好的朋友。

treat as表示“对待，当作”，指在某种认识的基础上对待某人某物，着重点在行动，而不是看法。treat as 中的as也可用like代替。如：Don't treat me as/like a child.别待我象孩子似的They treated me as/like a member of the family.他们待我像家里人一样。

consider 后可接从句，也可跟带有名词，形容词，不定式及介词短语的复合结构；regard as后除接名词外，还可接形容词，分词及介词短语等；treat后则只能接名词。如：I consider that he is the most suitable man to do this work.我认为他是担任此项工作最适合的人选。They considered my opinion valuable.他们认为我的观点很有价值。I regard him as stupid.我认为他很蠢。She considered herself to be correct.她认为自己是对的。We can't regard the matter as settled.我们不认为事情已经解决。He regarded it as of little use.他觉得这没什么用。

coloured与colourful

虽然这两个形容词的词根均是colour,但它们的含义不同。coloured表示“有某种颜色的（having the colour specified）"的意义，常用以构成复合词。如：She is wearing a cream-coloured dress today.她今天穿着奶油色的衣服。Coloured people were looked down upon at that time in America.那时在美国有色人种被人瞧不起。