英语写作 | 常见易混淆词汇辨析

affect vs effect
两个“影响”辨析

Affect and effect are two words that are commonly confused. Affect is usually a verb (action); effect is usually a noun (thing).
Affect和effect这两个词语经常被混淆。Affect通常用作动词,表示某种行为,而effect常用作名词,表示某事。

Hint: If it's something you're going to do, use "affect." If it's something you've already done, use "effect."
提示:如果某事是你正打算要去做的,那么用affect;如果某事是你已经做完了的,那么就用effect。

To affect something or someone.
“影响”某事或某人

  • The noise outside affected my performance.
    外面的噪音影响了我的发挥。
  • Staying away so long from office will affect promotion.
    长期离职会影响晋级。

The use of "effect" as a verb is what causes the most confusion between these two words.
effect用作动词时,最容易和affect造成混淆。

To have an effect on something or someone.
对某事或某人有“影响”

Note: effect is followed by the preposition on and preceded by an article (an, the)
注意:effect前面一般要有冠词a/the,effect后面通常要加介词on。

  • His smile had a strange effect on me.
    他的笑容对我有一种奇怪的影响。
  • Parents worry about the effect of music on their adolescent's behavior.
    家长们担心音乐对于其青少年子女行为的影响。

some time / sometime vs sometimes
一段时间、某时和有时的辨析

Some time means a period of time.
Some time表示一段时间。

  • The government still has sufficient instruments and still some time to move on this question.
    政府仍然有足够的工具和时间来应对这个问题。
  • I think Jenny and I need some time right now anyway.
    反正我和珍妮需要一点时间。

Sometime indicates a time in the future or the past which is not known or not stated.
Sometime表示未来或者过去的某个时间,而这个时间目前还未知或者没有表述清楚。

  • They hoped to meet up sometime.
    他们希望能找个时间见个面。
  • The sales figures won't be released until sometime next month.
    销售数据要到下个月的某个时候才会公布。

Sometimes means on some occasions but not always or often.
Sometimes指的是有时,但并不经常,表示频率。

  • During the summer, my skin sometimes gets greasy.
    夏天我的皮肤有时会变得爱出油。
  • I differed with my partner sometimes,but we usually agree.
    我有时与我的伙伴争论,但我们通常是一致的。

e.g vs i.e
“例如”和“也就是”的辨析

e.g. stands for exempli gratia = for example.
e.g.是拉丁语exempli gratia的简写,表示“例如”,用于举例说明。

  • I like fast cars, e.g. Ferrari and Porche.
    我喜欢跑车,比如法拉利和保时捷。

In the sentence above you are simply giving an example of the kinds of cars you like - Ferraris and Porches.
在上述例句中,e.g.后要加你喜欢的车子的类型,即法拉利和保时捷。

i.e. stands for id est = that is (in explanation).
i.e.是拉丁语id est的简写,表示“也就是、即”的意思,用于解释说明。

  • I like fast cars, i.e. any car that can go over 150mph.
    我喜欢跑车,也就是时速超过150英里的车子。

In this second sentence you are giving an explanation of what you consider to be fast.
在第二句例句中,i.e.后是对跑车的说明,即你认为的跑车是多快的车子。

raise vs rise
raise和rise的辨析

When used as a verb they both have the same general meaning of "to move upwards", the main difference is that rise is an intransitive verb (it does not take an object), while raise is a transitive verb (it requires an object):
当raise和rise做动词用时,两者都有“抬高、提升”的意思,其区别在于rise是不及物动词(后面不加宾语),而raise是及物动词(后面要加宾语)。

rise (v) Something rises by itself
rise(动词),自动升起

  • The sun rises in the east.
    太阳从东方升起。
  • Luther rose slowly from the chair.
    卢瑟慢慢从椅子上站起身来。
  • I will rise tomorrow morning at 6 a.m. to walk the dog.
    我明天早上要6点起来去遛狗。

Rise is an irregular verb: rise / rose / risen
rise是一个不规则动词,其变化形式是rise/rose/risen。

raise (v) Something else is needed to raise something.
Raise(动词),把某物举起

  • Linda raised her hand.
    琳达举起了手。
  •  The government is going to raise taxes.
    政府要加税。
  • He raised himself into a sitting position.
    他起身坐了起来。

Raise is a regular verb: raise / raised / raised
raise是规则动词,其变化形式是raise/raised/raised。

Assume vs know vs think
assume、know和think的辨析

To assume is a regular verb that means to suppose something to be the true, but without proof.
Assume是一个规则动词,意思是假设某事是真的,但并没有真凭实据。

  •  I assume you're here to learn English.
    我假设你来这里是来学英语的。

To know is an irregular verb that means to be absolutely certain or sure about something, usually through observation, inquiry, or information.
Know是一个不规则动词,意思是完全确信、肯定某事,通常是通过观察、询问或各种信息得出的结果。

  • I know I should practise English every day, but I never seem to have the time.
    我知道我应该每天练习英语,但我似乎从来都找不到时间来这么做。

To think is an irregular verb that means to have a particular opinion, belief, or idea about someone or something.
Think是一个不规则动词,意思是对某人或某事有一种特别的观点、信念或想法。

  • I think English is a global language.
    我认为英语是一种全球通用语。

Note - If you need to remember which one to use, memorise this sentence: Why do some people assume they know what other people think about something?
提示:如果你想记住这三个词的区别的话,记住下面这个例句就行了:为什么有些人自认为他们知道别人在想些什么?

Overtake vs takeover (take over)
overtake、takeover和take over的辨析

Overtake is a verb. It can mean to go beyond something by being better, or if you're driving to come from behind another vehicle or a person and move in front of it.
Overtake是一个动词,意思是通过变得更好从而超过某物,或者指开车时的超车,也可以指赶上某人,来到某人的前面。

  • You should always check your rear view mirror before you overtake another car.
    在你超车前,你应该要查看一下后视镜。

Takeover as a noun is used when one organisation gains control of a company by buying most of its shares.
Takover是一个名词,用来指某个机构通过购买另一个公司的大部分股份从而掌管了该公司。

  • In September 2006 Merck announced their takeover of Serono SA.
    2006年9月,Merck公司宣布收购Serono SA。

Take over as a phrasal verb means to get control of a company by buying most of its shares.
Take over是一个动词词组,意思也是通过购买某一个公司的大部分股份从而掌管了该公司,即收购。

  • Merck finally took Serono over in 2007.
    Merck公司于2007年最终收购了Serono公司。