150组常见英语词语辨析
1．a bit, a little
a bit 和a little的用法类似，都可修饰形容词原形和比较级。 如：I'm a bit/little tired． I'm a bit/little better now．
但是如接名词，a bit后要加of, 而a little不用 如：a bit of money=a little money 2．but for, except for but for 表示“若不是，要不是”，等于if it weren't for?, if it hadn't been for?
如：But for him, I would have died thirty years ago．若不是他，我三十年前就死了。
except for 意为“除了”，其后的宾语一般与句子所涉及的东西不同类。
如：Your composition is good except for a few spelling mistakes．你的作文不错，只是有几个拼写错误。
3．by this means, by no means, by all means
by this means 意为“通过这种方式/方法” by no means 意为“一点也不，决不” by all means 意为“千万，一定要” 如：Only by this means can you learn English well．只有通过这种方法，你才能学好英语。
This idea is by no means reasonable．这种方法毫无根据。
Try by all means to persuade him to come．一定要努力说服他来。 4．feed on, live on
二者均为“以??为主食”，但feed on的主语常是动物，而live on的主语是人。
如：People live on rice．
Cats feed on fish．143．at least, in the least at least 意为“至少”
in the least 意为“一点，丝毫”，多用于否定句中。 如：I haven't seen you for at least ten years．我至少有十年没见到你了。 I don't understand in the least what he is trying to say．我一点都不明白他在说些什么。 5．even if, even though
二者均意为“即使，尽管”，大部分情况下可通用，但是也有一点小
的区别。
如：Even if he is poor, she loves him．(He may be poor．) even if侧重假设
Even though he is poor, she loves him．(He is poor．) even though侧重事实
6．only if, if only
only if 意为“只有??才??”
if only 意为“只要，要是??就好了”
如：One can succeed only if one works hard．只有努力才能成功。 If only I were you! 如果我是你就好了。 7．in a sense, in all senses
in a sense 意为“在某种意义上说” in all senses 意为“在任何意义上说”
如：What you say is true in a sense．你所说的话有几分真实性。
It's quite necessary for a college student to learn a foreign language in all senses．一个大学生学一门外语是相当必要的。 8．in course of, in the course of
in course of 意为“正在??中”
in the course of 意为“在??的过程中，在??期间”
如：The railway is in course of construction．铁路正在修建中。 I told him everything in the course of the trip．在旅途中，我把一切都告诉了他。
9．make up one's mind, read one's mind, change one's mind make up one's mind 意为“下定决心” 如：He made up his mind not to speak a word．他下定决心不说一句话。 read one's mind 意为“看出心事，知道在想什么”
如：I've known him so long that I can read his mind．我认识他这么久了，以至于我能知道他在想什么。
change one's mind 意为“改变主意” 如：He changed his mind suddenly for no reason．他突然无故改变主意。 10．come to an end, draw to an end, put an end to come to an end 意为“??结束了”
如：The meeting came to an end at last．会终于开完了。 draw to an end 意为“快要结束了”
如：This year was drawing to an end．这一年要过完了。 put an end to 意为“结束（不好的事），制止”
如：We must put an end to this foolish behavior．我们必须制止这一愚
蠢的行为。
11．keep out of, keep out, keep up
keep out of 意为“不牵涉进去，避开”
如：I'd rather keep out of his troubles．我不愿卷入他的麻烦中。 keep out 意为“阻止，不让??进入”
如：The coat can keep out the cold．这件衣服能御寒。 keep up 意为“保持”
如：Keep up your spirits．保持你的精神。 12．carry out, carry off, carry away, carry on carry out 意为“实施，遵守”
如：He carried out his promise to give up smoking．他遵守了戒烟的诺言。
carry off 意为“叼走，夺走”
如：He carried off two gold medals in the Olympics．他在奥运会上夺得两枚金牌。
carry away 意为“使倾倒，使激动得失去控制” 如：The music carried him away．音乐使他倾倒。 carry on 表示“继续进行”
如：carry on the work 继续开展这项工作。 13．although, though 二者均意为“虽然”，大部分情况下可通用，但是though可用作副词，放在句尾，although不可这样用。
如： Although/Though he is poor, he is generous．
他虽然穷，但很慷慨。=He is poor．He is generous, though. 14．always, often, usually
always=at all times 意为“总是”，含“毫无例外”之意。
如：He always stays at home in the evening．他晚上总是呆在家里。 often 指“经常性”的动作
如：We often watch TV in the evening．我们晚上常常看电视。
usually也可指“经常”的动作，但侧重从已形成“习惯”的角度来说明动作。
如：We usually do some washing at the weekend．我们通常在周末洗衣服。
15．cap, hat
二者均意为“帽，帽子”，cap通常指无沿的帽，只前方有遮沿，如便帽，军帽。hat通常指周围有边的帽，如礼帽，草帽。 16．neither, none
二者均意为“都不”，但是neither表两者都不，而none强调三者或三者以上都不。
如：None of the three boys stayed there． Neither of the two boys stayed there. 17．can, may
二者均意为“许可，可能”，can可用于Can I?? Can you?? 而may只能用于May I?? 18．clever, bright, wise
clever 主要指“聪明，伶俐，机敏，熟练”等 如：He is clever at making excuses．他善找借口。 bright 多用于指小孩的“聪明，伶俐”，也指好的建议或想法。 如：He was a bright kid．他是一个聪明的孩子。 wise 指“英明，明智，有远见”，常用于修饰伟人的远见卓识，朋友的聪颖明智
如：It was wise of you to keep your mouth shut．你保持沉默是明智的。 19．condition, situation
condition 意为“条件，状况，情况”，常侧重于一定原因或条件造成的状态，如人的健康状况，物的完好程度、设备的可用性等。
如：The old man is in a dying condition．老人处于垂死的状态中。 situation 指某一时间由各种情况造成的“处境，形势”。
如：The present situation calls for entirely new measures．目前的形势要求采取全新的措施。 20．dangerous, in danger
dangerous 意为“危险的”是形容词，指句子的主语对别人有危害。 如：He is a dangerous man．他是一个危险人物。 in danger 意为“处于危险中”，指句子主语的处境。
如：He is in danger of losing his job．他处于失业的危险中。 21．reach, reach for
reach 意为“够得到”，表结果 reach for 意为“伸手去够”，表动作 如：I reached for the apple on the tree, but I couldn't reach it．我伸手去够树上的苹果，但没够到。 22．dead, dying, deadly 三者均为形容词，dead意为“死了”，表示状态；dying意为“要死了”；deadly意为“致命的”。
如：a dead dog 一条死狗 a dying dog 一条“濒临死亡”的狗 It was a deadly shock to him．这对他来说是致命的打击。
23．decide, determine
decide 指经过考虑或讨论研究作出决定，后接不定式、介词on/upon+（动）名词或从句。
如：It has been decided that museum shall not be open on Saturday．经决定博物馆星期六不开放。
determine 意为“决心，坚决”，后接不定式，侧重于表示决心已下，任何力量都动摇不了，还可接on/upon+动名词。
如：I determined to give him a chance．我决定给他一次机会。 24．demand, request, require
demand 主语是人时，表示坚决要求，坚持要做某事；主语是物时，指迫切需要。
如：The workers are demanding better pay．工人们要求提高工资。 request 意为“恳求，请求”，指通过正式手续提出的要求，口气和缓，态度礼貌。
如：You're kindly requested to fasten your seatbelts．请各位系好安全带。 require 表示按照法规、权利提出的要求或命令，指客观需要，含“缺此不可”之意。
如：I've done all that is required by the contract．我履行了合同所要求的每一件事。 25．desk, table
desk 指有抽屉的供读书、写字或办公用的“课桌，书桌，写字台”。 table 指用来专供吃饭、游戏、工作或其它用途的餐桌，桌子，通常没有抽屉。
如：They're cleaning the table．他们在收拾饭桌。 26．different, various
二者均意为“不同的，各种各样的”，different后可以接名词单数或复数，而various只能接复数。
如：a different book, different books, various books 27．difficulty, difficulties
difficulty 意为“困难，麻烦，费力，不容易”等时，是不可数名词。 difficulties 是difficulty的复数形式，这里的difficulty表示具体的，实在的困难。
如：We must overcome all kinds of difficulties．我们必须克服各种各样的具体困难。 28．dinner, meal
dinner 意为“正餐”，指一天中吃得比较好的或较丰盛的一顿饭，一般在中午或晚上吃。