拆解混淆詞組

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「或許」的英語是“maybe”還是“may be”（分開兩個字）？我們應何時用“indoor”和“indoors”？究竟「練習」是“practice”還是“practise”？我們又應在什麼時候用“advice”和“advise”? 那些是否都是英式與美式英語的分別，還是純碎英語上所謂的usage（英語運用）問題？

其實，在不少情況下，這些都是parts of speech（詞類）的分別。因此，大家值得花多點功夫，好好掌握其差別，避免這些混淆字詞所帶來的問題。上星期，我們談過某些容易被混淆的詞組，這星期就讓我們繼續討論其他例子吧。

e.g. a) The frequent aches in his stomach suggest a serious illness.

        b) He frequented the casinos in Macau.    

        c) He often suffers from stomachache.

註：“Frequent”指「經常」，通常是形容詞，但也可以是「動詞」（雖然這並不常見）；而“often”則是副詞，用來形容動作，也帶有「常常」的意思。

e.g. a)Badminton is an indoor game.  

       b) When typhoon signal No. 8 is hoisted, we should stay indoors for our own safety.

       c) Spring bulbs can be grown indoors.

註：“Indoor”與“indoors”同樣有「室內」的意思，但“indoor”是形容詞，之後跟名詞，如“indoor activity”、“indoor event”；而“indoors”則是副詞，用來形容動詞，如 “stay indoors”、“come indoors”，兩者用法不一。

e.g. a) Instead of “Long Island”, they had “Sex on the Beach” in the bar.  

       b) Who will replace him if he doesn’t show up?

註：“Instead of”與“replace”同樣有「取代」的意思，但“instead of”之後一般跟名詞（並且不會作動詞）；而“replace”則一定是動詞，兩者用法截然不同。

e.g. a) Maybe you are right.                              

       b) You may be right in that.

註：“Maybe”與“may be” (分開兩個字)同樣有「或許」的意思，但“maybe”是副詞，跟“perhaps” 的用法一致。“May be”一起時可看作動詞，“You may be right.” 的原句是“You are right. “，我們可在動詞“are”之前加上“may”來表示不肯定，而“are”在此則要轉回它的原本形態“be”，變成最終的“You may be right.”了。

e.g. a) None of us watched the World Cup finals.            

       b) None of the men in the department is single.

       c) No one was in the pantry.

註：“None”有「全無」的意思，可用作人或事物上，並且之後通常跟“of”。而“no one” 指「沒有人」，一般用作人物身上。

e.g. a) Every day on his way to work he passes the betting centre.

       b) He walked past the betting centre.

       c) The subject is past our comprehension.

       d) In the past, women were given little opportunity for education.

註：“Pass”與“past”都帶有「經過」、「過去」的意思。“Pass”是動詞，它的過去式與過去分詞都是“passed”；而“past”則可屬於不同的詞類：如walk past（副詞，用作形容動詞walk）、in the past（名詞，指過去）等。

大家不妨試試以下的練習，測試一下自己是否已經清楚明白以上容易混淆詞組的運用（答案在文章結尾）。

1. We prefer to stay (A. indoor / B. indoors) in summer.

2. His (A. frequent / B. often) absences were the main cause of his dismissal.

3. (A. None / B. No one) of the people here wanted to see him make a fool of himself.

4. (A. Instead of / B. Replace) doing his work, he went to Lan Kwai Fong to have a drink.

5. We have already (A. passed / B. past) the IELTS.

6. (A. Maybe / B. May be) you are not qualified for being a salesperson.

7. Do you have any favourite (A. indoor / B. indoors) games?

8. He was (A. passed / B. past) his forties when he suddenly decided to pursue a university education.

9. In Hong Kong, (A. indoor / B. indoors) games are popular as outdoor ones.

10. She (A. frequent / B. often) goes shopping with her boyfriend.

11. We drove (A. pass / B. past) the right exit.

12. (A. None / B. No one) was willing to co-operate with him.

13. You (A. maybe / B. may be) right this time.

14. They (A. passed / B. past) the countryside before realizing they had gone in the wrong direction.

15. (A. None / B. No one) is more interested in this business than Johnson is.

16. Typhoons are (A. frequent / B. often) in Hong Kong from May to October.

17. “Loose” is a / an (A. frequent / B. often) mis-spelling of “lose”.

18. Who would (A. instead of / B. replace) him if he resigned?

答案：

1.B   2.A   3.A   4.A   5.A   6.A   7.A   8.B   9.A   10.B   11.B   12.B   13.B   14.A   15.B   16. A   17.A   18. B

Frankie Chan

MA in English Language Teaching, BSc (First Honour), TEFL Dip.

現代教育IELTS/ TOEFL /Workplace English資深英語名師，著名TOEFL參考書作者及星島日報IELTS攻略專欄作者。曾任劍橋商業英語考試BULATS寫作及口試考官，並於國際大型英語學院任教多年並擔任其多間分校校長，具十多年教學經驗，並具豐富管理與發展商業英語及國際英語考試課程經驗。

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