very是英語口語和書面語中使用頻率較高的詞之一。但許多同學在運用該詞進行口語交際和書面表達時經常出錯。本文列舉一些常見錯例,談談使用very需要注意的幾點。
一、忌修飾形容詞或副詞的比較級。修飾形容詞或副詞的比較級,應借助于下列程度副詞:much(……得多),still(還要,還),even(更),far(……得多,大大……)。例如:
1. 吉姆比凱特高得多。
誤:Jim is very taller than Kate.
正:Jim is much taller than Kate.
2. 昨天很熱,但今天更熱。
誤:It was hot yesterday, but it is very hotter today.
正:It was hot yesterday, but it is still/even hotter today.
3. 這部電影比那一部好得多。
誤:This film is very better than that one.
正:This film is far better than that one.
二、忌修飾動詞。修飾動詞必須用a lot, a litte, very much等。例如:
4. 我非常喜歡英語。
誤:I very like English.
正:I like English very much.
5. 布朗太太非常喜歡吃肉。
誤:Mrs Brown very likes meat.
正:Mrs Brown likes meat a lot.
三、忌修飾作表語的形容詞。alive(有活力的,有生氣的),asleep(睡著的),awake(醒著的,警覺的),alone(單獨的)等。例如:
6. 我此刻非常清醒。
誤:I am very awake at the moment.
正:I am wide awake at the moment.
7. 學生們仍在熟睡。
誤:The students are still very asleep.
正:The students are still fast asleep.
8. 昨晚這座房子里就我一人。
誤: I was very alone in the house last night.
正:I was all alone in the house last night.
四、忌用來加強副詞或介詞短語的語氣。加強副詞或介詞短語的語氣一般用right,有時用well。very只能用來加強形容詞的語氣。例如:
9. 我到處找我的鋼筆,可它就在我的口袋里。
誤:I looked for my pen here and there, but it was very in my pocket.
正:I looked for my pen here and there, but it was right in my pocket.
10. 這本書非常值得一讀。
誤:This book is very worth reading.
正:This book is well worth reading.
五、忌修飾“too+形容詞/副詞”結構,該結構前常用much, all等來加強語氣。例如:
11. 這件襯衫我穿起來太大了。
誤:This shirt is very too large for me.
正:This shirt is much too large for me.
12. 我們的英語老師講話太快了。
誤:Our English teacher speaks very too fast.
正:Our English teacher speaks all too fast.
六、忌替代“so…that…”,“too…to…”結構中的so和too。例如:
13. 他年齡非常小,不能去工作。
誤:He is very young to go to work.
正:He is too young to go to work.
14. 我非常累,一點也走不動了。
誤:I’m very tired that I can’t walk a bit.
正:I’m so tired that I can’t walk a bit.
七、忌出現在感嘆句中,以免與感嘆詞重復。例如:
15. 多么糟糕的天氣啊!
誤:What very bad weather!
正:What bad weather!
16. 同學們干得多么帶勁啊!
誤:How very hard the students are working!
正:How hard the students are working!