fail
[誤] Tom failed his exam.
[正] Tom failed in his exam.
[正] Tom failed to pass the exam.
[析] fail為不及物動詞,其後可用in加名詞,或直接接不定式。
family
[誤] Im sorry I have to go. Toms families are waiting for me.
[誤] Im sorry I have to go. Toms family is waiting for me.
[正] Im sorry I have to go. Toms family are waiting for me.
[析] family是集合名詞,把它當作整體看它是單數,如看作家庭中的每個成員則為複數。如:Your family are very kind to me. My family is very large.
far
[誤] My school is ten miles far from here.
[正] My school is ten miles away from here.
[析] far一般不與實際距離連用。
[誤] Did you walk far?
Yes,I walked far.
[正] Did you walk far?
Yes, I walked a long way.
[析] 一般肯定句中不用far單獨作狀語,而用a long 組成的常用詞組有:as far as. ①遠至,一直到。如:He walked as far as the station. ②就而言。如:As far as he was concerned these books were very good. ③只要。如:I can help you as far as I can.? so for到目前為止。例:He is very well so far.