1. My father went to college in the age of 45.(x)
My father went to college at the age of 45.(√)
in an / the age of.二是指“在……的時代”,如:We are living in the age of technology.(我們正生活在一個科技時代。)指“在幾歲時”,須用at the age of+數(shù)字。
2. How old did you start smoking? (x)
At what age did you start smoking?(√)
how old是形容詞詞組,只能搭配be動詞來用,如:How old are you / is he?(你他多大年紀(jì)?)at what age是副詞詞組,可以修飾動詞。
3. When I was at your age, I used to like jazz a lot.(x)
When I was your age, I used to like jazz a lot.(√)
at your / his / her age是副詞詞組,不能作be動詞的表語,如:At his age he can be very rebellious.(在他這個年齡可能是很叛逆的。)be sb's age表“在某人的年紀(jì)時”。
4. People like my age tend to become more conservative.(x)
People of my age tend to become more conservative.(√)
people like my/your/his age沒有意義,因為people和age沒法“像”。people / boys /girls of your / my / his age是正確的用法,這里的of表“屬于”,即“屬于……的年齡”之意。另有be of an age+不定式,也有“屬于”之意,如:The boy is of an age to know better.〔按年齡這個孩子應(yīng)該懂事了。)
5. I have two children, aging 12 and 15.(x)
I have two children, aged 12 and 15.(√)
aged+數(shù)字,表“年齡為……”。aging可當(dāng)名詞或形容詞,意為“老化”或“老化的”,如:The aging process comes slowly but surely.(老化的過程來得很慢但絕錯不了。)
6. These toys are designed to target children aged 7 and 10.(x)
These toys are designed to target children aged between 7 and 10.(√)
These toys are designed to target children aged 7 to 10.(√)
children aged 7 and 10是指“7歲和10歲的兒童(即不包括8歲、9歲的兒童)”,顯然不合理;aged between A and B=aged A to B,是指“介于A和B的年齡層”。
7. Jane is applying for a job at a real estate agent.(x)
Jane is applying for a job at a real estate agent's / agency.(√)
agent指的是“經(jīng)紀(jì)人,從業(yè)人員”,如:a travel agent就是指“一名旅游從業(yè)人員”。agent's或agency指的是“公司或機(jī)構(gòu)”,如:a news agency就是指“一家報社”。
8. The war had ended well over 50 years ago.(x)
The war ended well over 50 years ago.(√)
ago=before now,是以現(xiàn)在(說話時)為基準(zhǔn)的一段時間以前,與一般過去時搭配使用。
9. Have we met ago?(x)
Have we met before? (√)
ago不能單獨使用,其前須有明確的一段時間,如:a week/two days ago。before有兩種用法:(1)籠統(tǒng)的以前(可搭配現(xiàn)在完成時或一般過去時),如:I (have) never heard of the man before.(我之前從未聽說過這個人。)(2)某個過去時間的以前(常搭配過去完成時).如:The patient had died two hours before the doctor came.(醫(yī)生來時,病人已經(jīng)死亡兩個小時了。)
10. My father did not agree with my brother studying abroad.(x)
My father did not agree to my brother studying abroad. (√)
agree with sb/sth是指“同意某人的看法或意見”,如:My father does not agree with my mother about everything(爸爸和媽媽對事情的看法從不相同。)agree to則是“同意(某人的)建議或做法”,有“贊成”或“準(zhǔn)許”之意。