[例1] He lived in a small town, and he can never forget the little town where he spent his happy childhood.

　　[例2] The fog was so thick that we could not see anything.

　　The fog was so dense that we could not see anything.

　　以上幾例中劃線部分的詞都是可以互相替換的。再看幾例同義詞替換錯誤的句子:

　　[例3] comprise/compose組成，由……組成

　　誤：The university composes fifteen departments and one affiliated middle school.

　　正：The university comprises fifteen departments and one affiliated middle school.

　　分析：compose一般以be composed of的結構出現;comprise是及物動詞，其后可直接跟賓語。另外，consist of和be made up of均意為“由……組成”，前者用于主動語態，后者用于被動語態。

　　[例4] habit/custom習慣，風俗

　　誤：Habit requires us to stand when the national anthem is played.

　　正：Custom requires us to stand when the national anthem is played.

　　分析：habit指“個人習慣”，custom指“民族、社會的風俗”。另外， habit，custom都有單、復數。但custom如果大寫并且前面加定冠詞時，意為“海關”(the Customs)。

　　2、介詞的選擇

　　介詞在英語中有一個別稱：“游弋詞”。顧名思義，介詞的用法很靈活。我們在平時的寫作實踐中，對介詞的使用總是拿不準，不知道到底是用for還是用to，用in還是用at。與介詞構成的詞組更是不勝枚舉，很容易記錯。如：

　　[例1]in spite of, despite的使用

　　誤:Despite of advanced years, he is learning to drive.

　　正:Despite advanced years, he is learning to drive.

　　分析：despite本身就是介詞，后不用再加of;而in spite of是固定搭配，其后跟名詞、代詞或動名詞，表示“不管、任憑、雖然”等意思。如果in spite of后需要跟從句的話，則需要在of后面加上the fact, the situation, the condition等詞，后面跟一個同位語從句。如：In spite of the fact that he was seriously ill, he came to the meeting and delivered a good speech.

　　[例2]bring into, bring up for

　　誤:The question of whether students should have more or fewer holidays was brought into discussion.

　　正:The question of whether students should have more or fewer holidays was brought up for discussion.

　　分析：bring into為非固定用法，詞義隨上下文而定;bring up意為“提出(討論或促使注意)”，后接for表示注意的對象。再如bring up a matter for discussion(提出一件事供考慮)。