Pollution is a big problem in almost all the big cities of the world.

污染幾乎是全世界各大城市的一大問題。

almost (幾乎) 用來修飾形容詞或副詞時, 這些形容詞或副詞必須是具有完全性概念的詞類, 故形容詞如all (全部)、every (每一個)、any (任一)、no (沒有) 等字均可與almost並用, 但無almost many (幾乎許多)、almost most (幾乎大部分)的用法, 因many與most所表示的並非完全性的概念, 故不可造出下列的句子:

例: Almost many sailors are good swimmers. (╳)

　→Almost all sailors are good swimmers. (○)

　(幾乎所有的水手都很會游泳。)

　Almost every school has a basketball court.

　(幾乎每一所學校都有籃球場。)

They are sure that they have found the answer to the problem.

他們確信他們已經找到了問題的解決之道。

在英文中, 有些名詞後面固定要與介詞to並用, 主要是因為此類名詞通常表示『針對』後者具有開啟的作用, 故介詞要用to。常見此類名詞有key、road、answer、solution等。

the key of the room (╳)

→the key to the room　　房間的鑰匙

the key of success (╳)

→the key to success　　成功之鑰, 成功的祕訣

the road of victory (╳)

→the road to victory　　勝利之路

the answer of the question (╳)

→the answer to the question　　問題的答案

the answer/solution of the problem (╳)

→the answer/solution to the problem　　問題的解決方法

例: Hard work is the key of success. (╳)

　→Hard work is the key to success. (○)

　(努力是成功之鑰。)

　Only one student knew the answer of the question. (╳)

　→Only one student knew the answer to the question. (○)

　(只有一個學生知道那個問題的答案。)

This method is so successful that other countries are thinking of doing the same.

本句使用了"so...that..." (如此……以致於……) 的句構, 在此句構中, so是副詞, 譯成『如此』, 故其後須置形容詞或副詞以供修飾; 而that則為副詞連接詞, 譯成『以致』, 其所引導的副詞子句修飾其前的so。相同用法的句構尚有"such...that...", 但由於such是形容詞, 故其後只能接名詞。

so + adj./adv. + that子句　　如此……以致於……

such + 單/複數名詞 + that子句　　如此……以致於……

例: It's so hot in summer that we can't do without an air conditioner.

　(夏天的天氣熱得我們少不了冷氣機。)

　 ＊air conditioner n. 空氣調節機, 冷氣機

　 The teacher spoke so fast that I couldn't understand what he was saying.

　(老師講得太快以致我聽不懂他在說什麼。)

　He is such a genius that he doesn't have to study much for exams.

　(他是個天才，所以他考試都不用怎麼唸書。)

　They are such good basketball players that everybody wants to watch their games.

　(他們個個都是很棒的籃球員，所以每個人都想去看他們打球。)