1. afraid 作为一个形容词(千万不要误用成动词),含义为“害怕的,担心的,恐惧的”。afraid 是一个表语形容词,一般不能放在名词前面作为定语,除非其本身有修饰语。例如:
误:Look at the afraid boy.
正:Look at the frightened boy.
正:Look at this very much afraid boy.
注:afraid可以构成短语放在名词后面,作为后置定语使用,例如 a boy afraid of dog.
2. 注意比较 “I’m not afraid” 和 “I’m afraid not”,前者意为“我不害怕”,后者则表示委婉的否定,“恐怕不行、恐怕不会、恐怕不是”等。
3. 若要表示“不敢做某事”或“害怕做某事”,可以用be afraid of doing sth,也可以用be afraid to do sth,此时两个短语表示的含义相当;但如果表示“担心可能会发生某事”,则只能用be afraid of doing sth。例如:
误:He is afraid to wake the baby.
正:He is afraid of waking the baby.
正:I am afraid to walk in this forest alone. = I am afraid of walking in this forest alone.