英语和汉语不仅在遣词造句、句型搭配、习惯用法等方面有很大的差别，就是在词性方面也有很大的差别，并且这种差别有时会使同学们在写作时稍不小心就酿成错误。如：

误用：Unfortunately, my car broke down and I was stuck here during it was being repaired.
改为：Unfortunately, my car broke down and I was stuck here while it was being repaired.
说明：during 是介词，后接名词或代词，不接句子。又如：He confidently authorized me to act for him while he is abroad. 他信任地委托我在他出国期间代行他的事务。
句意：不幸的是，我的车坏了，在修车的时候，我就被困在那里了。

误用：He used to be very anxious if he had to make a speech, even it was only a speech to his old school.
改为：He used to be very anxious if he had to make a speech, even if it was only a speech to his old school.
说明：从语义上看，even 和 even if都可表示“即使”，但是两者的词性不同：even 是副词，even if 是连词。比如：It was cold there even in July. 那里即使在七月，天气都很冷。Even if I have to walk all the way I’ll get there. 即使我得一路走着去，我也要走到那里。
句意：如果他要演讲，他总是焦急不安，哪怕演讲是在以前呆过的学校进行。

误用：With the cost of keeping money in the bank increases, so it’s spent faster.
改为：As the cost of keeping money in the bank increases, so it’s spent faster.
说明：虽然 with 和 as 均可表示“随着”，但词性不同：with 是介词，后接名词或代词，而 as 用于此义时是连词，后接句子。比较：He will improve as he grows older. 随着年龄的增长，他会进步的。People’s ideas change with the change of the times. 时代变了，人们的观念也会变化。
句意：随着在银行存钱的费用增加，人们的钱花得也更快了。

误用：She crawled cross the floor, her eyes stinging from the smoke.
改为：She crawled across the floor, her eyes stinging from the smoke.
说明： across 和 cross 均可表示“横过”、“穿过”，但词性不同：across 是介词，cross 是动词。比较：cross the street 横过马路 / walk across the street 走过马路；cross a river 过河，渡河 / swim across a river 游过河
句意：她从地板上爬过去，眼睛被烟熏得直痛。

误用：We were driving around outside when unfortunately three old ladies emerged from the hotel and came straightly across in front of us.
改为：We were driving around outside when unfortunately three old ladies emerged from the hotel and came straight across in front of us.
说明：在现代英语中，straight 既可用作形容词，也可用作副词。straightly这个副词形式在现代英语中已被废弃，许多词典均不再收录此词。又如：We enjoy fresh vegetables and fruit, straight from the garden: fresh orange juice, fresh fish, fresh bread. 我们享用直接从果菜园采摘的新鲜的蔬菜和水果、新鲜的橘汁、新鲜的鱼、新鲜的面包。
句意：我们正在外面开车兜风时，倒霉的是有三位老年妇女突然从饭店出来，直接从我们面前穿过。

误用：He fell down to the ground, his mouth open and eyes close.
改为：He fell down to the ground, his mouth open and eyes closed.
说明：open 和 close 均可用作动词，前者表示“开”，后者表示“关”，是一对反义词，如：Please open your mouth.(请张开嘴)，Please close your mouth. (请闭上嘴)。但是 open 和 close 也可用作形容词，此时前者意为“开着的”，后者意为“接近的”、“亲近的”等，而并不表示“关着的”，要表示“关着的”，英语用 closed，即用作形容词时，open 与close 不是一对反义词，而与 closed 才是反义词。
句意：他倒在地上，嘴张开着，眼睛闭着。

误用：It was at the tip of my tongue to tell him, suddenly the phone rang.
误用：It was at the tip of my tongue to tell him, when the phone rang.
说明：从句意看，用suddenly 并不错；但从句法来分析，空白处前后各为一个句子，而 suddenly 是副词，显然不承担起连接两个句子的重任。而when 用作并列连词，可表示“这时（突然）”的意思。又如：We were about to start, when it rained. 我们正要开始，就下起雨来了。She was walking down the road when she heard someone shouting for help. 她正在路上走着，突然听见有人呼救。不过，如果将 when 改为 and suddenly 也是可以的。
句意：我差点就要告诉他了，这时突然电话铃响了。

误用：He used to afraid of heights but he has got over that now.
改为：He used to be afraid of heights but he has got over that now.
说明：因为 afraid 是形容词，不是动词，故其前的 be 不可省略。又如：No matter what happens I’ll stand by you. so don’t be afraid. 不管发生什么事我都支持你，别怕。Nobody need be afraid of catching the disease. 没人有必要担心染上这个病。
句意：他过去有恐高症，现在已经没了。

误用：Do these students against the plan made by the teachers?
改为：Are these students against the plan made by the teachers?
说明：误用句主要是没有意识到其后的 against 是介词，而不是动词。又如：Are you for it or against it? 你是赞成还是反对？
句意：这些学生反对老师们作出的决定吗？

误用：There was a switch in the schedule, so we met in the morning instead the afternoon.
改为：There was a switch in the schedule, so we met in the morning instead of the afternoon.
说明：instead 为副词，其后不能接宾语；instead of 是介词，其后可接宾语。又如：You should encourage her in her attempts to become a doctor, instead of being so negative about it. 你应该对他想要成为医生的想法给予鼓励，而不该对此抱那么消极的态度。She opted for a winter vacation, instead of one in the summer. 她选择了在冬天休假而不是在夏天休假。
句意：时间表上有一处变动，我们在上午而不是下午开会。

误用：Even if we could afford it, we wouldn’t go to the abroad for our holidays.
改为：Even if we could afford it, we wouldn’t go abroad for our holidays.
说明：误用句主要是将 abroad 误认为是名词。而其实 abroad 是副词。又如：He was facing a difficult choice between staying with his family or working abroad. 他正面临着是和家人呆在一起还是到国外工作的艰难抉择。
句意：即使我们有能力，我们也不去国外度假。