本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛big, large and great
1 concrete nouns: usually big or large
With concrete nouns – the names of things you can see, touch etc – we mostly
use big and large. Big is most common in an informal style.
-Get your big feet off my flowers.
-She is a small woman, but she has very large feet.
-It was a large house, situated near the river.
2 great with concrete nouns
Great is not normally used simply to talk about physical size. In an informal
style, it is often used with concrete nouns to mean ‘wonderful’.
-I’ve just got a great new flat.
And it can also be used with meanings like ‘large and impressive’.
-Great clouds of smoke rose above the burning cathedral.
Another meaning is ‘famous’ or ‘important’.
-Do you think Napoleon was really a great man?
3 abstract nouns: usually great
Great is common with abstract nouns – the names of things you cannot see,
touch etc.
-I have great respect for her ideas. (NOT big/large respect)
-His behaviour caused great annoyance. (NOT big/large annoyance)
-You are making a great mistake.
-Her work showed a great improvement last year.
Big can be used with countable abstract nouns in an informal style.
-You’re making a big mistake.
-Big bargains for weekend shoppers!
Large is used with countable abstract nouns referring to quantities, amounts
and proportions.
-We’re thinking of giving your firm a very large order.
-There was a large error in the accounts.
-She spent large sums on entertaining.
-He wrote a large part of the book while he was in hospital.
Big and large are not generally used with uncountable nouns – but note the
fixed expressions big business, big trouble, big idea, big shot, big time...更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
1 concrete nouns: usually big or large
With concrete nouns – the names of things you can see, touch etc – we mostly
use big and large. Big is most common in an informal style.
-Get your big feet off my flowers.
-She is a small woman, but she has very large feet.
-It was a large house, situated near the river.
2 great with concrete nouns
Great is not normally used simply to talk about physical size. In an informal
style, it is often used with concrete nouns to mean ‘wonderful’.
-I’ve just got a great new flat.
And it can also be used with meanings like ‘large and impressive’.
-Great clouds of smoke rose above the burning cathedral.
Another meaning is ‘famous’ or ‘important’.
-Do you think Napoleon was really a great man?
3 abstract nouns: usually great
Great is common with abstract nouns – the names of things you cannot see,
touch etc.
-I have great respect for her ideas. (NOT big/large respect)
-His behaviour caused great annoyance. (NOT big/large annoyance)
-You are making a great mistake.
-Her work showed a great improvement last year.
Big can be used with countable abstract nouns in an informal style.
-You’re making a big mistake.
-Big bargains for weekend shoppers!
Large is used with countable abstract nouns referring to quantities, amounts
and proportions.
-We’re thinking of giving your firm a very large order.
-There was a large error in the accounts.
-She spent large sums on entertaining.
-He wrote a large part of the book while he was in hospital.
Big and large are not generally used with uncountable nouns – but note the
fixed expressions big business, big trouble, big idea, big shot, big time...更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net