These three words have similar meanings and are used frequently with the following words.上述三个近义词常与下列词语连用:
almost ~nearly ~practically ~certainly(numbers)allallalleveryeveryalwaysnoentirelyeverynothingimpossiblefinishedimpossibleemptydiedanything
They are used in positive sentences.三词均用于肯定句:◆She almost/nearly/practically missed her train.她差点儿误了火车。 They can be used before words like all, every and everybody.三词均可用于 all、every、everybody 等词前:◆Nearly all the students have bikes.几乎所有学生都有自行车。◆I've got practically every CD they've made.他们灌制的每张激光唱片我几乎都有。Practically is used more in spoken than in written English. Nearly is the most common with numbers. * practically 多用于口语,少用于书面语。nearly 最常与数字连用:◆There were nearly 200 people at the meeting.与会者有近 200 人。 They can also be used in negative sentences but it is more common to make a positive sentence with only just.三词亦可用于否定句,但是用 only just 构成肯定句更常见:◆We only just got there in time.or或:◆We almost/nearly didn't get there in time.我们险些未能及时赶到那儿。
Almost and practically can be used before words like any, anybody, anything, etc. * almost 和 practically 均可用于 any、anybody、anything 等词前:◆I'll eat almost anything.我几乎吃什么都行。 You can also use them before no, nobody, never, etc. but it is much more common to use hardly or scarcely with any, anybody, ever, etc.这两个词亦可用于 no、nobody、never 等词前,但是这类情况更常用 hardly 或 scarcely 与 any、anybody、ever 等词搭配:◆She's hardly ever in.or或:◆She's almost never in.她几乎从来不在家。
Almost can be used when you are saying that one thing is similar to another.表示某物与另一物相似可用 almost:◆The boat looked almost like a toy.这船看上去简直像个玩具。
In BrE you can use very and so before nearly.在英式英语中,nearly 前可用 very 和 so:◆He was very nearly caught.他差点儿被抓住。
➡ note athardlynext / nearest
(The) next means 'after this/that one' in time or in a series of events, places or people.* (the) next 指下一个时间、事情、地点或人:◆When is your next appointment?你下一次预约时间是什么时候?◆Turn left at the next traffic lights.在下一个红绿灯处向左拐。◆Who's next?下一个是谁?(The) nearest means 'closest' in space.* (the) nearest 指空间上最近:◆Where's the nearest supermarket?最近的超市在哪儿?
Notice the difference between the prepositions nearest to and next to.注意介词 nearest to 和 next to 的区别:◆Janet's sitting nearest to the window(= of all the people in the room).珍妮特坐在(屋里所有人中)离窗户最近的地方。◆Sarah's sitting next to the window(= right beside it).萨拉坐在窗户旁边。In informal BrEnearest can be used instead of nearest to.在非正式的英式英语中,nearest 可用以代替 nearest to:◆Who's sitting nearest the door?谁坐在离门最近的地方?