在中文裡,「很」這個字可以用在各種不同的對象、情境或是狀態中,但是英文卻不是這樣。一些看起來好像沒有問題的句子,其實卻完全是錯誤的用法。

1.Chen is a popular name in Taiwan. (陳是一個很普遍的名字。)
Chen is a common name in Taiwan.
Popular是「受歡迎的」;指普遍的、一般的,用common。

2.Tom was a very popular person among the staff. (Tom在那員工中很受歡迎。)
Tom was well liked among the staff.
原句又用person又有staff,贅字多。

3.Reckless people are easily to make trouble. (魯莽的人很容易惹麻煩。)
Reckless people make trouble easily.
Easily形容動詞片語make trouble,放在片語後面。

4.People who avoid responsibilities are hard to succeed. (推卸責任的人很難成功。)
People who avoid responsibilities are unlikely to succeed.
Hard用來形容人的時候,多半指人很刻苦、嚴苛。Hard用來指困難,主詞多用事,常見的是it is hard…。

5.Gary is a very versatile individual. (Gary很多才多藝。)
Gary has a wide array of skills.
有多項才能,用a wide array of skills。

6.I have got headache. (我頭很痛。)
I have got a headache.
頭痛居然是可數的?這是英文裡的抽象名詞具體化,比如have a cold、have a good knowledge of、have a good time、get a hold of。原來cold、knowledge、time、hold都是不可數,但如果指某一次具體情況,就視為可數。