一、基本區(qū)別
look 指視覺(jué)印象,appear 指外表給人的印象,這兩者可能是真象也可能是假象,appear的不確定性更大一些,seem 側(cè)重指根據(jù)某種跡象作出的推斷,也不一定是事實(shí)。
二、后接不定式的問(wèn)題
三者均可后接不定式,但 look 之后一般只限于 to be(且較少見(jiàn)):
He seems [appears, looks] to be very tired. 他好像很累了。
He seems [appears] to have traveled a lot. 他似乎去過(guò)不少地方。
This seems to be a happy solution. 這似乎是一個(gè)理想的解決辦法。
但是不說(shuō)He looks to have traveled a lot.
三、后接like的問(wèn)題
look, seem 之后可接介詞 like,但 appear 之后一般不能:
He just looks like his brother. 他的模樣就像他的哥哥。
He seems like a fool. 他看起來(lái)像個(gè)傻瓜。
四、用于進(jìn)行時(shí)態(tài)的問(wèn)題
appear 和seem不用于進(jìn)行時(shí)態(tài),但look有時(shí)可這樣用(盡管較少見(jiàn)):
He looks [is looking] well. 他看上去氣色不錯(cuò)。
但是不說(shuō)He is seeming [appearing] well.
五、用于it開(kāi)頭的句子
三者均可用于 it 開(kāi)頭的句子,且三者之后均可接以 as if 或 as though 引導(dǎo)的從句,另外 appear 和 seem 之后還可接 that 引導(dǎo)的從句:
It looks [seems, appears] as if he has lost interest in his job. 看來(lái)他對(duì)自己的工作已失去了興趣。
It seems [appears] that he is very tired. 他似乎很累了。
為避免重復(fù),appear和seem后接的 that 從句有時(shí)可用so, not 代之:
"Is he reliable? " "It seems [appears] so (not)." “他可靠嗎?”“似乎是可靠的(不可靠)。”