一、compare与contrast的误用
我们先从两者的定义入手来看两者的区别。 Compare的定义为：to examine people or things to see how they are similar or different. Contrast的定义为：to compare two or more things to show the difference between them.由定义不难看出前者侧重于找到两个或多个事物的异同，而后者则侧重于它们的`不同。
看个例句：It is interesting to compare their situations to ours./It is interesting to contrast their situations to ours.
后一句的翻译为：我们的情况与他们的情况有很大的不同，这很有趣。
再看一个引自OXFORD ADBANCED LEARNERS DICTIONARY的例子：
There is an obvious contrast between the culture of East and West.
The company lost $7 million in contrast to a profit of $6.2 million a year earlier.
When you look at their new system， ours seems very old-fashioned by contrast.
不难发现，Compare翻译为与。。。相比而contrast可译为明显不同的是。。。，切记这种翻译方式就不会用错彼此了。
二、介词使用错误
1、普通介词的误用
一般表现为固定搭配错误，如常把provide sb with sth用成provide sb sth; be satisfied with用成be satisfied for等等，虽然这样的错误看似无伤大雅，但在考官眼里就是影响顺畅阅读的，当然会影响最终成绩。解决的办法简单而古老：把常见的固定搭配牢记于心，问题自然就解决了。
