摘要：词汇使用错误会严重影响论文的表达与质量。本文对SCI写作中15组常用的易混词汇进行归纳，通过对比其含义，有助于对易混词汇的正确使用。
关键词：易混词汇；写作；论文
Capability/Capacity
Capability: 能力; a certain ability, the quality of being capable, a potential aptitude.
Capacity: 容量/量; the ability to contain; the volume or amount that fits in a certain container.
Compliment/Complement
Complement (n): 补充; a worthy addition
Compliment: 赞扬; to praise (v.); a piece of praise (n.)
Trial/Trail
Trial: 试验; a tryout or experiment to test quality, value, or usefulness of something (e.g., clinical trial). It also refers to the number of repetitions of an experiment.
Trail: 踪迹, 线索; a marked or established path or route, or a course followed or to be followed (e.g., mountain trail).
一般由拼写错误引起混用。
Intercellular/Intracellular
Intercellular: 细胞间; located between cells
Intracellular: 细胞内; occurring or situated within a cell or cells (e.g., intracellular fluid).
前缀Inter- 通常指同类之间；Intra- 指同一物内部.
Principal/Principle
Principal (adj): 主要的; chief, main, leading, most important.
Principal (n): the most important person or group of people; the head of a school; borrowed money (as distinct from interest).
Principle (n): 原则; a rule, standard, law, guideline, or doctrine.
Adverse/Averse
Adverse: 不利的, 相反的; bad, opposed
Averse: 厌恶的; feeling unwilling; experiencing distaste
Affect/Effect
Affect (v): 动词 ‘影响’; “to influence”.
Effect (noun): 名词 ‘影响’ ‘结果’; “result”.
Continually/Continuously
Continually: 持续地, 强调重复/频率; repeatedly (e.g., this week we experienced days of continual sunshine.)
Continuously: 不断地, 强调没有间隔; without interruption (e.g., the flow of water is continuous.)
Criterion/Criteria
Criterion: 单数; singular form (e.g., one criterion).
Criteria: 复数; plural form (e.g., some criteria).
Ensure/Insure
Ensure (v): 保证; “to make sure or certain”.
Insure: 投保; “to guarantee with insurance against risk or loss of life”.
Number/Amount
Amount: 用于不可数名词，如钱、信息、时间.
Number: 用于可数名词，如试验样本.
不可相互替代.
Hypothesis/Theory
Hypothesis: 根据知识与经验所有的猜想，尚未经过测试或证明.
Theory: 已经被重复测试并有证据支持的科学思想.
“Hypothesis”是构建“Theory”的第一步.
Discreet/Discrete
Discreet: 小心不要引起注意.
Discrete: 分开或差距.
Old/Original
Old: 旧的; 属于过去的一段时间，现在一般已不使用的.
Original: 原始的/原创的; 同类中的或被复制的第一个版本.
As a result/consequently/Based on the results
As a result/Consequently: 由于; 用于表达一事件是另一项事情的起因.
Based on the results: 同于the results show/reveal; 表示根据特定结果得到的.
其意义与语境不同，因此无法替换使用.
结语
对于正确使用易混词汇，在于积累；较难掌握的词汇，需查看英文释义，以了解其本质区别。
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