在中学英语教学中常会碰到一些“异常”的英语用法。所谓“异常”，只是相关于中学英语知识范围而言，显得少见而已，其实也是英语中的习惯用法。也许正因为如此，才更能说明语言的约定俗成性。现将新课程中学英语的一些异常用法集录下来供参考。
一、介词类
我们知道，介词后面所带的是宾语，可以是名词、代词、动名词、数词、“the / 形容词”或短语、从句等，但下面的用法明显不同（要求学生作整体词块来记忆、应用，不宜作结构略论）：
1.for / adj./ p.p.
Bob asked all the airlines to fly the pop stars for free（免费）.
The largest dictionary in the world is the Oxford English Dictionary， or OED for short （简称）.
Galileo never took anything for granted（想当然）.
We weren’t playing for real（玩真的）.
No one knows for certain / sure（肯定地， 明确地） how the statues were transported by the islanders.
2.from / adv./ 介词短语（表示地点位置）
These visitors all come from abroad（自国外）.
Seen from above（从上面）， the fields looked like a geometrical pattern.
The big snake crawled up the rock from below（从下面）.
I heard a voice from behind the wall（自墙后）.
In the darkness I saw two green eyes staring at me from among the trees（自树丛中）.
3.in / adj.
这些已构成固定词块：in common（共同，英语毕业论文，共有，公有）， in brief（总之，简言之），英语论文网站， in general（总的来说，通常，大体上）， in particular（尤其，特别，具体的）， in short（总之，简言之）等等。
二、连词类
1.like
作连词用的like只用于非正式场合， 尤其是美国英语口语中。词典里可查到like的以下两种意义的用法：
（1）in the same way as...（相当于连词as，意为“如同，像……一样”） ;
（2） 相当于as if，可代替as if或as though，用于act like， behave like， look like， sound like等结构。
She acts like she owns the place.
No one sings the blues like she did.
Like I said （ = As I said before ）， you’re always welcome to stay.
I hope I can drive the tractor like you do.
It doesn’t look like we’ll be moving after all.
I hope I don’t sound like I’m criticizing you.
They don’t talk like they do on our listening tapes.
而在“It was wonderful， like a dream come true.”这一句中，like却是介词，come true是作补足语用的。
实际上，书面语中也有出现这种用法，如：
When you move away from the picture， the dots of colors blend together and the painting looks like it has light playing on the people and objects in the picture.[1]
2.but， except， besides / （ to ） do...
如果英语句子中有这些连词，且前面存在有用作实意动词的do的各种形式，这时的不定式就不带to， 即所谓“有do没to”的用法。
I had no choice but to sign the contract.
She had nothing to do but go home.
He did nothing that day except eat and sleep.
What have you done besides swim in the stream？
3.but / 动词原形
主要用在cannot but， cannot choose but和cannot help but等结构中，意为“不得不，不禁，只好，只得”（语义上相当于have no choice but to do...）。
I cannot but admire his courage.
They couldn’t choose but give up the plan.
She couldn’t help but wonder （ = couldn’t help wondering ） what he was thinking.
4.but引导定语从句
当but引导定语从句时，具有否定意义，相当于 who...not... / that...not...，常用于 “no / little / few / n. / but ” 等结构（即双重否定变成肯定）。
（1） In China there is no one but knows Lei Feng.
= In China there is no one who doesn’t know Lei Feng.
（2） There is no rule but has exceptions.
= There is no rule that doesn’t have exceptions.
（3） In our class there were few students but worked out this simple problem.
（4） He has little of his spare time but is used for his studies.
三、动词类
1.be / being / 表语
这个用法就是静态动词be的进行时用法，可表示赞赏、责备、讽刺、惊异、假装、尽力等。[2]
He is always being diligent. No wonder he can succeed.
She hates it that you are always being over careful.
You are often being clever. （你常耍小聪明。）
You’re being so irresponsible. （你竟这么不负责任。）
I am being easygoing. = I am trying to be easygoing.
而be的进行时的否定式常表示肯定：
I am not being patient. = I am doing things patiently. （我做事够耐心的了。）
2. cannot / can’t / can never 构成的特殊用法
cannot... too... / cannot... over... / cannot...
enough / can never... too ...等，意为“越……越好;再……也不过分 / 也不嫌…… / 也不觉得太……”。
You cannot be too careful in doing these exercises.
He told me I could not keep over sensitive to political change.
I cannot thank you enough.（我对你感激不尽。）
A： A man can never have too many ties.
B： And a woman can’t have too many hats.[3]
3. cast dow | 
