“at that”是一个口语化的英语短语,核心功能是加强语气或承接上下文,具体含义和用法需结合语境判断。以下是详细解析:
“at that”主要有两大用法,区分的关键是位置和语境:
用于句末,强调前面的陈述,添加额外信息或强化程度,相当于中文的“而且/更有甚者/除此之外”。
常与“not just/only... but...”搭配,或单独修饰前面的内容,突出“超出预期”“更进一步”的意味。
She’s a great singer, and a dancer at that!(她是个好歌手,而且还是个舞者呢!)
The food was terrible, and expensive at that!(食物很难吃,还特别贵!)
He didn’t just say no—he refused to even listen to me at that!(他不只是说“不”——连听都不肯听我讲!)
I didn’t expect him to come—he brought a gift at that!(我没想到他会来,更没想到他还带了礼物!)
She’s only 16, and a college student at that!(她才16岁,居然已经是大学生了!)
用于句首或句中,表示“听到/看到那个情况后”,引出后续的反应或行动,相当于“upon hearing/seeing that”或“于是”。
At that, she burst into tears.(听到/看到那个,她突然哭了起来。)
He said he’d lost his job, and at that, I gave him some money.(他说他失业了,于是我给了他一些钱。)
She mentioned the accident, and at that, everyone fell silent.(她提到那场事故,于是大家都安静了。)
1、 口语化属性:
“at that”主要用于日常对话或非正式写作(如博客、邮件),正式文体(如学术论文、商务报告)中很少使用。
2、 区分相似短语:
不要与“at that moment”(在那一刻)或“at that time”(在那时)混淆——后者是时间短语,而“at that”是语气/承接短语。
At that moment, I realized I was late.(在那一刻,我意识到我迟到了。)≠ At that, I realized I was late.(听到/看到那个,我意识到我迟到了。)
3、 否定句中的使用:
可用于否定句,补充负面信息:
He isn’t smart, and not hardworking at that!(他不聪明,还不努力!)
The hotel was dirty, and not cheap at that!(酒店很脏,还不便宜!)
“at that”的核心是强化或承接:
句末→强调“更甚/额外”;
句首/句中→承接“于是/因此”。
通过语境+位置即可快速判断其含义,多结合日常例子练习就能熟练掌握~