表示“害怕某物/某事”,强调对具体事物、情境或行为本身的恐惧情绪。
结构:主语 + be动词(am/is/are/was/were) + afraid of + 宾语
(be动词随主语人称和时态变化;of是介词,后接名词、代词或动名词(doing))
表示害怕某一具体的人/物、或抽象的情境(如黑暗、失败等)。
I'm afraid of dogs.(我怕狗。)
Children are often afraid of the dark.(孩子们常怕黑。)
She's afraid of failure.(她害怕失败。)
The cat is scary—don't be afraid of it.(那只猫很吓人,但别害怕它。)
I used to be afraid of them (指“蜘蛛”).(我以前怕它们。)
表示害怕“做某事”(恐惧的是行为本身,而非行为的后果)。
He's afraid of swimming in the sea.(他怕在海里游泳。)
Don't be afraid of asking questions.(不要怕问问题。)
be afraid of doing:恐惧“行为本身”(如怕游泳→怕水的危险);
be afraid to do:恐惧“行为的后果”(如怕跳崖→怕摔死)。
例:
I'm afraid of jumping (怕跳的动作本身,比如怕高).
I'm afraid to jump (怕跳下去会受伤).
否定:在be动词后加not(如isn't/aren't/wasn't/weren't);
She isn't afraid of snakes anymore.(她不再怕蛇了。)
祈使句:Don't be afraid of...(别害怕...);
Don't be afraid of making mistakes.(别害怕犯错误。)
总结:"be afraid of sth." 是表达“对...恐惧”的基础短语,重点是“怕具体的事物/行为”,通过宾语的不同形式(名词/代词/动名词)覆盖各类场景。