"to the purpose" 是一个形容词性短语,意为“切题的、中肯的、紧扣目的的;有用的、有针对性的”(强调内容与主题/目标直接相关,不偏离或无用)。
该短语通常作表语(放在系动词后)或定语,修饰名词/代词,也可用于修饰动词(如speak/write等)表示“以切题的方式”。
结构:主语 + be + to the purpose
强调主语“符合主题/目的”。
Your comment was to the purpose—it directly addressed our problem.
你的评论很中肯——直接针对了我们的问题。
The data he provided is not to the purpose; we need figures from this year, not last.
他提供的数据不切题;我们需要今年的数字,不是去年的。
常见搭配:speak/write/talk to the purpose
Please speak to the purpose—we don’t have time for irrelevant stories.
请紧扣主题——我们没时间听无关的故事。
She always writes to the purpose, so her reports are easy to follow.
她写作总是紧扣主题,所以她的报告很好懂。
表示“不切题、无用”:
Is this document to the purpose? I don’t see how it helps our project.
这份文件切题吗?我看不出它对我们的项目有什么帮助。
His explanation was not to the purpose—it only confused everyone more.
他的解释不切题——反而让大家更困惑了。
注意与on purpose(故意地,副词短语)区分:
He made a mistake on purpose to test us.(他故意犯错来测试我们。)
His mistake was not to the purpose—it had nothing to do with our task.(他的错误不切题——和我们的任务无关。)
to the point(更口语):Your speech was short and to the point.(你的演讲简洁切题。)
relevant(正式):This information is relevant to our discussion.(这些信息与我们的讨论相关。)
useful(强调“有用性”):A tool that’s not to the purpose is useless.(不适用的工具就是无用的。)
总结:"to the purpose" 核心是“与目标/主题直接相关”,用在需要强调“不偏离、有针对性”的场景中,是写作/口语中表达“切题”的地道短语~