“for instance”是英语中常用的举例插入语,核心含义是“例如”“比如”“譬如”,用于通过具体例子说明前文的观点、概念或情况,帮助读者/听者更直观理解内容。
等同于 for example(最常见同义词),但语气更偏向书面化或正式语境(口语中也常用,只是不如“for example”通俗)。
“for instance”作为插入语,位置灵活(句首、句中、句末),但需用逗号/分号与句子主干隔开,以明确“举例”的逻辑。以下是常见场景:
用在句首时,后面接完整的句子,说明前文的观点。
前文:Some animals hibernate in winter.(有些动物冬天冬眠。)
举例:For instance, bears sleep through the cold months without eating.(例如,熊会在寒冷的月份不吃东西睡过去。)
用在句子中间时,前后加逗号,后面接名词、短语或短句,补充说明前文的复数概念(如“many”“various”等)。
Many fruits, for instance, apples, oranges, and grapes, are high in vitamin C.(很多水果,比如苹果、橙子和葡萄,富含维生素C。)
She has many hobbies—painting, dancing, for instance—that keep her busy.(她有很多爱好——比如画画、跳舞——让她很充实。)
用在句末时,前面常用破折号/分号衔接,强调最后一个例子。
We can visit several European cities—Paris, Rome, for instance.(我们可以去几个欧洲城市——比如巴黎、罗马。)
He’s good at sports; he won the marathon last year, for instance.(他擅长运动;比如去年赢了马拉松。)
标点规则:
若“for instance”引导完整句子,前面用分号/句号,后面用逗号(如句首或句末的例子);
若插入名词/短语,前后用逗号(如句中例子)。
与“such as”的区别:
“such as”后面直接接名词/短语(不能接完整句子),而“for instance”可以接完整句子;
I like fruits such as apples.(√) / I like fruits for instance apples.(×,需加逗号:for instance, apples)
She’s talented—for instance, she plays the piano well.(√,接句子) / She’s talented—such as she plays the piano well.(×)
1、 For instance, if you miss the bus, you can take a taxi.(句首,接条件句)
2、 People have different ways to relax, for instance, reading or listening to music.(句中,接短语)
3、 He’s traveled to many countries—Japan, Australia, for instance.(句末,接名词)
简言之,“for instance”是连接“抽象观点”与“具体例子”的桥梁,只要需要“举例说明”,就可以用它(替换“for example”会让表达更丰富)。