afternoon, after noon
after与noon这两个词连写和分写在含义上是有区别的:连写时指“下午”,即morning和evening之间这段时间; 而分写时指“正午以后”,着眼于时间的起点,即12点以后。试比较下面两句:
What are you going to do this afternoon?
今天下午你们干什么?
What are you going to do after noon?
过了中午你们干什么?
in the afternoon, on the afternoon
这两个短语都表示“在下午”。它们的区别是:
on the afternoon指的是某天的下午或具体的一个下午; in the afternoon指不断重复的下午,使下午具体化了,起强调作用。例如:
I was at home on the afternoon of last Monday.
上个星期一的下午我在家。
Mostly I slept in the mornings, and in the afternoons, sometimes.
在多数情况下,我都是每天上午睡觉, 有时也下午睡觉。
in an afternoon, in the afternoon
这两个短语意思不同, in an afternoon指一个下午,而in the afternoon指今天下午。例如:
It can be done in an afternoon.
此事一个下午就可完成。
It can be done in the afternoon.
此事今天下午就可完成。