worth, worthy, worthwhile用法辨析

worth, worthy, worthwhile 这三个词均可表示“值得的”，由于它们词形相近，意义相似，所以许多朋友经常将其用混。小编今天花点力气来个一锅烩，让大家美美哒享受大餐。

一、从句法功能上看

worth 通常只用作表语，具有介词性质的表语形容词，通常用在动词 to be 之后，其后应接名词、代词（宾格）、数词或主动形式的动名词。不用于名词前作定语；

This painting is probably worth thousands of pounds.

这幅画可能价值数千英镑。

This book is definitely worth reading.

这本书确实值得一读。

It was a difficult journey, but it was worth it.

这次旅行很艰苦，但很值得。

worthy 和 worthwhile 可用作表语和定语。如：

It isn't worth the trouble. 不值得费那个事。

He is a worthy gentleman. 他是位值得尊敬的绅士。

（worthy作定语是表示“有价值的，值得尊敬的、有出息的，有意义的”）

His behavior is worthy of great praise. 他的行为值得高度赞扬。

They achieved a very worthwhile result. 他们取得了很有价值的成果。

We had a long wait, but it was worthwhile because we got the tickets. 我们等了很久，但还算值得，因为我们把票买到了。

worthwhile可作表语或定语，指某事物是值得的，或某事是值得花时间、金钱、精力做的，后接动词不定式和动名词均可。

We felt that the discussion had been very worthwhile.

我们感到这次讨论很值得。

This is a worthwhile career.

这是一项值得为之奋斗的事业。

It wasn't worthwhile to continue/continuing the project.

继续这个项目很不值得。

有时，worthwhile可分拆开来，中间插入所需要的物主代词。

This film is worth our while to see again.

这部影片值得我们再看一遍。

worthy adj. 值得的，值得尊敬的

作定语时，主要用于修饰人或诸如事业、生活等抽象名词；作表语时，常后接被动语态的动词不定式，或介词 of 加名词或被动语态的动名词。

a worthy champion/opponent/winner

值得尊敬的冠军/对手/获胜者

a worthy aim/cause/life

崇高的目标/高尚的事业/有价值的生活

That's a worthy task.

那是一项很有价值的工作。

The museum is worthy to be visited/of a visit/of being visited.

这个博物馆值得参观。

Local councillors thought that the program was worthy of support.

当地政务委员们认为该规划值得支持。

二、从所使用的修饰语来看

worth 习惯上不用 very 修饰(要表示类似意思可用 well)，而 worthy 和 worthwhile 则可以用副词very修饰。如：

That is very worthy of our attention. 那件事很值得我们注意。

Nursing is a very worthwhile career. 护理工作是很值得干的职业。

但习惯上不说：The work is very worth doing. (very 应改为 well)

This restaurant is well worth a visit

这家饭店非常值得光顾一番。

三、从搭配习惯来看

1. 有关 be worth 的搭配习惯

(1) be worth后可直接跟名词、代词或动名词。如：

These books might be worth £ 80 or £ 90or more to a collector*这些书对收藏家而言可能值八九十英镑或更多。

《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》

The picture is worth $ 500. 这幅画值 500 美元。

He's worth £10 million.

他拥有1 000万英镑的财产。

注意：物、人作主语时，这个句型的含义是不一样的。

How much [ What] is this worth?

这值多少钱？

The clock is hardly worth repairing. 这台钟简直不值得修理。

This novel is worth reading.

这部小说值得一读。

What is worth doing is worth doing well. 值得干的事就得干好。

注意：其后可接动名词，不能接不定式，且接动名词时，总是用主动形式表示被动意义。

(2) 在现代英语中，在be worth前使用形式主语it被认为是合习惯的。如：

It isn't worth repairing the car. 这辆汽车不值得修了。

Is it worth visiting the city? 这个城市值得去看吗?

但是，若不用形式主语it而直接用动名词作主语则是错误的，如：

误：Repairing the car is worth.

It is worth pausing to consider these statements from Mr Davies.

戴维斯先生的这番话值得大家停下来思考一下。

(3) 在be worth doing 结构中，除非句首用了形式主语it，否则句子主语总应是其动名词的逻辑宾语；若其中的动词不及物，应考虑加上适当的介词。如：

Nothing he said was worth listening to. 他说的话没有一句值得听。

She's not worth getting angry with. 犯不上跟她生气。

This idea is well worth considering.

这个想法很值得考虑。

It's worth making an appointment before you go.

去之前预约一下是值得的。

（4）It's more than one’s job's worth to do sth. 做工作所不允许的事；违反原则的事；可能丢饭碗的事

目前，这是小编发现的唯一一种worth接不定式的用法，希望朋友们加以关注。如：

It's more than my job's worth to let you in without a ticket.

没有票就让你进去，我可能会丢饭碗的。

2. 有关 be worthy 的搭配习惯

sth.be worthy of being done= sth. be worth doing

sth.be worthy of +n.(除金钱、时间、精力以外的其他名词)

sth.be worthy to be done

Sb(Sth.) be worthy to do

(1) be worthy 后不能直接跟名词、代词或动名词，若要接，应借助介词 of。如：

Their efforts are worthy of your support. 他们的努力应得到你的支持。

Her behavior is worthy of praise. 她的行为是值得赞扬的。

(2) 与be worth后只接动名词不接不定式不同，be worthy后不接动名词，而接不定式(若该不定式要表示被动意义，则应用被动形式)。如：

He is worthy to receive such honor. 他应该得到这种荣誉。

This suggestion is worthy to be considered. 这个建议值得考虑。

(3) 若要在be worthy后接动名词，与后接名词时的情形一样，应借助介词of，且该动名词若要表示被动意义，要用被动形式。如：

He is worthy of filling [=to fill] the post. 这个职位他当之无愧。

This suggestion is worthy of being considered [=to be considered]. 这个建议值得考虑。

3.有关 worth while 的搭配习惯

be worth-while to do sth　 "值得做某事"

It is worth while to do 花时间区做某事是值得

It is worth while doing sth花时间区做某事是值得

It is worth one’s/the while to do/doing花时间区做某事是值得

sth. be worth while 某事值得花时间去做

sth. be worth one’s/the while 某事值得花时间去做

关于worth while用法的详细说明：

1）. worth while 的意思是：值得做，值得花时间或精力。

2）. worth while 可以有三种书写形式：worth while, worth-while, worthwhile, 可用作表语或定语(作定语时通常要合写一词或用连字符，即除非用在名词前，否则可写成worth while)。如：

The President's trip to Washington this week seems to have been worthwhile

总统本周的华盛顿之行看来是有价值的。

It might be worthwhile to consider your attitude to an insurance policy.

考虑一下你对投保的看法也许有所助益。

It is worthwhile to ruminate over his remarks.

他的话值得玩味。

Is it worthwhile getting angry over such a trifling matter?

为这点小事犯得着生气吗？

It is worthwhile to include really high-quality illustrations.

把真正高质量的插图包括进去是值得的。

It didn't seem worthwhile writing it all out again.

把这再都写出来似乎不必要。

If your water usage is very small it may be worthwhile opting for a meter.

要是用水量很小，就可以考虑装一个水表。

The visit to Paris was worthwhile. 去巴黎访问是值得的。

It’s a worthwhile (worth-while) book. 那是一本值得一读的书。

Their sobering conversation brought home to everyone present the serious and worthwhile work the Red Cross does.

他们发人深省的对话使在座的每个人都清楚地认识到红十字会所从事的严肃而有价值的工作。

3）. 有时可在worth与while之间插入one’s。如：

The work is worth our while. 这工作值得我们花时间(或精力)。

4）. worth (one’s) while 后可接不定式或动名词。如：

It is worth your while to visit the museum. 这个博物馆值得你去看看。

It might be worth your while to go to court and ask for the agreement to be changed

上法庭要求对协议进行改动也许对你有益。

It might be worth your while to go to court. This is tricky, though, and you'll needexpert advice.

对你来说这官司或许值得一打，不过这件事有点棘手，你需要专家的建议。

You'll find it well worth your while to learn something of each island's special featuresbefore visiting them.

你会发现游览之前先了解一下各岛的特色非常有帮助。

It is worth while discussing [to discuss] the question again. 这个问题值得再讨论一次。

It might be worth your while to go to court and ask for the agreement to be changed

上法庭要求对协议进行改动也许对你有益。

You'll find it well worth your while to learn something of each island's special features before visiting them.

你会发现游览之前先了解一下各岛的特色非常有帮助。

在这类句型中，一般用 it 作形式主语，worth (one’s)while 之后的不定式或动名词是句子的真正主语。在通常情况下，若句首没有形式主语it就不宜使用此句型。如一般不会说。如：

误：The museum is worth while visiting.

误：The museum is worth while to visit.

请认真体会一句多译

1. 那个地方值得一去。

正：The place is worth a visit.

正：The place is worthy of a visit.

正：The place is worth visiting.

正：It is worth visiting the place.

正：The place is worthy of being visited.

正：The place is worthy to be visited.

正：It is worthwhile visiting the place.

正：It is worthwhile to visit the place.

*worth 不可单独作谓语（It is worth doing sth除外）worthwhile=worth while可以单独作表语。

2. 这个问题值得考虑。

The problem is worth considering.(不用worthwhile)

It is worth considering the problem. (可换用worthwhile)

It is worthwhile to consider the problem(不用worth)

To consider the problem is worth while(不用worth)

Considering the problem is worth while(不用worth)