spend;cost;take;pay;pay for
spend, cost, take, pay和pay for都可以翻译成"花费"的意思,但各自的含义不同.
①spend的主语必须是"人",宾语可以是钱、精力、时间等,其后用on+名词或用(in)+动名词形式,不接不定式.如：
He spends too much money on books.他平时将很多钱用在买书上.
He spent a lot of money (in) buying a new car.他花了很多钱买了一辆新车.
Every morning he spends half an hour on English.每天早晨他用半小时读英语.(句中on English可与(in) reading English替换)
②cost的主语必须是"物"或"事",表示"费用"、"耗费",后接life, money, health, time等,侧重于"花费"的代价.如：
That one mistake almost cost him his life.那个错误几乎让他丧命.
The book cost him one dollar.这本书花了他一美元.
It costs you twelve pounds to go to London by ship.乘船到伦敦要12英磅.
Making experiments like this costs much time and labour.做这样的实验要花很多钱.
③take表示"花费"时,其主语一般是"一件事",有时主语也可以是人,它说明事情的完成"花费了……".如：
It took me ten minutes to go to the post office.我到邮局用了十分钟.
It takes a lot of money to buy a house as big as that.买一座像那样的房子要花很多钱.
The journey took me three hours.这次旅行用了我三个小时.
Painting the picture took me all week.画这幅画用了我整整一周的时间.
说明：take... to do sth.句型侧重完成该动作花费的时间,而spend...doing sth.有时并不说明动作是否完成.如：
It took him an hour to read the book.他用一小时读完了这本书.
He spent an hour (in) reading the book.他用了一小时读这本书.(是否读完并未说明)
④pay的基本意思是"支付",作为及物动词,宾语可以是"人"和"钱".如：
He paid the taxi and hurried to the station.他付了出租车的钱,急忙向车站赶去.
They had to pay two hundred francs.他们得付二百法朗.
We'll pay you in a few days.几天后我们会给你钱.
⑤pay for的宾语为"物"和"事",for表示支付的原因.如：
You'll have to pay me ten dollars a week for your meals.你每周得付给我十美元饭钱