一、基本用法

1. (表否定)沒有，無，不需。如：

The letter was posted without a stamp. 那封信沒貼郵票就寄出去了。

We got there without any trouble. 我們到了那兒，一路上沒遇到任何麻煩。

You’ll get wet if you go out in the rain without an umbrella. 雨天外出不帶傘會淋濕的。

I suddenly realized I’d come out without any money. 我突然意識到，一點兒錢也沒帶就出來了。

2. (用在no, not, never等否定副詞之后，強調肯定)沒有……不，沒有……則不能……，每……必定……。如：

You can’t get rich without taking risks. 人不冒險不富。

The old man cannot walk without a stick. 那位老先生離開手杖就走不了路。

Don’t go out without a coat: you’ll catch your death. 別不穿外套出去，會得重感冒的。

I never see this picture without thinking of him. 每次看到這張照片，我都會想起他。

3. (與-ing形式連用)不，無，沒。如：

She entered the room without knocking. 她沒敲門就進了房間。

It goes without saying that health is above wealth. 健康勝于財富這個道理是無需多說的。

They had to stand for hours without changing position. 他們得一動不動地站幾個小時。

It wasn’t very polite of you to serve yourself without asking. 你也不問一聲就自己吃起來是不太禮貌的。

4. (表條件)若無，若非。如：

I don’t like to go to a country without knowing something of the language. 我要是不懂得一點那個國家的語言，就不想到那個國家去。

Without water, we cannot live. 沒有水，我們就活不了。

Can you see without your glasses? 你不戴眼鏡能看得清東西嗎?

二、作表語的用法

without引出的介詞短語通常用作狀語，但有時也可用作表語。如：

She is completely without shame. 她恬不知恥。

My investigations were without result. 我的調查毫無結果。

The houses in this village are without water. 這個村子里家家戶戶都沒有自來水。

We were without electricity for three hours but it’s on again now. 我們的電停了3小時，現在又有了。

三、后接復合賓語的用法

without后接復合賓語的常用結構如下：

1. without+賓語+副詞

I’d be lost without you here. 沒有你在這兒，我會一籌莫展。

I’m very near-sighted without my glasses on. 我要是不戴眼鏡十分近視。

2. without+賓語+介詞短語

We’d be better off without them as neighbors. 要是沒有這些鄰居，我們就過得更愉快了。

I don’t like sweet coffee; I like it better without sugar in it. 我不喜歡加糖的咖啡，里邊不加糖我更喜歡。

3. without+賓語+動名詞

Without anyone noticing, he slipped through the window. 無人注意，他從窗戶溜了出去。

They debated for hours without a decision being taken. 他們爭論了幾個小時，也沒作出決定。

4. without+賓語+不定式

Without anyone to help, how can we go on? 沒有人幫忙，我們怎么能進行下去?

It was boring to sit there without anything to do. 無所事事地坐在那里太無聊了。

5. without+賓語+過去分詞

Without another word exchanged, they started off. 沒有再交談一句，他們就出發了。