两者均可表示“继续”,有时可互换。如:
The rain went on [contiuned] for three days. 雨连续下了 3 天。
This state of things cannot continue [go on] forever. 这种状况不能继续下去了。
两者区别如下:
1. go on 属普通用词,而 continue 则较正式。如:
Go on, please. 请说下去。
Now, the news continues in standard English. 现在用普通英语继续报告新闻。
2. continue 后可直接跟名词作宾语,而 go on 后需借助介词再接名词作宾语。如:
He continued [went on with] the story. 他继续讲故事。
3. continue 后接不定式或动名词均可,含义大致相同,均表示“不停地做某事”;而 go on 后接不定式或动名词含义区别较大,即 go on doing sth 意为“不停地做某事”(不中断)或“继续做某事”(中断后继续),go on to do sth 意为“(做完某事后)接着或继续做某事”。比较:
The baby contiuned to cry [crying] all night. 婴儿哭了一夜。
You can‘t go on working all night without a rest. 你不能通宵工作而不休息。(无中断)
She nodded, smiled, and went on stitching. 她点了点头,笑了笑,又继续缝衣服。(中断后再继续)
Go on to do the other exerciese after you have finished this one. 你做完这个练习后,请接着做其他的练习。
注:按传统语法,continue doing sth 只能表示不停地做某事,不能表示中断后继续做某事,但现代英语似乎已不完全遵循此规则。如 1995 年出版的《朗文当代英语辞典》就有这样一句:
They contiuned talking after the meal. 吃了饭后他们又继续谈。
4. continue 可用作连系动词,go on 不可这样用。如:
The weather continued fine. 天气一直很好。
The boat continued east. 船继续向东航行。