(1) ①believe意为“相信”,可接名词宾语,也可接宾语+不定式复合结构,特别是在正式文体中。
- I don't believe you/what you say/a word you say/your statement.
我不相信你的话。 - Everybody believed her to be innocent.
大家都相信她是无辜的。
②在口语中,后面常接一个从句。
- I believe (that) she's innocent, don't you?
我相信她是无辜的,你不相信吗?
③在被动句中,可以人作主语,后接不定式。
- The president is believed to be seriously ill.
据说,总统生了重病。
④用it作形式主语,believe用被动结构,后接that 从句。这主要用于正式文体中。
- It is generally believed that enemy troops are advancing on the capital.
普遍都认为,敌军正向着首都推进。
⑤believe可接介词in,表示“信仰,信奉(have faith in)”。
- Do you really believe in the existence of God?
你真的相信上帝的存在吗? - We are not superstitious and we do not believe in ghosts.
我们不迷信,不相信有鬼。
⑥当believe用于引出有否定意味的从句时,通常否定believe。
- I don't believe she's at home, but I'll go and see.
我想她不在家,但我还是要去看看。
(2) convince是“使(某人)信服/相信;使(某人)明白/意识到”,常用的结构是:convince sb. of sth.; be convinced of sth./that(clause); convince sb. that (clause)。
- We tried to convince him of his mistake but in vain.
我们试图使他意识到自己的错误,但却是徒劳。 - You oughtn't entrust to him such important and confidential plans though I'm convinced of his ability/that he's a very able man.
虽然我相信他的能力/他很能干,你却不该把这样重要而机密的计划委托给他。 - You are to convince him that his cooperation with us will definitely benefit his firm.
你要使他明白:他跟我们合作肯定会对他的公司有利。