有一读者问： 有这样一道选择题：
(1)I went to the cinema_________watching TV.
A. instead B. instead of C. in stead of D. instead for
问以上选项有何区别？
instead是一副词，用作状语，实例如：
(2)We did not watch TV. Instead we went to the cinema. （第二句亦可改作But we went to the cinema instead . ）
(3)I didn't have a pen, so I used a pencil instead .
instead of一般多被看作是短语介词，应是上述选择题入选的选项，再如：
(3)We had tea instead of coffee.
(4)I will go instead of him.
(5)Instead of helping me, he made my work more difficult.
instead of有时亦可用作连词，用以连接动词（包括不定式）、形容词、副词、介词等，但由于与本题无关，这里就不详加说明了。
in stead of是古旧写法，1640年以后就将in和stead拼写在一起了。最后选项instead for似为命题人所编造。实际上并不存在此种说法。
