詞性混淆誤用一直是TOEEL考題中最重要的命題形式。它與“基本句子結構”（本書要點之1）和“平行結構”（本書要點之4）組成TOEEL命題的三大焦點。有關詞性混淆的試題主要集中在written Expression (16-40題）中，命題范圍包括（1）并列結構中詞性一致、（2）形容詞與副詞混淆、（3）形容詞與名詞混淆、（4）名詞與動詞混淆。其中，形容詞用錯的題型占此類命題的最大比例。
詞性混淆常考題型及解題要點
1. 并列連詞and but or結構要求詞性統一
全真例題分析
(1) Bigness. Boastful. And strong. Frontiersman Mike Fink was the subject of many folk tales. (93.3)
[答案] A 并列連詞and連接三個形容詞，故（A）Bigness應改為Big。
(2) The success of a naval ship is determined by its seaworthiness, speedy ,and maneuverability. (92.10)
[答案] D 并列連詞and連接三個名詞，而speed是形容詞，故應改為speed。
(3) Regulation of public utilities in the United States is carried out by locally state and federal governments. (92.5)
[答案] D 并列連詞and連接三個形容詞性質的詞，共同修飾后面的中心詞governnenrfs 。而locally是副詞，應改為local。
(4) In Middle Ages. Books called bestiaries were prepared in an attempt to describe animals, real or imagine, that exemplified human traits. (92.5)
[答案] B 并列連詞or前面是形容詞real。之后亦應是形容詞imaginary。
2. 形容詞錯用為副詞
解題要點 形容詞用來修飾說明名詞或名詞性成分的，而副詞則可修飾除名詞以外的所有詞性及句子成分。
全真例題分析
(1) Animal life on Prince Edward island is confined large to ducks. Pheasants. And rabbits (93.5)
[答案]C 修飾限定介詞短語to ducks pheasants and rabbits 應用副詞largely。
(2) The General Sherman tree a giant sequoia in California, has grown to be the world*s largest plant at approximate 272 feet tall.
[答案] D 修飾說明數詞（272）應用副詞approximately。
(3) Because its body is supported by water, the blue whale can grow to a size considerable larger than any land mammal alive today. (93.8)
[答案] 修飾形容詞短語larger than…應用副詞形式considerably。
(4) Once an important port of entry for immigrants to the United States. Island recent reopened its great hall s a museum of immigration. (92.8)
[答案] C 修飾整個句耶Ellis ls land reopened its great hall as a museum of immigration 應用副詞recently，表示時間。
(5) Because their properties differ from those of their constituents. Proper alloys can great increase the corrosion resistance of a metal.
[答案] C 修飾動increase 應用副詞greatly。
3. 以副詞后綴－ly組成的副詞錯用為形容詞
解題要點 A、B、C、D四個選擇答案中如果有以－ly形式構成的副詞，應首先考慮它的詞性是否正確，是否錯用為形容詞。
全真例題分析
(1) Parrots have heavily bodies and exceedingly strong legs. (93.8)
[答案] A 修飾名詞應用形從詞。Heavily 應改為heavy。
(2) The katydid a type of grasshopper is actively at night and rests motionless amid foliage during the day. (93.8)
[答案] B 改為形容詞active，作表語。
(3) Although the unified states experienced rapidly growth in the first half of the nineteenth century ,it was still predominately concerned with agriculture and forestry (93.10)
[答案] A 修飾名詞應用形容詞rapid growth。
(4) Although they are in different countries, Windsor. Ontario and Detroit, Michigan are close neighbors and cooperate on numerous matters of mutually interest. (91.5)
[答案] D 改為mutual interest。
4. 以名詞后綴- tion ,- sion 組成的名詞錯用為動詞
解題要點 A、B、C、D四個選擇答案中出現以－tion, -sion形式構成的名詞，應首先考慮它的詞性是否正確，是否錯用為動詞。
全真例題分析
(1) The work *saga* is often application to any narration of events of the past, whether mythical or historical in character. (92.10)
[答案] A application應改為applied，作謂語動詞的被動語態。
(2) Administrative assistants are often expected to make decisions, supervision staff, delegate responsibility, and work harmoniously with managers and fellow cmployces. (92.100
[答案] B supervision 改為動詞原形supervise與后面名詞組成動賓結構。
(3) Fascination by the promise of the internal engine and its application to a self-propelled vehicle, Henly Ford constructed a one-cylinder gasoline motor in 1892. (93.10)
[答案] A Fascination 改為Fascinated, 與后面的by 組成過去分詞短語作狀語。
(4) From 1872 to, Alice Elvira Freeman was Dean of Women at the newly foundation University of Chicago. (93.8)
[答案] D foundation 改為founded 過去分詞作定語，修飾University of Chicago
5. 由表示詞性的后綴- fur ,-tie -enc., -ent,-tive都很可能是此題的考試焦點
全真例題分析
(1) Few theories are originality enough to be called unique. (92.10)
[答案] C 名詞originality應改為形容詞original 作表語。
(2) Height, powerful and speed are attributes that coaches often look for in basketball players. (93.8)
[答案] A 形容詞powerful應改為名詞power，與height和speed并列。
(3) A major purpose of scientific analysts is to idenufy and examine causal connections between independent and dependence variables. (93.1)
[答案] D 名詞dependence 應改為形容詞dependent, 用來修飾后面的名詞variables。
(4) A deficient of folic acid is rarely found in humans because the vitamin is contained in a wide variety of foods. (92.8)
[答案]A 形容詞deficient改為名詞deficiency。作主語。
(5) In nature, the distributive of plants is obviously related to climate. (90.8)
[答案] B 形容詞distributive 改為名詞distribution ，用主語。
(6) A foreign exchange rate is a price that reflects the relative supply and demand of difference currencies. (93.5)
[答案] D 名詞difference改為形容詞different，修飾后面的名詞。
