comment
comment — noun
1. a spoken or written remark that tells what you think or feel about someone or so
a spoken or written remark that tells what you think or feel about someone or something
The mayor asked the crowd for their comments on the new park design.
countable noun + on [topic]
Ravi posted a comment on the blog about sustainable farming.
leave / post a comment
Would anyone like to add a comment before the meeting ends?
The professor's comments on Wen's essay helped her sharpen her main argument.
- remark
more casual and often brief; used for something said in passing
- observation
suggests careful noticing; slightly more formal than 'comment'
用法筆記
Commonly used with the preposition 'on' or 'about' to introduce the topic. The phrase 'make a comment' is far more natural than 'give a comment'.
常見錯誤
2. an explanatory or critical note added to the text of a book, document, or piece
an explanatory or critical note added to the text of a book, document, or piece of writing
The scholar's edition of Shakespeare includes detailed comments at the bottom of each page.
annotated edition: comments at bottom of page
Leila wrote a short comment in the margin next to the difficult passage.
comment in the margin
The legal contract has comments from a lawyer explaining each clause.
A handwritten comment by the original author appears beside the main text.
- annotation
more formal; often refers to a scholarly or systematic explanatory note
- gloss
a brief explanation of a difficult word or phrase, especially in ancient texts
用法筆記
Common in academic and publishing contexts. These comments are written additions that explain or criticise the main text, and they may appear as marginalia, footnotes, or endnotes.
3. the words 'no comment' spoken to show that you will not give an answer, particul
the words 'no comment' spoken to show that you will not give an answer, particularly when dealing with the media or people in authority
When asked about the merger, the CEO said 'no comment' to reporters.
fixed phrase: 'no comment' as direct speech
The senator gave a firm 'no comment' and walked away from the cameras.
The celebrity's only reply was 'no comment' said three times.
Journalists grew frustrated when the official refused to give any comment at all.
- silence
not identical — silence is merely the absence of speech, while 'no comment' is an active refusal to answer
用法筆記
The phrase 'no comment' functions as a complete utterance. It can also be used as a countable noun referring to the act of refusing to answer ('he gave a firm no comment'). This is the only sense where 'comment' refers to a deliberate refusal rather than an opinion.
常見錯誤
comment — verb
1. to give your opinion or reaction about someone or something by speaking or writi
to give your opinion or reaction about someone or something by speaking or writing
The journalist commented that the election results were unexpected.
comment + that-clause
Aiko commented on the clever design of the new library building.
comment on + noun phrase
Several experts commented about the safety of the new vaccine.
When asked about the weather, the old sailor simply commented that a storm was likely.
The minister declined to comment on the recent policy changes.
文法句型
comment + that-clause
comment + on/upon + noun phrase
comment + about + noun phrase
用法筆記
The verb 'comment' is usually intransitive — it needs a prepositional phrase with 'on', 'about', or 'upon' before the topic. The exception is the that-clause pattern ('she commented that…'), which does not need a preposition.