这些形容词均含“大的”之意。
big : 常用词，使用广泛，较口语化。多指体积、重量或容量等方面的“大”，有时也用于描写抽象之物。
- He's a big man.
他是个身材高大的人。 - Could I try these shoes in a bigger size?
这双鞋我能试一双大一点儿的吗？ - They have a big house in the country.
他们在乡下有一幢大房子。 - She has blonde hair and big blue eyes.
她头发金黄，有一双大大的蓝眼睛。 - She had a big pay rise.
她的工资涨了很多。 - I had a great big slice of chocolate cake for dessert.
我甜点吃了一大块巧克力蛋糕。 - A thousand people took part in the region's biggest ever cycle race.
1000人参加了本地区有史以来规模最大的自行车赛。 - You write August with a big (= capital) "a".
August 这个单词的首字母 a 要大写。 - She's always been a big spender (= she has always spent a lot of money).
她花钱总是大手大脚。 - You're not a very big eater, are you? (= You do not eat a lot.)
你吃得并不多，对吗？
large : 普通用词，含义广，指体积、面积、容量、数量以及程度等方面的大，具体或抽象意义均可用。
- a large house
大房子 - the world's largest computer manufacturer
世界上最大的计算机制造商 - We need a larger car.
我们需要一辆更大的车。 - We didn't expect such a large number of people to attend the concert.
我们没想到会有这么多人来听音乐会。 - We've made good progress, but there's still a large amount of work to be done.
我们已经取得了一些进展，但仍有大量的工作要做。 - There was a larger-than-expected fall in unemployment last month.
上个月的失业人数比预计数字减少了很多。 - Researchers have just completed the largest-ever survey of criminal behaviour in the UK
研究人员刚刚完成了英国历史上最大规模的犯罪行为调查。 - The population faces starvation this winter without large-scale emergency food aid.
今年冬天由于没有大规模的紧急食品援助，人们将面临饥荒。
great : 普通用词，可指具体东西的“大”，但更常指事物的重要，人的行为、品格的伟大等，带一定的感情色彩。
- an enormous great hole
巨大的洞 - The issue is of great importance to voters.
对选民们来说这个问题意义重大。 - The improvement in water standards over the last 50 years has been very great.
过去50年中，水质有了很大的提高。 - A great many people would agree.
很多人会表示赞同。 - The great majority of (= almost all) people would agree.
绝大多数人都会表示赞同。 - It gives us great pleasure to announce the engagement of our daughter Maria.
我们非常高兴地宣布我们的女儿玛丽亚订婚了。 - It is with great sorrow that I inform you of the death of our director.
我万分悲痛地通知您我们院长逝世的消息。 - I have great sympathy for you.
我对你深表同情。 - I spent a great deal of time there.
我在那儿度过了很长时间。
grand : 侧重指盛大、绝大，有气派。
- She has all kinds of grand ideas.
她脑子里都是些经天纬地的想法。 - His job has a grand title, but he's little more than a clerk.
他的工作听起来名堂大得很，可他不过是个职员。 - The Palace of Versailles is very grand.
凡尔赛宫非常宏伟。 - They always entertain their guests in grand style.
他们总是举行盛大宴会款待宾客。
