afford 核心结构：can / cannot afford to do（能/不能负担做某事）。义项：① 负担得起（经济上）：can't afford to buy a house = 买不起房；② 承受得起（比喻，时间/风险）：can't afford to waste time = 不能浪费时间；③ 给予，提供（正式书面）：the position affords many opportunities = 这个职位提供了许多机会。关键：can afford to 永远接不定式，不接动名词（× afford doing → ✓ afford to do）；否定形式 cannot afford to 是书面议论文高频表达。
释义
1
v.负担得起（经济）
Many graduates cannot afford to buy property in major cities given current housing prices.
鉴于当前房价，许多毕业生负担不起在大城市购置房产。
2
v.承受得起（比喻：时间/风险/代价）
With the deadline approaching, the team could not afford to make any further mistakes.
随着截止日期临近，团队承受不起再犯任何错误。
3
v.提供，给予（正式书面）
Living in a coastal city affords residents easy access to beaches and outdoor activities.
居住在沿海城市为居民提供了便利的海滩和户外活动机会。
语感
afford = 有没有「余量」去承担——经济上的余量，时间上的余量，或风险上的余量
负担得起承受得起（比喻）提供（正式）
最高频结构：can / cannot afford to do（能/不能负担：we cannot afford to ignore = 我们不能忽视）；affordable（价格合理的，负担得起的：affordable housing = 可负担住房）；afford sb. sth.（正式：给予某人某物：afford students the opportunity = 给学生机会）。注意：afford 接不定式（afford to do），不接动名词（× afford doing）；这是最高频语法错误。辨析：afford to do（能负担做某事，常与情态动词 can/cannot 连用）vs. manage to do（设法做成某事，强调克服困难）。
陷阱
⚠️afford to do（不定式，不接动名词）
✗
In today's competitive market, businesses cannot affordignoring customer feedback if they want to retain their client base.
在当今竞争激烈的市场中，企业如果想留住客户群，就无法忽视客户反馈。（afford ignoring 错误，应改为 afford to ignore）
afford 后接不定式（afford to do），不接动名词；× afford ignoring → ✓ afford to ignore
✓
In today's competitive market, businesses cannot afford to ignore customer feedback if they want to retain their client base.
在当今竞争激烈的市场中，企业如果想留住客户群，就无法忽视客户反馈。
⚠️cannot afford to（比喻义）：不只是钱，也是风险/时间/代价
As global temperatures continue to rise, governments around the world cannot afford to delay implementing meaningful climate policies.
✗
cannot afford to = 只有「买不起」的意思（经济上负担不起）
✓
cannot afford to（比喻义：无法承受某行动的代价/风险，不只是经济层面）；cannot afford to delay = 不能再拖延（延误的代价太大，无法承受）；此句是政策层面的「代价」，不是钱的问题；cannot afford to 的比喻义在议论文中极高频
随着全球气温持续上升，世界各国政府无法承受推迟实施有意义的气候政策的代价。（cannot afford to = 代价太大，不只是钱）
近义辨析
affordvsprovide
affordafford（提供，给予，正式书面：afford sb. an opportunity）provideprovide（提供，最通用：provide resources/services，无正式程度限制）
A diverse curriculum affords students the chance to discover new interests and strengths beyond their core subjects.
多元化的课程为学生提供了在核心科目之外发现新兴趣和优势的机会。
The government has pledged to provide additional funding for schools in low-income areas.
政府承诺为低收入地区的学校提供额外资金。
写作加分
✨ 加分词
替换：can't pay fortoo expensivedon't have time
教育公平议论文环境/气候话题社会政策话题
普通
Poor families cannot pay for quality education for their children.
贫困家庭无法为孩子支付优质教育的费用。
加分 ✨
Families living below the poverty line cannot afford to provide their children with the educational resources necessary for academic success.
生活在贫困线以下的家庭无力负担为孩子提供取得学业成功所必需的教育资源。
为什么更好：cannot afford to provide 比 cannot pay for 更书面，families living below the poverty line 比 poor families 更精确有分量，necessary for academic success 明确目标