find
1.find可以有双宾语，也可以用作使役动词，所以We have found him a good assistant可能有两个意思：“我们已经替他找到一个好的助手”。（found有双宾语）或“我们已经发现他是一个好的助手”。（found用作使役动词）当然，在John's parents have found him a good wife里的found有双宾语，在John's parents have found him a good husband里的found用作使役动词。在可能被人误解的场合，只须照着意思用for或to be，如We have found a good assistant for him和We have found him to be a good assistant都不会被人误解。
2.find的宾语后面的不定式可以有to，也可以没有to。例如：We have found the farm (to) do well. 但假使那不定式是to be，不可省去to。例如：I have found him to be friendly.
3.I have found him (to be) friendly和I have found him (to be) a good friend里的to be可有可无。
4.find作“发现”或“找到”解，不作“找寻”解，如I have found the lost book是“我已经找到了那失去的书”，I hope I shall find the lost book today是“我希望我今天将找到那失去的书”。不可说I have found the lost book for some time, but I have not discovered it或I shall find the lost book, though I may never discover it。该把found改作looked for或searched for，把find改作look for或search for。不但这样，find并不含有“曾经找过”的意思，如假定你失去了一本书，也没有去找，后来忽然发现了，也可以用find。I have found a fly in the soup是“我已经在汤里发现一个苍蝇”。并不含有“曾经在汤里找过苍蝇”的意思。下面告白里的Found作“（被）拾得”解，并不含有“曾经找过”的意思：
Found
Blue Gloves
Apply to the Secretary.
5.find out和find略有不同。find out作“故意去找而找到”解，通常用于难于找到的东西。例如：We must find out a way to deal with the situation. 和In spite of our efforts, we failed to find out the truth.
有时find out用作不及物动词，作“发现真相”解。例如：When I find out, I shall be glad. 和He soon found out about the disguised secret agent.
6.find和find out都是一时的动作，所以不可说I have found the lost book for some time和We have found out the truth for a week。该说I found the lost book some time ago和We found out the truth a week ago或It is some time since I found the book和It is a week since we found out the truth。
7.He found her out可能有三个意思：1.“他把她找了出来”。2.“他发现她的错误（或过失）”。3.“他发现她不在家”。
8.find out后面可以接以that引导的从句。例如：I found out from his children that he was away in town. 也可以接以what, where等引导的从句。例如：I hope to find out what is keeping him in town.
