这一对并非同义短语。
Go to bed的意思是“上床”、“就寝”,bed之前不能加定冠词the,也不能加this、that、your、my等词,因为它是固定词组。在下列的固定词组中,我们也不能加上列的词,否则意义将要改变:get to bed,put to bed,take to bed,lie in bed,out of bed等。例:
When did you go to bed last night?
昨晚你几点钟上床?
I usually go to bed at eleven.
我通常十一点就寝。
Go to sleep的意思是“入睡”、“睡着”。因此,go to bed并不等于go to sleep。如所周知,一个失眠的人往往在go to bed之后过了很久也不能 go to sleep。例:
Last night I was too excited to go to sleep.
昨晚我激动得不能入睡。
I went to sleep at two this morning!
今晨两点我才睡着。
现将 go to bed和go to sleep用在一个句中,以便区别:
She usually goes to bed at nine and goes to sleep a few minutes afterwards.
她通常九点上床,几分钟后就入睡。