Without 為介系詞，意為「無，沒有，不」。例如：
- Money in not everything but nothing can be done without money. (錢不是萬能，但沒有錢卻萬萬不能)
- I like to drink coffee without sugar. (我喜歡喝不加糖的咖啡)
在上面的例句中，without 後面都是接不可數名詞。若 without 後接單數可數名詞，則該名詞前面一定要有不定冠詞 a/an。例如：
- Henry left us without a word. (亨利一句話也沒說就離開我們了) (正)
Henry left us without word. (誤) - He can do mathematics without a calculator. (他不用計算機就能做數學計算) (正)
He can do mathematics without calculator. (誤) - Don’t go out without an umbrella. It’s raining cats and dogs. (沒帶傘不要外出。外面正下著傾盆大雨) (正)
Don’t go out without umbrella. It’s raining cats and dogs. (誤)
Without 已經有否定的意思，其後不能再接任何否定字。例如：
- That girl stood me up and made me wait for two hours there without anything to eat or drink. (那個女孩放我鴿子，讓我在那裡沒有吃的也沒有喝的等了兩個小時) (正)
That girl stood me up and made me wait for two hours there without nothing to eat or drink. (誤) - Allen walked past without saying anything. (艾倫走了過去，什麼話也沒說) (正)
Allen walked past without saying nothing. (誤)