这些形容词均含“个人的、私人的”之意。
personal : 指属于或关于某人或某些特定的人，以区别于其他人。
- My personal opinion/view is that the students should be doing more work outside the classroom.
我个人认为学生应该多做一些课外作业。 - Her uncle takes a personal interest in her progress.
她叔叔个人很关心她的进步。 - She has her own personal secretary/bodyguard/fitness instructor.
她有自己的私人秘书／保镖／健身教练。 - Passengers are reminded to take all their personal belongings with them when they leave the plane.
乘客们被提醒下飞机时要带走所有个人物品。
private : 指属于私人所有或具有私营性质，以区别于集体或公共的，有时含不公开的意味。
- She has a small office that is used for private discussions.
她有一间小办公室，做密谈之用。 - I caught him looking through my private papers.
我撞见他在翻阅我的私人文件。 - The sign on the gate said “Private Property – No Trespassing!”
大门的标牌上写着“私宅——闲人莫入”。
individual : 与集体的相对，指个别或个体的。
- Every individual has rights which must never be taken away.
每个人都有一些不可剥夺的权利。 - We try to treat our students as individuals.
我们力图把学生当成独立的个体来对待。
#词汇辨析