避免...:avoid doing something / something
以免:this is a word which comes from old chinese.
以免 means 以A免B
以:use
免:avoid
A is a pronoun, it represents the method that u use. B is the result. for example, 我们应该快点走以免迟到。
the method that u use: 快点走----move fast
the result: 迟到---be late
我们(use)move fast to avoid being late.
so it becomes 我们 以 快点走(的方法) 避免 迟到。
today, we put 以 and 免, it becomes 以免. And we put "the method that u use" in front of it.
so we say 以免 = 避免
but if u want to use 以免,u d better put "a method" in front of it.
你应该努力工作(work hard),以免被开除(be fired)。
so 以免 is a conjunction. we can translate it like: in order to avoid...
however, 避免 is exactly the same with "avoid
你应该努力工作(work hard),避免 被开除(be fired)。
we can use 避免 in the same phrase, but in the first phrase, 以免 is a conjunction, whereas in the second phrase, we omit somehing like subject: 你应该努力工作(work hard),(你就可以)避免被开除(be fired)。 so u can see, 避免 is a verb