學(xué)習(xí)英語寫作,要學(xué)的東西很多,但必須從單句練習(xí)做起,因?yàn)閷懞脝尉涫蔷毩?xí)英語寫作的基礎(chǔ)和關(guān)鍵。這項(xiàng)基本功不過關(guān),寫出來的東西就會(huì)讓人費(fèi)解,甚至無法使人理解。
1.殘缺句。句子的一部分從它所屬的句子分離出來并作為一個(gè)獨(dú)立的句子,這就出現(xiàn)殘缺句(sentence fragment)。例如:
Many people prefer taking subway to go to work. Because it is faster and cheaper.(去掉work后的句號,Because改為be-cause)
2.連綴句。就句法而言,學(xué)生在寫作中最常出現(xiàn)的錯(cuò)誤恐怕就是連綴句(run-on sentence)。常見的類型有:
1)兩個(gè)獨(dú)立句子連在一起,中間并沒有任何標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號。
例如:
誤:The girls made the fire the boys cooked the food.
正:(a)The girls made the fire.The boys cooked the food.
(c) The girls made the fire,and the boys cooked the food.
2)兩個(gè)獨(dú)立句子中間僅用逗號分開。例如:
誤:He went to class,he forgot his paper.
正:(a)He went to class. He forgot his paper.
(b)He went to class;he forgot his paper.
(c)He went to class,but he forgot his paper.
(d)When he got to class,he found that he had forgotten his
3)把連接副詞(conjunctive adverbs)誤用為連接詞。例如:
誤:She continued teaching,however her heart was not in it.
正:(a)She continued teaching,but her heart was not in it.
(b)She continued teaching;however,her heart was not in it.
(c)She continued teaching;her heart, however, was not in it.
應(yīng)特別注意,下列副詞容易被誤認(rèn)為是連接詞:accordingly,also,anyhow,besides,consequently,furthermore,however,in-stead, likewise, meanwhile, moreover, nevertheless,otherwise,still,then,therefore,thus等。
下面兩例都是病句,其糾正的方法可參看上例。
誤:Everything seemed quiet, then the explosion came.
誤: I was late,nevertheless I made the plane.
4)把轉(zhuǎn)折語(transitional phrases)誤用為連接語(connectives)。例如:
誤:He disliked discipline,that is,he really was lazy.
正:(a)He disliked discipline;that is,he really was lazy.
(b)He disliked discipline, that is, anything demanding.
應(yīng)特別注意,下列轉(zhuǎn)折語容易被誤認(rèn)為是連接語:for example, for instance,for this reason, in addition,in other words,in fact,in summary,in the same way,in conclusion,in the mean time,on one side,on the other hand,on the contrary, to sum up等。
5)在直接引語的句中誤用了逗號。例如:
誤:“Who won?”Elizabeth asked,“What was the score?”
正:“Who won?”Elizabeth asked.“What was the score?”
誤:“Marry her,”Martin said,“after all,she is very rich.”
正:“Marry her,”Martin said.“After all,she is very rich.”
6)受漢語標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號用法的影響。在漢譯英或用英語寫作時(shí),把漢語句中的標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號用“對號入座”的辦法,硬搬到英語句中。例如:
北京的春天,氣候溫和,花兒到處開放。
誤:In Beijing,spring is warm,there are flowers every- where.
(完全按漢語標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號,兩個(gè)逗號,一個(gè)句號。)
正:In Beijing, spring is warm and there are flowers every- where.
(按英語標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號,一個(gè)逗號,一個(gè)句號。)
小山上各處的椅子已經(jīng)坐滿了人,有的人找不到座兒,就
坐在石頭上。
誤:All the chairs on the hills were taken,some people were unable to find
(完全按漢語標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號,兩個(gè)逗號,一個(gè)句號。)
正:All the chairs on the hills were taken.Unable to find seats,some
(按英語標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號,一個(gè)逗號,兩個(gè)句號,即把中文的一個(gè)句
子寫成英語的兩個(gè)句子。)
3.句子成分不勻衡。平衡結(jié)構(gòu)(parallelism)就是把結(jié)構(gòu)相同,意義并重,語氣一致的詞組或句子排列成串,形成一個(gè)整體。但在英語寫作中不少學(xué)生對這種排比寫法往往掌握不好,容易寫出一些不勻衡的句子。例如:
He listened to his teacher with care and attentively.(把with care改為carefully)
4.不連貫的短句(choppy sentences)。不連貫的短句指兩個(gè)或兩個(gè)以上簡短句子排列在一起,這些短句提供的信息量很小,甚至把一個(gè)簡單的思想內(nèi)容也割裂成兩個(gè)或兩個(gè)以上的內(nèi)容用短句加以表達(dá)。雖然這些句子語法正確,但不連貫,顯得乏力。在寫作中應(yīng)避免連續(xù)使用這樣的句子。例如:
①Some students go to college to get a degree.Some students go to college to get an education.
②My best friend in high school was our English teacher.Her name was Li Ming.She taught us English for three years.
③Tom wrote a quick note.It was to Nancy.She was hisformer employer.
④The trees were covered with ice.They sparkled in the sunlight.They were beautiful.
要改寫好這些短句,可以使用各種不同的方法。下面這幾種方法較常見。
1)如果句與句之間意義并重,用并列連詞(and,but,or,yet,etc.)或連接副詞(therefore, however,thus,otherwise,etc.)改寫為并列句。例如:
Some students go to college to get a degree,and others go to college to get an education.
2)如果一個(gè)句子依附于另一個(gè)句子,意義上有主次之分,可用從屬連詞(because,when,if,since,etc.)改寫為復(fù)合句。例如:
My best friend in high school was our English teacher,Ms.Li Ming, who taught us English for three years.
3)把其中某個(gè)短句改為同位語。例如:
Tom wrote a quick note to Nancy,his former employer.
4)把其中某個(gè)短句改為分詞結(jié)構(gòu)。例如:
Sparkling in the sunlight, the ice-covered trees were beautiful.
5.句子的前后不一致(awkward shift)。在寫作英語句子時(shí),要使整個(gè)句子在時(shí)態(tài)、語態(tài)、語氣、單復(fù)數(shù)以及人稱諸方面前后保持一致。違反了這個(gè)原則,就會(huì)出現(xiàn)句子前后不一致的錯(cuò)誤。
1)時(shí)態(tài)不一致的錯(cuò)誤。例如:
A person who has good friends enjoyed life more.(enjoyed改為enjoys)
2)語態(tài)不一致的錯(cuò)誤。例如:
He lived in the countryside for two years,and his life there was always remembered by him.(改為he always remembered his life there)
3)語氣不一致的錯(cuò)誤。例如:
If I were you,I will beat him.(will改為would)
4)人稱和數(shù)不一致的錯(cuò)誤。例如:
If one tries hard,they can pass the exam.(they改為one)
6.句義不清楚的句子。把一個(gè)英語句子的意思表達(dá)清楚,這是英語寫作最基本的要求。而要把句子的意思表達(dá)清楚,很主要的一點(diǎn)是要了解容易造成句子意思不清楚的原因,這樣才能對癥下藥,避免產(chǎn)生句義不清楚的句子。造成英語句子意思不清楚的原因很多,其中主要的有以下幾方面。
1)不適當(dāng)?shù)氖÷?。在寫英語句子時(shí)能省去的詞一定毫無保留地省去,但省略一定要以意思表達(dá)清楚為前提,否則是不可取的。例如:
He walked until the park.(改為until he reached the park)
2)誤用表達(dá)方式。有些英語句子的意思模糊不清是由于表達(dá)方式造成的。有時(shí)好像兩種表達(dá)方式都可以,其實(shí)不然。例如:
In spite of only a few students,the teacher began his class.(改為Though only a few students were present)
3)缺乏必要的細(xì)節(jié)。有時(shí)英語句子意思模糊不清是由于缺少必要的細(xì)節(jié)。加上必要的細(xì)節(jié)后,句子的意思就清楚、連貫了。例如:
Last Sunday I went to see my uncle.Nobody was there.Disappointed I had to come back home.(改為When I got to his home,I found nobody was there.)
4)修飾語誤置。修飾語在句子中的位置不當(dāng)是造成英語句子意思模糊不清的一個(gè)重要原因,有時(shí)還會(huì)引起歧義。例如:
At this time of night I knew that he was still working.(把a(bǔ)t this time of night移到that后面)
7.垂懸修飾語。當(dāng)現(xiàn)在分詞的邏輯主語與句子的主語不一致時(shí),這種現(xiàn)在分詞短語就會(huì)變成垂懸修飾語(dangling modifier)。在正式英語中,垂懸修飾語是被當(dāng)作錯(cuò)誤來處理的。例如:
Having studied hard, the examination was passed success-fully.(改為Having studied hard,he passed the examination successfully)
通常情況下,可采用兩種方法來避免垂懸修飾語。其一是調(diào)整主語,使分詞短語的邏輯主語與句子主語一致,見上例。其二是在分詞短語前加上合適的邏輯主語,變分詞短語為獨(dú)立主格結(jié)構(gòu)。
1.殘缺句。句子的一部分從它所屬的句子分離出來并作為一個(gè)獨(dú)立的句子,這就出現(xiàn)殘缺句(sentence fragment)。例如:
Many people prefer taking subway to go to work. Because it is faster and cheaper.(去掉work后的句號,Because改為be-cause)
2.連綴句。就句法而言,學(xué)生在寫作中最常出現(xiàn)的錯(cuò)誤恐怕就是連綴句(run-on sentence)。常見的類型有:
1)兩個(gè)獨(dú)立句子連在一起,中間并沒有任何標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號。
例如:
誤:The girls made the fire the boys cooked the food.
正:(a)The girls made the fire.The boys cooked the food.
(c) The girls made the fire,and the boys cooked the food.
2)兩個(gè)獨(dú)立句子中間僅用逗號分開。例如:
誤:He went to class,he forgot his paper.
正:(a)He went to class. He forgot his paper.
(b)He went to class;he forgot his paper.
(c)He went to class,but he forgot his paper.
(d)When he got to class,he found that he had forgotten his
3)把連接副詞(conjunctive adverbs)誤用為連接詞。例如:
誤:She continued teaching,however her heart was not in it.
正:(a)She continued teaching,but her heart was not in it.
(b)She continued teaching;however,her heart was not in it.
(c)She continued teaching;her heart, however, was not in it.
應(yīng)特別注意,下列副詞容易被誤認(rèn)為是連接詞:accordingly,also,anyhow,besides,consequently,furthermore,however,in-stead, likewise, meanwhile, moreover, nevertheless,otherwise,still,then,therefore,thus等。
下面兩例都是病句,其糾正的方法可參看上例。
誤:Everything seemed quiet, then the explosion came.
誤: I was late,nevertheless I made the plane.
4)把轉(zhuǎn)折語(transitional phrases)誤用為連接語(connectives)。例如:
誤:He disliked discipline,that is,he really was lazy.
正:(a)He disliked discipline;that is,he really was lazy.
(b)He disliked discipline, that is, anything demanding.
應(yīng)特別注意,下列轉(zhuǎn)折語容易被誤認(rèn)為是連接語:for example, for instance,for this reason, in addition,in other words,in fact,in summary,in the same way,in conclusion,in the mean time,on one side,on the other hand,on the contrary, to sum up等。
5)在直接引語的句中誤用了逗號。例如:
誤:“Who won?”Elizabeth asked,“What was the score?”
正:“Who won?”Elizabeth asked.“What was the score?”
誤:“Marry her,”Martin said,“after all,she is very rich.”
正:“Marry her,”Martin said.“After all,she is very rich.”
6)受漢語標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號用法的影響。在漢譯英或用英語寫作時(shí),把漢語句中的標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號用“對號入座”的辦法,硬搬到英語句中。例如:
北京的春天,氣候溫和,花兒到處開放。
誤:In Beijing,spring is warm,there are flowers every- where.
(完全按漢語標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號,兩個(gè)逗號,一個(gè)句號。)
正:In Beijing, spring is warm and there are flowers every- where.
(按英語標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號,一個(gè)逗號,一個(gè)句號。)
小山上各處的椅子已經(jīng)坐滿了人,有的人找不到座兒,就
坐在石頭上。
誤:All the chairs on the hills were taken,some people were unable to find
(完全按漢語標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號,兩個(gè)逗號,一個(gè)句號。)
正:All the chairs on the hills were taken.Unable to find seats,some
(按英語標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號,一個(gè)逗號,兩個(gè)句號,即把中文的一個(gè)句
子寫成英語的兩個(gè)句子。)
3.句子成分不勻衡。平衡結(jié)構(gòu)(parallelism)就是把結(jié)構(gòu)相同,意義并重,語氣一致的詞組或句子排列成串,形成一個(gè)整體。但在英語寫作中不少學(xué)生對這種排比寫法往往掌握不好,容易寫出一些不勻衡的句子。例如:
He listened to his teacher with care and attentively.(把with care改為carefully)
4.不連貫的短句(choppy sentences)。不連貫的短句指兩個(gè)或兩個(gè)以上簡短句子排列在一起,這些短句提供的信息量很小,甚至把一個(gè)簡單的思想內(nèi)容也割裂成兩個(gè)或兩個(gè)以上的內(nèi)容用短句加以表達(dá)。雖然這些句子語法正確,但不連貫,顯得乏力。在寫作中應(yīng)避免連續(xù)使用這樣的句子。例如:
①Some students go to college to get a degree.Some students go to college to get an education.
②My best friend in high school was our English teacher.Her name was Li Ming.She taught us English for three years.
③Tom wrote a quick note.It was to Nancy.She was hisformer employer.
④The trees were covered with ice.They sparkled in the sunlight.They were beautiful.
要改寫好這些短句,可以使用各種不同的方法。下面這幾種方法較常見。
1)如果句與句之間意義并重,用并列連詞(and,but,or,yet,etc.)或連接副詞(therefore, however,thus,otherwise,etc.)改寫為并列句。例如:
Some students go to college to get a degree,and others go to college to get an education.
2)如果一個(gè)句子依附于另一個(gè)句子,意義上有主次之分,可用從屬連詞(because,when,if,since,etc.)改寫為復(fù)合句。例如:
My best friend in high school was our English teacher,Ms.Li Ming, who taught us English for three years.
3)把其中某個(gè)短句改為同位語。例如:
Tom wrote a quick note to Nancy,his former employer.
4)把其中某個(gè)短句改為分詞結(jié)構(gòu)。例如:
Sparkling in the sunlight, the ice-covered trees were beautiful.
5.句子的前后不一致(awkward shift)。在寫作英語句子時(shí),要使整個(gè)句子在時(shí)態(tài)、語態(tài)、語氣、單復(fù)數(shù)以及人稱諸方面前后保持一致。違反了這個(gè)原則,就會(huì)出現(xiàn)句子前后不一致的錯(cuò)誤。
1)時(shí)態(tài)不一致的錯(cuò)誤。例如:
A person who has good friends enjoyed life more.(enjoyed改為enjoys)
2)語態(tài)不一致的錯(cuò)誤。例如:
He lived in the countryside for two years,and his life there was always remembered by him.(改為he always remembered his life there)
3)語氣不一致的錯(cuò)誤。例如:
If I were you,I will beat him.(will改為would)
4)人稱和數(shù)不一致的錯(cuò)誤。例如:
If one tries hard,they can pass the exam.(they改為one)
6.句義不清楚的句子。把一個(gè)英語句子的意思表達(dá)清楚,這是英語寫作最基本的要求。而要把句子的意思表達(dá)清楚,很主要的一點(diǎn)是要了解容易造成句子意思不清楚的原因,這樣才能對癥下藥,避免產(chǎn)生句義不清楚的句子。造成英語句子意思不清楚的原因很多,其中主要的有以下幾方面。
1)不適當(dāng)?shù)氖÷?。在寫英語句子時(shí)能省去的詞一定毫無保留地省去,但省略一定要以意思表達(dá)清楚為前提,否則是不可取的。例如:
He walked until the park.(改為until he reached the park)
2)誤用表達(dá)方式。有些英語句子的意思模糊不清是由于表達(dá)方式造成的。有時(shí)好像兩種表達(dá)方式都可以,其實(shí)不然。例如:
In spite of only a few students,the teacher began his class.(改為Though only a few students were present)
3)缺乏必要的細(xì)節(jié)。有時(shí)英語句子意思模糊不清是由于缺少必要的細(xì)節(jié)。加上必要的細(xì)節(jié)后,句子的意思就清楚、連貫了。例如:
Last Sunday I went to see my uncle.Nobody was there.Disappointed I had to come back home.(改為When I got to his home,I found nobody was there.)
4)修飾語誤置。修飾語在句子中的位置不當(dāng)是造成英語句子意思模糊不清的一個(gè)重要原因,有時(shí)還會(huì)引起歧義。例如:
At this time of night I knew that he was still working.(把a(bǔ)t this time of night移到that后面)
7.垂懸修飾語。當(dāng)現(xiàn)在分詞的邏輯主語與句子的主語不一致時(shí),這種現(xiàn)在分詞短語就會(huì)變成垂懸修飾語(dangling modifier)。在正式英語中,垂懸修飾語是被當(dāng)作錯(cuò)誤來處理的。例如:
Having studied hard, the examination was passed success-fully.(改為Having studied hard,he passed the examination successfully)
通常情況下,可采用兩種方法來避免垂懸修飾語。其一是調(diào)整主語,使分詞短語的邏輯主語與句子主語一致,見上例。其二是在分詞短語前加上合適的邏輯主語,變分詞短語為獨(dú)立主格結(jié)構(gòu)。