英语写作常见问题例析
英语和汉语不只在遣词造句、句型搭配、习惯使用方法等方面有非常大的差别,就是在词性方面也有非常大的差别,并且这种差别有时会使同学们在写作时稍不小心就酿成错误。如:
误用:Unfortunately, my car broke down and I was stuck here during it was being repaired.
改为:Unfortunately, my car broke down and I was stuck here while it was being repaired.
说明:during 是介词,后接名词或代词,不接句子。又如:He confidently authorized me to act for him while he is abroad. 他信赖地委托我在他出国期间代行他的事务。
句意:不幸的是,我的车坏了,在修理汽车的时候,我就被困在那里了。
误用:He used to be very anxious if he had to make a speech, even it was only a speech to his old school.
改为:He used to be very anxious if he had to make a speech, even if it was only a speech to his old school.
说明:从语义上看,even 和 even if都可表示“即便”,但两者的词性不同:even 是副词,even if 是连词。譬如:It was cold there even in July. 那里即便在7月,天气都非常冷。Even if I have to walk all the way I’ll get there. 即便我得一路走着去,我也要走到那里。
句意:假如他要演讲,他一直焦急不安,就算演讲是在以前呆过的学校进行。
误用:With the cosplayt of keeping money in the bank increases, so it’s spent faster.
改为:As the cosplayt of keeping money in the bank increases, so it’s spent faster.
说明:虽然 with 和 as 均可表示“伴随”,但词性不同:with 是介词,后接名词或代词,而 as 用于此义时是连词,后接句子。比较:He will improve as he grows older. 伴随年龄的增长,他会进步的。People’s ideas change with the change of the times. 年代变了,大家的观念也会变化。
句意:伴随在银行存钱的成本增加,大家的钱花得也更快了。
误用:She crawled cross the floor, her eyes stinging from the smoke.
改为:She crawled across the floor, her eyes stinging from the smoke.
说明: across 和 cross 均可表示“横过”、“穿过”,但词性不同:across 是介词,cross 是动词。比较:cross the street 横过马路 / walk across the street 走过马路;cross a river 过河,渡河 / swim across a river 游过河
句意:她从地板上爬过去,双眼被烟熏得直痛。
误用:We were driving around outside when unfortunately three old ladies emerged from the hotel and came straightly across in front of us.
改为:We were driving around outside when unfortunately three old ladies emerged from the hotel and came straight across in front of us.
说明:在现代英语中,straight 既可用作形容词,也可用作副词。straightly这个副词形式在现代英语中已被废弃,很多词典均不再网站收录此词。又如:We enjoy fresh vegetables and fruit, straight from the garden: fresh orange juice, fresh fish, fresh bread. 大家享用直接从果菜园采摘的新鲜的蔬菜和水果、新鲜的橘汁、新鲜的鱼、新鲜的面包。
句意:大家正在外面开车兜风时,倒霉的是有三位老年妇女忽然从餐馆出来,直接从大家面前穿过。
误用:He fell down to the ground, his mouth open and eyes close.
改为:He fell down to the ground, his mouth open and eyes closed.
说明:open 和 close 均可用作动词,前者表示“开”,后者表示“关”,是一对反义词,如:Please open your mouth.,Please close your mouth. 。但 open 和 close 也可用作形容词,此时前者意为“开着的”,后者意为“接近的”、“亲近的”等,而并不表示“关着的”,要表示“关着的”,英语用 closed,即用作形容词时,open 与close 不是一对反义词,而与 closed 才是反义词。
句意:他倒在地上,嘴张开着,双眼闭着。
误用:It was at the tip of my tongue to tell him, suddenly the phone rang.
误用:It was at the tip of my tongue to tell him, when the phone rang.
说明:从句意看,用suddenly 并很好;但从句法来剖析,空白处前后各为一个句子,而 suddenly 是副词,显然不承担起连接两个句子的重任。而when 用作并列连词,可表示“这个时候(忽然)”的意思。又如:We were about to start, when it rained. 大家正要开始,就下起雨来了。She was walking down the road when she heard someone shouting for help. 她正在路上走着,忽然听见有人呼救。不过,假如将 when 改为 and suddenly 也是可以的。
句意:我差点就要告诉他了,这个时候忽然电话铃响了。
误用:He used to afraid of heights but he has got over that now.
改为:He used to be afraid of heights but he has got over that now.
说明:由于 afraid 是形容词,不是动词,故其前的 be 不可省略。又如:No matter what happens I’ll stand by you. so don’t be afraid. 不管发生啥事我都支持你,别怕。Nobody need be afraid of catching the disease. 没人有必要担忧染上这个病。
句意:他过去有恐高症,目前已经没了。
误用:Do these students against the plan made by the teachers?
改为:Are these students against the plan made by the teachers?
说明:误用句主如果没意识到其后的 against 是介词,而不是动词。又如:Are you for it or against it? 你是赞成还是反对?
句意:这类学生反对老师们作出的决定吗?
误用:There was a switch in the schedule, so we met in the morning instead the afternoon.
改为:There was a switch in the schedule, so we met in the morning instead of the afternoon.
说明:instead 为副词,其后不可以接宾语;instead of 是介词,其后可接宾语。又如:You should encourage her in her attempts to become a doctor, instead of being so negative about it. 你应该对他想要成为大夫的想法给予鼓励,而不该对此抱那样消极的态度。She opted for a winter vacation, instead of one in the summer. 她选择了在冬季休假而不是在夏季休假。
句意:时间表上有一处变动,大家在上午而不是下午开会。
误用:Even if we could afford it, we wouldn’t go to the abroad for our holidays.
改为:Even if we could afford it, we wouldn’t go abroad for our holidays.
说明:误用句主如果将 abroad 误觉得是名词。而其实 abroad 是副词。又如:He was facing a difficult choice between staying with his family or working abroad. 他正面临着是和家人呆在一块还是到海外工作的艰难抉择。
句意:即便大家有能力,大家也不去海外度假。