英语写作中典型病句实例剖析

Week 13 Error Analysis

英语写作中典型病句实例剖析

幻灯片2

一.不一致 (Disagreements)

所谓不一致不光指主谓不一致，它还包括了数的不一致, 时态不一致及代 词不一致等．

例１． When one have money ,he can do what he want to . (人一旦有了钱，他就能想干什么就干什么．)

剖析：one是单数第三人称，因而本句的have应改为has ;同理，want应改为wants. 本句是典型的主谓不一致．

改为： Once one has money, he can do whatever he wants (to do).

幻灯片3

二． 修饰语错位（Misplaced Modifiers）

英语与汉语不同，同一个修饰语置于句子不同的位置，句子的含义可能引起变化．对于这一点中国学生往往没有引起足够的重视，因而造成了不必要的误解．

例１． I believe I can do it well and I will better know the world outside the campus.

剖析：better位置不当，应置于句末．

幻灯片4

三． 句子不完整（Sentence Fragments）

在口语中，交际双方可借助手势语气上下文等，不完整的句子完全可以被理解．可是书面语就不同了，句子结构不完整会令意思表达不清，这种情况常常发生在主句写完以后，笔者又想加些补充说明时发生．

例１． There are many ways to know the society. For example by TV, radio, newspaper and so on.

剖析：本句后半部分＂for example by TV, radio, newspaper and so on .”不是一个完整的句子,仅为一些不连贯的词语,不能成句．

改为：There are many ways to know society, for example, by TV, radio, and newspaper.

幻灯片5

四. 悬垂修饰语（Dangling Modifiers）

所谓悬垂修饰语是指句首的短语与后面句子的逻辑关系混乱不清．

例如：At the age of ten, my grandfather died. 这句中＂at the age of ten＂只点出十岁时，但没有说明” 谁”十岁时. 按一般推理不可能是my grandfather, 如果我们把这个悬垂修饰语改明确一点,全句就不那么费解了．

改为：When I was ten, my grandfather died.

例１． To do well in college, good grades are essential.

剖析：句中不定式短语 “to do well in college” 的逻辑主语不清楚．

改为：To do well in college, a student needs good grades.

幻灯片6

五． 词性误用(Misuse of Parts of Speech)

“词性误用”常表现为：介词当动词用；形容词当副词用；名词当动词用等． 例１． None can negative the importance of money.

剖析：negative 系形容词，误作动词。

改为：None can deny the importance of money.

幻灯片7

六． 指代不清

(Ambiguous Reference of Pronouns)

指代不清主要讲的是代词与被指代的人或物关系不清，或者先后所用的代词不一致。试看下面这一句：

Mary was friendly to my sister because she wanted her to be her bridesmaid. (玛丽和我姐姐很要好，因为她要她做她的伴娘。)

读完上面这一句话，读者无法明确地判断两位姑娘中谁将结婚，谁将当伴娘。如果我们把易于引起误解的代词的所指对象加以明确，意思就一目了然了。这个句子可改为：

Mary was friendly to my sister because she wanted my sister to be her bridesmaid.

例1. We can also know the society by serving it yourself.

剖析：句中人称代词we 和反身代词yourself指代不一致。改为：

We can also know society by serving it ourselves.

幻灯片8

七． 不间断句子(Run-on Sentences)

什么叫run-on sentence? 请看下面的例句。

例１． There are many ways we get to know the outside world.

剖析：这个句子包含了两层完整的意思：“There are many ways.” 以及“We get to know the outside world.”。简单地把它们连在一起就不妥当了。

改为：There are many ways for us to learn about the outside world.

或：There are many ways through which we can become acquainted with the outside world.

幻灯片9

八． 措词毛病(Troubles in Diction/The Matter of Word Choice)

Diction 是指在特定的句子中如何适当地选用词语的问题. 有些学生在写作中没有养成良好的推敲，斟酌的习惯，他们往往随心所欲，拿来就用；所以作文中用词不当的错误比比皆是。

例１． The increasing use of chemical obstacles in agriculture also makes pollution. (农业方面化学物质使用的不断增加也造成了污染。) 剖析：显然，考生把obstacles“障碍”，“障碍物”误作substance“物质”了。另外“the

increasing use (不断增加的使用)” 应改为“abusive use (滥用)”。

改为：The abusive use of chemical substances in agriculture also causes/leads to pollution.

幻灯片10

九． 累赘(Redundancy)

言以简洁为贵。写句子没有一个多余的词；写段落没有一个无必要的句子。能用单词的不用词组；能用词组的不用从句或句子。如： In spite of the fact that he is lazy, I like him. 本句的“the fact that he is lazy”系同谓语从句，我们按照上述“能用词组的不用从句”可以改为：In spite of his laziness, I like him. 例１． For the people who are diligent and kind, money is just the thing to be used to buy the thing they need. 剖析：整个句子可以大大简化。 改为：Diligent and caring people use money only to buy what they need. 幻灯片11

十． 不连贯(Incoherence)

不连贯是指一个句子前言不对后语，或是结构上不畅通。

例１． The fresh water, it is the most important things of the

earth.

剖析：The fresh water 与逗号后的it 不连贯。It 与things 在数方面不一致。

改为：Fresh water is the most important thing in the world.

幻灯片12

十一． 综合性语言错误(Comprehensive Misusage) 所谓“综合性语言错误”，是指除了上述十种错误以外，还有诸如时态，语态，标点符号，大小写等方面的错误。

例1．Today, Money to everybody is very importance, our’s eat, cloth, live, go etc.

幻灯片13

Your Mid-Term Exam

 Improve the following sentences, paying attention to unity,  coherence, conciseness, and emphasis.

 1. It snowed heavily at 8 o’clock. (x)

 It began to snow heavily at 8 o’clock last night.

 2. The earthquake only damaged a few houses. (x)  The earthquake damaged only a few houses.

 3. Instead of taking physics, chemistry was chosen by most students in the

class.

 Most students in the class chose chemistry instead of physics.

幻灯片14

 4. The singing in the film is good and the actors act wonderfully well.  The singing in the film is good and the acting wonderful.  5. Football is more popular in Europe than North America.  Football is more popular in Europe than in North America.

 6. In fact, he is usually realistic and sometimes he is also quite romantic.  In fact, he is usually realistic and sometimes quite romantic.

幻灯片15

 7. Some people like to say “that’s neat” when they mean to say “that’s good.” It is a slang expression.

 Some people like to use the slang expression “that’s neat” for “that’s good.”  8. The referee raised his right hand in which he was holding a yellow card.  The referee raised his right hand in which was a yellow card.

幻灯片16

 9. Altogether 12 novels were written by this famous novelist during his lifetime.  During his life time this famous novelist wrote altogether 12 novels.

 10. She does not care too much about prices; she thinks the quality of things is more

important.

 She does not care too much about prices; she cares much about the quality.

幻灯片17

 1. He read the magazine in the reading-room, which contained a lot of latest

information about computer science.

 The magazine, which he read in the reading-room, contained a lot of latest

information about computer science.

 2. Many people believe that one should eat garlic every day to prevent disease in that

region.

 Many people in that region believe that one should eat garlic every day to prevent

disease.

幻灯片18

 3. Mary called Beth every day when she was in hospital.  When Mary was in hospital, she called Beth everyday.  When Beth was in hospital, Mary called her everyday.

 4. The landslide destroyed several houses and five people were killed by it.  The landslide destroyed several houses and killed five people.

 Five people were killed and several houses destroyed by the landslide.

幻灯片19

 5. If Jane were given the choice of doing the laundry or a movie, she would choose the

movie.

 If Jane were given the choice of doing the laundry or seeing a movie, she would

choose the movie.

 6. He has tasted the wines produced in different places and he says the red wine made

in Beijing is the best.

 Having tasted the wines produced in different places, he says the red wine made in

Beijing is the best.

幻灯片20

 China has a population of 1.2 billion. She must do much to limit the growth of

population.

 China must do much to limit the growth of its population of 1.2 billion.

 8. She enjoys talking with friend and is never tired when she is chatting with her good

friends.

 She enjoys talking and is never tired of chatting with her good friends.

幻灯片21

 Moral integrity is more important than life, position, or wealth, according to Confucius.

 According to Confucius, moral integrity is more important than position, wealth, or life.  10. Meaningful content is the most important quality of a composition, above all.  Meaningful content is above all the most important quality of a composition.

幻灯片22

Practice

 Shakespeare was one of the greatest dramatists.

 He said he would take the exam and pass it, but he was not certain of it.

 The chef cooked the shrimp for thirty minutes and then it was allowed to cool.

 In respond to the problems identified in the self-study, several activities have evolved

at this college to meet the ever-expanding needs of our students, but the traditional goals of the college, which are to educate the whole person in the basic skills of liberal education, are not neglected by this new programs.

幻灯片23

Keys for Practice

 Shakespeare was one of the greatest dramatists in the world.

 He said he would take the exam but was not certain whether he could pass it.  The chef cooked the shrimp for thirty minutes and then allowed it to cool.

幻灯片24

4. In respond to the problems identified in the self-study, this college has evolved

programs to meet the ever-expanding needs of its students. But the new programs do not neglect the traditional goals of educating the whole person in the basic skills of the liberal arts.

Or In respond to the problems identified in the self-study, this college has evolved several programs to meet the ever-expanding needs of our students. But the new programs do not neglect the traditional goals of the college – to educate the whole person in the basic skills of the liberal arts. 幻灯片25

Thank you for your Attention!