Tag: 英文写作

要说学英文最难学的是什么，我觉得听说读写的排序应该是 写 > 说 > 听 > 读，基本就是越需要自己主动的就越难...尤其是英文作为这么一门规则乱七八糟的语言（反正中文也没好哪儿去），很多东西是需要看到了知道了记住了...没太多规律什么。到后面其实也有超越语言本身的一些问题：比如如何遣词造句、如何安排段落、如何构建整个的文章结构。到这里基本就和语言无关了，用中文我也没有做的很好。所以觉得还是需要花一些时间在写作上面。

最近跟了edx一门课：English Grammar and Style, 以及在看一本书 The Elements of Style。其实这门课是给英语母语的人开的、而不仅仅是非母语者（English as a foreign language, EFL)。很多英语母语的人不知道音标、不知道语法，我跟他们聊linguistics 的时候他们也会听的一愣一愣的。但是跟一些英文写的很优雅的人聊天，就会发现他们其实对英文语法也是有很深入的了解的，我想这也是为什么他们写出来可以那么优雅的缘故吧。想想惭愧的是我也不知道中文的语法应该是什么，到底是中文没有什么语法规则呢（不太可能），还是我写的不够好呢（我觉得是我写的不够好吧....）？

第一课基本就是在说一些非常基本的英文语法。说来惭愧，我从来分不清什么时候用the 什么时候不用....也其实不太拎的清楚什么时候用that 什么时候用which...看了无数的规则教程什么还是脑子里没概念（语感），囧。

这里抄录一下一些原则：如何在单词的阶段构建文章的可信度。看完之后觉得真的好难啊！尤其像我这么喜欢啰哩啰嗦的人....

依旧从BerkeleyX: ColWri2.2x Principles of Written English 抄过来的。我真的对这门课是相见恨晚！呜呜，我写英文各种罗嗦（楼下群众：你中文更罗嗦好不好？你看落园多少废话？）

ps 中间有段讲写作语气的我没抄过来，这个感觉和语言就无关了，更多是用词的精准...

------------------------------------------------

what causes wordiness?

Wordiness is using more words than you need to in order to write what you mean.  Everyone has a tendency to be too wordy at times. Some of the causes of this wordiness are:

- Trying to sound too formal or academic. Unfortunately, in academic writing, there are a lot of examples of wordy writing. This doesn't mean you have to model your writing on bad examples. Your readers will always appreciate if you state your ideas clearly, and using no more words than needed.

- Not knowing more precise vocabulary.  For example, saying, She ran quickly to the store can be made somewhat less wordy, and more precise, by saying: She raced to the store (race=run quickly). Finding the right vocabulary can help you cut down the number of words you use. Every reduction helps, even if it's only a word or two.

- Using too many unnecessary and vague modifiers.  Typically, modifiers like really, very, quite, and similar words add no meaning to your writing. If you need to modify a word, find precise modifiers. For example, instead of There's a really tall building near my house, write: There's a 50-story building near my house. 

- Using too many prepositional phrases or possessives. These types of phrases can add length to your sentences, often unnecessarily. So, instead of The car belonging to Mr. Wang is in the garage [10 words], write: Mr. Wang's car is in the garage [7 words].

--------------------------------------------------

Writing less wordy prose

下面是抄过来的...来自：BerkeleyX: ColWri2.2x Principles of Written English。读完觉得我的英文写作真的是没受过正规教育...哎。

-------------------

There are two main sources of error in diction:

1. Choosing the wrong word. This can happen because of confusion between homonyms (words that sound alike but are spelled differently), or because the meaning of the word isn't fully understood.

2. Choosing colloquial, or less formal spoken language when standard or more formal language is called for (or vice versa). In academic writing, formal diction is generally expected.

Here are 21 common errors made in writing formal diction. How many of these usage errors have you made?

1. A lot/lots of

Colloquial: Diana likes her apartment a lot.
Formal: Diana likes her apartment very much.

Colloquial: There are lots of books in our library.
Formal: There are many books in our library.

2. Among/between
(Tip: Among involves more than two; between involves only two)

Colloquial: Discussions between our group members were often very lively.

Discussions Formal: Discussions among our group members were often very lively.

3. Around/ about
(Tip:  Don't use around to indicate time, distance, or other quantity.)

Colloquial: The class usually begins around nine.
Formal: The class usually begins at about nine.

4. Badly
(Tip: "Badly" is not a substitute for "very much.")

Colloquial: The team wanted to win really badly.
Formal: The team wanted desperately to win.

5. Based off of

Colloquial: Based off of that information,  we can move ahead with the plan.
Formal: Based on that information, we can move ahead with the plan.

6. Because
(Tip: Don't use "because" after " reason.")

Colloquial: The reason for our flight delay is because of bad weather.
Formal: The reason for our flight delay is the bad weather.

7. A bunch/bunches
(Tip: Use bunch or bunches only for things that are bound or grow together, like bananas and grapes; it is not used for other countable nouns.)

Colloquial: A bunch of us are going to the movies tonight.
Formal: A group of us are going to the movies tonight.
Formal: There are three bunches of bananas on the counter.

8. Each other/one other
(Tip: Each other refers to two, one another refers to more than two.)

Colloquial: Everyone at the party wished each other a happy new year.
Formal: Everyone at the party wished one another a happy new year.
Formal: My sister and I wished each other a happy new year.

9. Guys

Colloquial: I hope you guys can join me at the restaurant.
Formal: I hope all of you can join me at the restaurant.

10. In / Into
(Tip:  "In" means "within" or "inside", while "into" refers to the motion of going from outside to inside.)

Colloquial: Bill went in the bus station to buy a ticket.
Formal: Bill went into the bus station to buy a ticket.

11. Infer/imply
(Tip: To infer is an act of thinking, to imply is an act of saying something.)

Incorrect:  I saw your memo about a noon meeting. Are you inferring that we should have lunch together?
Correct: I saw your memo about a noon meeting. Are you implying that we should have lunch together?

12. It's/its

 

Incorrect: The committee has reached it's goals this year.
Correct: The committee has reached its goals this year.

13. Kind of / sort of
(Tip: Don't use "kind of" or "sort of" when you mean "very" , "rather," or "somewhat." )

Colloquial: Jim was sort of angry when he learned we went to the park without him.
Formal: Jim was somewhat upset when he learned we went to the park without him.

14. Less than/fewer than
(Tip: Use less than only with uncountable nouns.)

Colloquial: There are less people in the store today than yesterday.
Formal: There are fewer people in the store today than yesterday.

15. Like / as
(Tip: Use "as" when comparing actions, "like" when comparing things.)

Colloquial: Alan wants to write a new essay, just like Sarah does.
Formal: Alan wants to write a new essay just as Sarah does.

16. Like / maybe
(Tip: Avoid using "like" and "maybe" when estimating; use "approximately", "perhaps" or "about" instead.)

Colloquial: There were like thirty people at my birthday party.
Formal: There were approximately thirty people at my birthday party.

17. Meantime

Colloquial: Meantime, the rain continued to pour.
Formal: In the meantime, the rain continued to pour.
Formal: Meanwhile, the rain continued to pour.

18. On account of

Colloquial: On the account of the weather, our plane was late.
Formal: Because of the weather, our plane was late.

19. Plenty

Colloquial: It has been plenty warm all week.
Formal: It has been very warm all week.

20. So
(Tip: Don't use "so" as a synonym for "therefore".)

Colloquial: Dmitry knew that I missed class, so he shared his notes.
Formal: Dmitry knew that I missed class; therefore, he shared his notes.

Colloquial: This week's homework is so difficult.
Formal: This week's homework is very difficult.

21. They're/their/there

 

Incorrect: Do you know if their going to the party?
Correct: Do you know if they're going to the party?

Incorrect: What is there address?
Correct: What is their address?