大学英语写作中的常见语病及应对策略

大学英语写作中的常见语病及应对策略
一、语病的主要表现和分析
（一）词语运用方面的问题
1.词不达意
受汉语的影响或因为对英语词义掌握不准确，学生在写作中会出现所选词语的意义与所要表达的意思不相符的现象。

例如：
(1) We must assure that we can improve the working condition.
(句中assure 应改为ensure。

assure表示为使别人解除疑虑而作的“保证”，而ensure则是强调对某种行为的结果有把握。

)
(2) The Chinese people often respect cigarettes when they meet.
(句中respect 应改为offer。

respect只是“尊敬”之意，而这里需要的是“提供、给”之意。

)
(3) Gradually, students will lose interests and become dull.
(句中dull 应改为bored。

根据句义，学生会变得“厌学”，而不是变得“乏味”。

)
2.词性不当
因为对词性把握不准，学生在写作中常会出现“词性误用”的现象。

例如：
(4) None can negative the importance of money.
(句中negative是形容词，被误用为动词，应改为negate。

)
(5) Some people claim that fast food will instead of tradition food.
(句中instead of是介词短语，被误用为动词，应改为take the place of或replace。

)
(6) Despite he is very diligent at study, he still cannot pass the CET4.
(句中Despite是介词，被误用为连词，应改为Although。

)
3.搭配错误
因为掌握的英语固定搭配有限，更主要的是受到汉语的影响，学生在写作中往往会用汉语的搭配去套英语，结果造成搭配错误。

例如：
(7)In the past, the price of milk was so expensive that most families could no afford it.
(“价钱贵”是汉语说法，英语中price不和expensive搭配，而和high搭配，所以应把expensive 改为high。

)
(8)The opportunity to be promoted in a joint venture will be smaller if one can not speak English.
(句中的smaller 应改为less。

)
(9)However the speed of a car is much faster than that of a bicycle.
(句中的faster 应改为higher。

)
（二）句子构建中的问题
1.单用逗号连接句子
汉语中单用逗号连接两个独立分句，但规范英语对此不予接受。

中国学生因受其母语的影响，也常常直接用逗号连接英语的句子。

例如：
(10)The current was swift, he couldn’t swim to the shore.
(有多种方法可以纠正这类错误，例如：①The current was swift, so/and he couldn’t swim to the shore. ②The current was swift; (therefore,)he couldn’t swim to the shore. ③H e couldn’t swim to the shore, for/ because the current was swift. ④The current being swift, he couldn’t swim to the shore.)
2.时态和语态的误用
与英语相比，汉语的时态和语态既不明显又不十分严格，而英语则形式复杂，规定也比较严格。

因此，
学生在这些方面经常出现问题。

句子中时态、语态的误用使句子连贯性遭到破坏，造成句义模糊，甚至引起误解。

例如：
(11)We drew the conclusion that Tom is dishonest.
(可改为：We drew the conclusion that Tom was dishonest.)
(12)I wrote to him, but my letter was not answered.
(可改为：I wrote to him, but he didn’t answer my letter.)
3.指代不清
句子中代词与被指代的人或物关系不清，或者前后所用的代词不一致，造成意义的模糊或混乱。

例如：
(13)Mary was friendly to my sister because she wanted her to be her bridesmaid.
(句中代词使用所造成的模糊无法让读者明确判断出两位姑娘谁将结婚，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。

该句可改为：Mary was friendly to my sister because she wanted my sister to be her bridesmaid. )
(14)And we can also know the society by serving it yourself.
(句中人称代词we 和反身代词yourself指代不一致，应改为：And we can also know the society by serving it ourselves. )
(15)In today’s society, we can’t do without friends. So you have to try to make as many friends as possible.
(可将前句中的we改为you，或将后句中的you改为we。

)
4.句子结构不完整，
不完整句又叫残缺句或句子片断。

学生在写作中出现不完整句的原因主要在于把短语、从句当成了完整的句子。

例如：
(16)There is a teacher I shall always remember. Because she has a sweet voice and a pleasant smile.
(可改为：There is a teacher I shall always remember because she has a sweet voice and a pleasant smile.)
(17)They enjoy reading a few types of novels. Such as science fiction.
(可改为：They enjoy reading a few types of novels, such as science fiction.)
(18)Bikes are so popular in China.
(可改为：Bikes are so popular in China that almost every family has at least one.)
5.该平行的结构不平行
英语中可以通过一连串相似的语法结构，即平行结构来表达平行的思想内容。

平行结构可以是单词平行结构、短语平行结构、从句平行结构，也可以是句子平行结构。

该平行的结构不平行，也是中国学生写作中常见的问题。

例如：
(19)She likes to fish, to swim and skiing.
(可改为：She likes fishing, swimming, and skiing.)
(20)Do you enjoy listening to records? I find records are often as good or better than an actual performance.
(可在as good 后增添as，使as good as 与better than 达到平行。

)
(21)But other people argue that everyone has a certain opportunity and a wise man will never lose it
whenever it arises.
(句中and后应加上that，使后面的从句与前面that引导的从句实现平行。

)
6.悬垂修饰语
悬垂修饰语又叫无依着修饰语，通常指在主句中找不到其逻辑主语的分词短语、不定式短语、介词短语等，这些短语在句中一般作状语用。

悬垂修饰语的出现，往往造成修饰语和主句之间的逻辑关系不清晰,导致整个句子意义的模糊。

例如:
(22)When talking to the interviewer, my heart was beating very fast.
(可改为：When I was talking to the interviewer, my heart was beating very fast.)
(23)To succeed in a scientific research project, persistence is needed.
(可改为：To succeed in a scientific research project, one needs to be persistent.)
(24)At the age of ten, my grandfather died.
(可改为：When I was ten, my grandfather died.)
7.赘言（重复）
写作时应追求的目标之一就是尽量简练。

能用单词表达的就不用短语，能用短语表达的就不用从句，能用简单句表达的就不用复合句。

然而，由于对词义的掌握不全面、不透彻，加之受汉语的影响，中国学生在写作中常常会出现一些冗言赘语，重复表达同一个意思。

例如：
(25)My friend voluntarily offered to give me some help.
(可改为：My friend offered me some help. )
(26)For the people who are diligent and kind, money is just the thing to be used to buy the thing they need.
(可改为：Diligent, caring people use money only to buy what they need.)
(27)We find the situation that exists at the moment intolerable.
(可改为：We find the existing situation intolerable.)
8.缺少关联词语
英汉语言的区别之一就是英语重形合，汉语重意合，其结果往往是英语的复合句中通常要用连词来连接各个分句，而汉语则常常不用连词。

不了解英汉之间这些差异，写作时就难免出错。

例如：
(28)The sigh means cars can not enter.
(应改为：The sigh means that cars can not enter.)
(29)My sugge stion is more attention should be paid to the issue of young people’s drug abuse.
(应改为：My suggestion is that more attention should be paid to the issue of young people’s drug abuse.)
9.汉语式英语
由于受母语的影响，中国学生在英语写作中常常造出纯粹是汉语思维模式的句子。

例如：
(30)Although the internet has many benefits, but it also has some drawbacks.
(汉语中有“虽然……，但是……”的呼应，英语中却没有“Although…,but…”的搭配。

本句应改为：Although the internet has many benefits, (yet) it also has some drawbacks.)
(31)On the one hand it didn’t suit her and on the other hand it was too expensive. As a result, she didn’t buy
it.
(英语的“on the one hand…, on the other hand…”仅表对立，而汉语的“一方面……另一方面……”既可表示对立，又可表示增补。

根据原句意思，“didn’t suit her” 和“too expensive” 之间属于增补关系，所以应该用“for one thing…, for another…”等表示增补的过渡词语。

本句应改为：For one thing, it didn’t suit her and for another, it was too expensive. As a result, she didn’t buy it.)
(32)Nowadays young people who seek to go abroad are becoming more and more.
(more and more不能用作表语。

本句应改为：Nowadays more and more young people are seeking to go abroad.)
10.综合性语言错误
所谓“综合性语言错误”，是指除了上述错误以外的其他错误，如单词拼写、标点符号，大小写等方面的错误。

二、应对策略
上述语病在大学生的英语作文中非常常见，有些还很突出。

这些问题不仅在很大程度上影响了他们的英语表达能力，甚至还造成了交流和交际的障碍，影响了交际的效果和目的。

要克服学生在英语写作中的语病，提高学生的写作能力，可以从以下几个方面入手：
（一）多阅读
阅读能够增强学生的感性知识，培养学生的英语语感，所以教师应鼓励学生扩大阅读，包括阅读的数量和范围。

这是提高学生写作的物质基础。

实践证明，阅读面广的学生，写作能力也比较强。

（二）多背诵
背诵优美的篇章、段落和句子，能够积累素材，有助于学生在写作时模仿。

背诵的过程，就是对英文句型加深印象的过程，可以增强学生从有意识的记忆到无意识的模仿的效果。

（三）多练习
写作是一种实践性技能，最关键的当然还在于多写多练。

练习可以采取限时练习和自由式练习。

课上可以采取限时练习，注意写的数量；课下可以采取自由式练习，注意写的质量。

在练习写作前，教师应进行理论的讲解与示范。

（四）多评改
批改作文和评讲作文是提高写作能力的重要环节之一。

评改可以由教师来做，也可以让学生结成对子、组成小组进行。

批改可以发现问题，总结出带有普遍性的问题，从而促进以后的写作。

总之，要克服学生在英语写作中的常见语病，有效提高学生的英语写作能力，需要师生双方的共同努力。