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 what he wants (to do)
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。
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。可是用在托福写作中的书面语就不同了,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,不能独立成句。
改为:There are many ways to know society ,for example ,by TV ,radio ,and newspaper。
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。
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。
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。如果我们在托福写作中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. And 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。
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。
措词毛病(Troubles in Diction)Diction 是指在特定的句子中如何适当地选用词语的问题,囿于教学时间紧迫,教师平时在这方面花的时间往往极其有限,影响了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。所以托福写作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。
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