英语写作心得与建议

基本上, 英文写作和中文作文都是一样, 只是用不同的语言表达. 其中主要的不同在于: 文化及思维上的差异. 这些差异要克服需要花一点时间, 没有速成的方式, 只有不断的学习与吸收.

英文写作 (written English, 或所谓 writing) 比口语(spoken English) 较注重文法及正式的用法. 所以, 基本文法要扎实, 写作时自然游刃有余.

以下是一些写作的建议, 分享给大家.

1. 写作时, 每个段落首句要空 5 spaces. 句与句间要 2 spaces.

2. 简单句其实就是最好的写法. 不要有太多的赘语.

3. 写作的对象, 目的及形式:

Audience: Who are you writing to?

Purpose: Why are you writing?

Form: What will the finished piece of writing look like?

若为书信, 对象则可写: “Dear Sir/Madam,” 或对象不明确时, “To whom it mayconcern”

4. 内容架构: 整篇文章, 段落的安排. 如果你是要说故事, 则内容依时间顺序排列; 若是阐述事件或人, 则可采空间/地点的方式. 下列有几种方式可采用:

• Chronological (by time)

• Spatial description (by location)

• Classification (by category)

• Illustration (by example)

• Argumentation (assertion and support)

• Cause/Effect

• Problem/Solution

• Comparison/Contrast (whole vs. whole or point by point)

5. 正式和非正式用法:

数字的写法: 可以用既有的英文字代表的数字. 例: 1 = one; 100 = one hundred; 1,000,000 = one million

数字写法较长者, 以数字表示. 如: two hundred and one = 201; forty-seven point five= 47.5

日期写法: 正确写法 July 19, 2001 或 20 May 2001

不要使用缩写或简称 abbr: 以 cannot, will not, should not 取代 can’t, won’t,shouldn’t. 以 United States, February, television, California 取代 U.S., Feb., TV,CA……

*** 除非有此缩写必要, ex. 给朋友/家人间一般书信.

其他可参考 http://www.learningpoint.org/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_9_1 (美国加州某学区的 writing 学习网站, 请进入: Teaching & Learning 单元)

6. 尽量使用主动的句型取代被动式 (very important): ex. “I was taught by myparents to have a good manner.” 最好用 “My parents taught me to have a goodmanner.”

7. 标点符号的使用:

两个独立子句且以 “and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet” 连接时: ex. I am going toschool, and he is going to work.

或无连接词/ 无 “and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet” 时, 可以分号连接: ex. He oftenwatched TV when there were only reruns; she preferred to read instead.

另一用法 however, ex. He often watched TV when there were only reruns; however, she preferred toread instead.