增强英语语句表现力的有效方法

纵观多年来国家四、六级英语作文考试，考生作文成绩欠佳的主要原因除了准确性和连贯性差之外，语句软弱无力也是不容忽略的一个方面。因此在英语写作教学中，如何增强语句表现力的问题必须引起我们足够的重视，以提高学生写作的表达质量。为此，笔者结合自己的写作教学实践，针对该项技能的训练提出了一些切实可行的有效做法，供广大同仁和英语学习者参考借鉴。

一、避免使用语意弱的“be”动词。

1、把句中的表语转换为不同的修饰语。例如：

Weak: The trees are bare. The grass is brown. The landscape seems drab.
Revision:The brown grass and bare trees form a drab landscape. (转换为前置定语)

Or: The landscape, bare and brown, begged for spring green. (转换为并列结构作后置定语)

2、将作表语用的形容词或名词变为行为动词。例如：

1) Weak: The team members are good players.

Revision: The team members play well.

2) Weak: One worker's plan is the elimination of tardiness.

Revision: One worker's plan eliminates tardiness.

3、在以“here”或“there”开头的句子中，把“be”动词后的名词代词变成改写句的主语。例如：

1) Weak: There is no opportunity for promotion.

Revision: No opportunity for promotion exists.

2) Weak: Here are the books you ordered.

Revision: The books you ordered have arrived.

二、多用语意具体的动词，保持句意简洁明了。例如：

1、Poor: My supervisor went past my desk.

Better: My supervisor sauntered (=walked slowly) past my desk.

2、Poor: She is a careful shopper.

Better: She compares prices and quality.

三、尽量运用主动语态。例如：

1、Weak: The organization has been supported by charity.

Better: Charity has supported the organization.

2、Weak: The biscuits were stacked on a plate.

Better: Mother stacked the biscuits on a plate.

四、防止使用语意冗长累赘的词语。例如：

1、Wordy: My little sister has a preference for chocolate milk.

Improved: My little sister prefers chocolate milk.

2、Wordy: We are in receipt of your letter and intend to follow your recommendations.

Improved: We have received your letter and intended to follow your recommendation.

3、Redundant: We had a serious crisis at school yesterday when our chemistry laboratory caught fire.

Improved: We had a crisis at school yesterday when our chemistry laboratory caught fire.

4、Redundant: My sister and I bought the same, identical dress in different stores.

Improved: My sister and I bought the same dress in different stores.

五、杜绝滥用陈旧词语或难懂的专业术语。例如：

1、Weak: They will not agree to his proposals in any shape or form.

Improved: They will not agree to any of his proposals.

2、Weak: I need her financial input before I can guesstimate our expenditures next fall.

Improved: I need her financial figures before I can estimate our expenditures next fall.