寫作“七宗罪”，你犯了哪一條？

閱讀: 376 發表：2年前

作為一個擁有頂尖教學資源和設備的學校，Hamilton College（漢密爾頓學院）擁有被認為是全美國最好的寫作項目，以及頂尖的經濟、數學、心理專業。另外，Hamilton的中文和法語專業是被認為是美國大學語言項目的楷模。

Hamilton College作為全美最好的文理學院之一，也被認為是小常春藤聯盟(Little Ivies)的成員之一，其寫作中心、數據分析中心、領導力中心享譽全美。以下是漢密爾頓寫作中心給出的寫作“七宗罪”，希望能夠幫助大家避免犯常見錯誤。

一、被動語態（PASSIVE VOICE）

在大多數情況下，動詞要用主動語態而不是被動語態。

被動語態形成的句子是主語接受動作。相反，主動語態形成的句子中，主語執行一個動作。被動語態通常會造出不清晰、不直接、冗長的句子，而主動語態會造出更清晰、更簡潔的句子。

要把一個句子從被動語態變為主動語態，首先要確定是誰或什么執行了這個動作，然后用那個人或事物作為句子的主語。

舉例：

X PASSIVE VOICE: My first trip abroad will always be remembered by me.

X PASSIVE VOICE: My first trip abroad is one I will always remember.

√ ACTIVE VOICE: I will always remember my first trip abroad.

X PASSIVE VOICE: On April 19undefined 1775undefined arms were seized by British soldiers at Concordundefined precipitating the American Revolution.

√ ACTIVE VOICE: On April 19undefined 1775undefined British soldiers seized arms at Concordundefined precipitating the American Revolution.

X PASSIVE VOICE: Thomas Jefferson’s support of the new Constitution was documented in a letter to James Madison.

√ ACTIVE VOICE: Thomas Jefferson documented his support of the new Constitution in a letter to James Madison.

相關問題：to be的過度使用

使用to be的形式（例如，isundefined areundefined wasundefined were）會導致句子冗長，我們可以使用一個動作動詞來代替。

Example: It is the combination of these two elements that makes the argument weak.

REVISED: The combination of these two elements weakens the argument.

二、兩個獨立從句的標點錯誤

獨立從句有一個主語和一個動詞，可以單獨作為一個句子。優秀的寫作者知道正確的標點符號對于寫出清晰的句子很重要。如果你誤用標點，可能會讓讀者感到困惑，顯得粗心大意。

注意以下居中逗號的放置是如何顯著地影響這些句子的意思的:

Mr. Jonesundefined says Ms. Mooreundefined is a boring old fool.
Mr. Jones says Ms. Moore is a boring old fool.

寫作者經常將獨立分句組合在一個復合句中，以強調觀點之間的密切關系。復合句中標點符號的使用應關注從句如何互相關聯。

規則

使用并列連詞時，用逗號將獨立分句分開

(例如，andundefined butundefined orundefined forundefined norundefined soundefined yet)。

舉例

We all looked worse than usualundefined for we had stayed up studying for the exam.
This room is unbelievably hotundefined and I think that I am going to pass out.
Monday is a difficult day for meundefined so I try to prepare as much as possible on Sunday.

當不使用并列連詞時，用分號分隔獨立子句。

舉例

We all looked worse than usual; we had stayed up studying for the exam.
This room is unbelievably hot; I think I am going to pass out.
Monday is a difficult day for me; I try to prepare as much as possible on Sunday.

當使用連接副詞時，用分號分開獨立從句。

(例如，howeverundefined thereforeundefined thusundefined consequentlyundefined finallyundefined nevertheless)。

舉例

We all looked worse than usual; neverthelessundefined we were relieved we had studied.
This room is unbelievably hot; thereforeundefined I think I am going to pass out.
Monday is a difficult day for me; howeverundefined I have figured out how to prepare for it.

三、冗長（Wordiness）

簡潔的寫作是清晰溝通的關鍵。冗余會模糊你的想法，讓讀者感到失望。簡明扼要地表達你的觀點。

正如斯特倫克（Strunk）和懷特（White）在《風格的要素（第四版）》（The Elements of Style (4th ed.)）中告訴我們的：

有力的寫作應當是簡潔的。一個句子不要包含不必要的單詞，一個段落不要包含不必要的句子....這不是說作者把所有的句子都寫得很短，或者避免所有的細節，只以提綱的討論話題，而是要求每個字都能說明問題。

“

消除冗余的策略

使用行為動詞而不是to be的形式

(例如，isundefined areundefined wasundefined were)。

Wordy: The reason that General Lee invaded Pennsylvania in June 1863was to draw the Army of the Potomac away from Richmond.

REVISED: General Lee invaded Pennsylvania in June 1863 to draw the Army of the Potomac away from Richmond.

Wordy: Tom Jones is a novel by Fielding that comically portrays English society in the eighteenth century.

REVISED: Fielding’s novel Tom Jones comically portrays English society in the eighteenth century.

讓句子的實際主語作為主語；

讓句子的實際動作作為動詞。

Wordy: In Crew’s argument there are many indications of her misunderstanding of natural selection.

REVISED: Crew’s argument repeatedly demonstrates misunderstanding of natural selection.

“

冗余的常見情況

啰嗦：

My personal opinionundefined at the present timeundefined the basic essentialsundefined connect together

不必要的短語/從句：

The reason why is thatundefined this is a subject thatundefined in spite of the fact thatundefined due to the fact thatundefined in the event thatundefined because of the fact thatundefined until such time asundefined by means of

四、撇號的誤用

撇號可以表示所有格或在縮略語中標記省略的字母。寫作者在面對復數和所有格時經常誤用撇號，基本規則非常簡單：

用撇號表示擁有，而不是復數。這一規則的例外情況可能會讓人困惑，像是her沒有撇號，而s不是所有格。盡管如此，只要稍加注意，就可以了解規則和例外。

“

所有格

通過加's來表示單數名詞的所有格(即使是以s結尾的詞)。

Examples: Hammurabi’s codeundefined Dickens’s last novelundefined James’s cello

復數名詞的所有格形式，如果最后一個字母是s，則在后面加撇號;如果最后一個字母不是s，則在后面加' s。

Examples: the students’ booksundefined the children’s toys

記住:撇號從不表示名詞的復數形式。

比較下列正確句子:

The student’s book was missing. 單數所有格

Several students’ books were missing. 復數所有格

The students searched for their missing books. 復數

物主代詞，如yoursundefined hersundefined its和ours，不帶撇號。

Example: The decision is yours.

不定代詞，如anyoneundefined everybodyundefined no one和somebody，使用單數所有格。

Example: Somebody’s dog stayed in our room last night.

縮略形式

撇號用于標記縮寫中省略的字母。

注意縮寫形式在學術寫作中經常被認為太不正式。

避免It 's /Its混亂:

It 's是It is的縮寫。它不是所有格。

Its是it的所有格。

五、懸空或錯位修飾語

錯位和懸空修飾語會造成不合邏輯，甚至滑稽的句子。如果我們不能把修飾語（描述或限制其他詞的詞）與它們所修飾的詞鏈接起來，就會讓讀者感到困惑；一定要把修飾語放在它們所修飾的單詞旁邊。

請參閱示例中的不合邏輯之處：

Walking back from the villageundefined my wallet was lost. (Does your wallet walk?)

REVISED: Walking back from the villageundefined I lost my wallet. (Your wallet doesn’t walkundefined but you do.)

“

錯位修飾語

錯置的修飾語是指一個單詞或短語，由于其位置而錯誤地指向了錯誤的單詞。要糾正錯位的修飾語，把它移到它所修飾的單詞旁邊或附近:

A fine athlete and studentundefined the coach honored the captain of the tennis team. (The coach was not the fine athlete and student.)

REVISED: The coach honored the captain of the tennis teamundefined who was a fine athlete and student.

“

限制性修飾語

限制性修飾語(例如，onlyundefined almostundefined nearlyundefined just)通常被放錯位置。為了避免歧義，將限定修飾語放在它修飾的單詞前:

Marsh reinforces the view that the artist only intended the images for a local audience.

REVISED: Marsh reinforces the view that the artist intended the images only fora local audience.

“

懸空修飾語

懸空修飾語是一個(通常是介紹性的)詞或短語，寫作者想要修飾后面的詞，但后面的詞沒有了，結果成為一個不合邏輯的陳述。

要改正懸空修飾語，添加缺失的單詞，并將修飾語放在它旁邊:

Example: Acting on numerous complaints from studentsundefined a fox was found on campus. (The fox did not act on the complaint.)
REVISED: Acting on numerous complaints from studentsundefined security found a fox on campus.
Example: After reading the original studyundefined the flaws in Lee’s argument are obvious. (The flaws did not read the study.)
REVISED: Reading the original study reveals obvious flaws in Lee’s argument.

懸空修飾語和冗余/被動語態通常一起出現，記得一起修正它們！

六、代詞問題

代詞作為名詞的替代很有幫助，但選擇不當的代詞可能會模糊句子的意思。常見的代詞錯誤包括:

“

不清晰的代詞指代

代詞必須指特定的名詞(先行詞)。模棱兩可的代詞指稱會造成句子混淆。

Example: A key difference between banking crises of today and of yesterday is that they have greater global consequences. (Which crises have greater consequencesundefined those of today or those of yesterday?)

如果有一點歧義，就用名詞:

A key difference between banking crises of today and yesterday is that today’s crises have greater global impact.

“

不清晰的主語代詞

像itundefined there和this這樣的代詞通常是弱主語。代詞只有在先行詞非常清楚的情況下才可以用作主語。

Example: Pope Gregory VII forced Emperor Henry IV to wait three days in the snow at Canossa before granting him an audience. It was a symbolic act. (To what does “it” refer? Forcing the emperor to wait? The waiting? The granting of the audience? The audience? The entire sentence?)

“

指代一致

代詞必須與先行詞在性別和數上一致。一個常見的錯誤是用復數代詞they指代單數名詞。

Example: In the original state constitutionundefined they allowed polygamy. [They (plural) refers to constitution (singular).]
REVISED: The original state constitution allowed polygamy.

通常使用復數名詞和代詞比使用單數名詞和代詞更好。請注意，不定代詞，如each和everyone是單數。

Example: Each student must meet with their advisor. (incorrect: singular nounundefined plural pronoun)
Example: Each student must meet his or her advisor. (correct but awkward)
REVISED: Students must meet with their advisors. (correct: plural noun and pronoun)

七、不能忍受的一些東西

（The Dreaded Pet Peeves）

學習清晰有效地寫作是漢密爾頓學院使命宣言的核心：

“漢密爾頓學院的學生學會獨立思考，擁抱差異，有說服力地寫作和說話，并以道德和創造性的方式處理問題。”

漢密爾頓學院教授們分享了一些他們最討厭的東西(也就是常見的寫作錯誤)。

不能忍受的事