如果你的目标是写小说,应该看原版The Elements of Style (免费下载):
http://www.jlakes.org/ch/web/The-elements-of-style.pdf
为了“完整”性,我们继续用The Elements of Style 。不喜欢看英文原著的,凑合着看我的注解(不是翻译)。
有时,我会用Google Translate。GT现在还不成熟,你不要拿它当回事。
IV Words and Expressions Commonly Misused
第四部分(45-63页),我只挑其中一小部分注解一下,因为我们是学习科技英语写作。如果你“喜欢”另外一些词,请告诉我。我会考虑补充。
Being. Not appropriate after regard ... as.
注解:一只蛇脚,必须砍。
He is regarded as being the best dancer in the club.
改错后:He is regarded as the best dancer in the club.
But. Unnecessary after doubt and help.
注解:用在doubt和 help 后面就成为一只蛇脚,必须砍。
错的:I have no doubt but that
对的:I have no doubt that
错的:He could not help but see that
对的:He could not help seeing that
The too-frequent use of but as a conjunction leads to the fault discussed under Rule 18. A loose sentence formed with but can usually be converted into a periodic sentence formed with although. Particularly awkward is one but closely following another, thus making a contrast to a contrast, or a reservation to a reservation. This is easily corrected by rearrangement.
Google Translate: 过于频繁地使用但作为连词导致了规则18中讨论的错误。一个松散的句子形成但通常可以转换为形成的句子。特别尴尬的是一个但紧跟另一个,因此与对比或对预约的保留形成对比。这可以通过重新排列轻松纠正。
注解:不要烂用but。
Our country had vast resources but seemed almost wholly unprepared for war. But within a year it had created an army of four million.
修改后:Our country seemed almost wholly unprepared for war, but it had vast resources. Within a year it had created an army of four million.
今天少来一点,否则,你也怕,我也累。
[科技英语写作基础(系列):大纲(1)
http://blog.sciencenet.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=306792&do=blog&id=1146690
科技英语写作基础(系列):大纲(2)
http://blog.sciencenet.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=306792&do=blog&id=1146716]
1. 语态(1)
2. 常用时态
3. 一些标点符号“规则”(句号、逗号,参考The Elements of Style Part I)
4. 一些语法“规则”(主语、谓语的一致性、变化多端的代词、分词短语的主人,参考The Elements of Style Part I)
5. 一些基本的写作“原则”(文章结构、段落、语态、简洁性等,参考The Elements of Style)
6. 一些容易用错的词和词组(参考The Elements of Style)
7. 修改、修改、再修改[简洁为上, see Chapter 7 Concision by Joseph/三种修饰语+两种“问题修饰语”,即悬空修饰语(p161)、错位修饰语/, see Chapter 8 Length by Joseph/逻辑性/一致性]
请大家多提意见。