Download 英语写作基础教程第三章(2)

Chapter Three
Making Correct and Effective
Sentences
Outline
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Definition of a sentence
Classifications of sentences
Complete Sentences and
Sentence Fragments
Effective Sentences
Skills in Writing Sentences
Common Mistakes Correction
The Definition of a Sentence
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A sentence is a grammatical unit
consisting of one or more words that
are grammatically linked. A sentence
can include words grouped
meaningfully to express a statement,
question, exclamation, request,
command or suggestion.
Sentences are generally
characterized in most languages by
the presence of a finite verb, e.g.
"The quick brown fox jumps over the
lazy dog".
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A sentence can also be defined in
orthographic terms(拼字法） alone,
i.e., as anything which is contained
between a capital letter and a full
stop.For instance, the opening of
Charles Dickens' novel Bleak House
begins with the following three
sentences:
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London. Michaelmas term lately over,
and the Lord Chancellor sitting in
Lincoln's Inn Hall. Implacable November
weather.
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The first sentence involves one word, a
proper noun. The second sentence has
only a non-finite verb（非谓语动词）. The
third is a single nominal group（名义上的
组合）. Only an orthographic definition
encompasses this variation.
As with all language expressions,
sentences might contain function and
content words and contain properties
distinct to natural language, such as
characteristic intonation and timing
patterns.
Classification
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By structure
One traditional scheme for classifying English sentences is
by clause structure, the number and types of clauses in the
sentence with finite verbs（谓语动词）.
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1.A simple sentence（简单句） consists of a single
independent clause（独立从句） with no dependent clauses
从属从句.
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2. A compound sentence（并列复合句） consists of multiple
independent clauses with no dependent clauses. These
clauses are joined together using conjunctions, punctuation,
or both.
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3. A complex sentence（复杂句） consists of one
independent clause and at least one dependent clause.
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4. A complex-compound sentence复杂复合句） (or
compound-complex sentence) consists of multiple
independent clauses, at least one of which has at least one
dependent clause.
1.A simple sentence
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A sentence with one
independent clause and no
dependent clauses.
My aunt enjoyed taking the
hayride with you.
China's Han Dynasty marked an
official recognition of
Confucianism.
Compound Sentence:
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A sentence with multiple
independent clauses but no
dependent clauses.
A sentence with one independent
clause and at least one dependent
clause.
The clown frightened the little girl,
and she ran off screaming.
The Freedom Riders departed on
May 4, 1961, and they were
determined to travel through many
southern states.
Complex Sentence:
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A sentence with one independent
clause and at least one dependent
clause.
After Mary added up all the sales,
she discovered that the lemonade
stand was 32 cents short
While all of his paintings are
fascinating, Hieronymus Bosch's
triptychs, full of mayhem and
madness, are the real highlight of his
art.
Complex-Compound
Sentence:
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A sentence with multiple
independent clauses and at
least one dependent clause.
Catch-22 is widely regarded as
Joseph Heller's best novel, and
because Heller served in World
War II, which the novel satirizes,
the zany but savage wit of the
novel packs an extra punch.
By purpose
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Sentences can also be classified based on their
purpose:
1.A declarative sentence or declaration陈述句, the
most common type, commonly makes a statement:
"I have to go to work."
2.An interrogative sentence疑问句 or question is
commonly used to request information — "Do I have
to go to work?" — but sometimes not; see rhetorical
question.
3.An exclamatory sentence感叹句 or exclamation is
generally a more emphatic form of statement
expressing emotion: "I have to go to work!"
4. An imperative sentence祈使句 or command tells
someone to do something (and if done strongly may
be considered both imperative and exclamatory):
"Go to work." or "Go to work!"
Rhetorical classification of
sentences:
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As to the arrangement of
sentence elements, sentences
may be classified as:
a) periodic sentences（圆周句）
b) loose sentences（松散句）
c) balanced sentences（对偶句）
The periodic sentence
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The periodic sentence emphasizes its main idea by
placing it at the end, following all the subordinate
clauses and other modifiers that support the
principal idea.[2] The sentence unfolds gradually, so
that the thought contained in the subject/verb group
only emerges at the sentence's conclusion.[3]
Obviously artificial, it is used mostly in what in
oratory is called the grand style.
(suspense or Chinese thinking?)
E.g. 1) Although he had done all he could to come early,
he missed the lecture.
2) The great question that has never been answered,
and which I have not yet been able to answer despite my
thirty years of research into the feminine soul, is this,
“What does a woman want?”
loose sentence
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It is the opposite of the loose
sentence, also continuous or running
style, where the subject and verb are
introduced at the beginning of the
sentence..(Typical English thinking!)
E.g.1) He missed the lecture
although he had done all he could to
come early.
2) Read the letter again if you have time.
A balanced sentence
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A balanced sentence is one in which
parallel structure is used to express parallel
ideas. Balanced sentences can give
emphasis and variety to our writing.
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E.g.1) The more you write, the more you
can write.
2) They died for liberty; they died for us.
3) What is written without effort is in
general read without pleasure.
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Major and minor sentences
A major sentence is a regular sentence; it
has a subject and a predicate谓语. For
example: "I have a ball." In this sentence one
can change the persons: "We have a ball."
However, a minor sentence is an irregular
type of sentence. It does not contain a finite
verb. For example, "Mary!" "Yes." "Coffee."
etc.
Other examples of minor sentences are
headings (e.g. the heading of this entry),
stereotyped expressions ("Hello!"), emotional
expressions ("Wow!"), proverbs, etc. This
can also include nominal sentences like "The
more, the merrier". These do not contain
verbs in order to intensify the meaning
around the nouns and are normally found in
poetry and catchphrases.[3]
Rewrite the following two
simple sentences
 (1) The young pilot was on his first overseas training.
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(2) He felt very uneasy.
(a) The young pilot on his first overseas training felt very
uneasy.
(b) The young pilot felt very uneasy during his first overseas
training.
(c) The young pilot's first overseas training made him feel very
uneasy.
(d) Extreme uneasiness seized the young pilot on his first
overseas training.
(e) The young pilot was on his first overseas training, feeling
very uneasy.
 (1) The young pilot was on his first overseas training.
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(2) He felt very uneasy.
(a) The young pilot on his first overseas training felt very
uneasy.
(b) The young pilot felt very uneasy during his first overseas
training.
(c) The young pilot's first overseas training made him feel very
uneasy.
(d) Extreme uneasiness seized the young pilot on his first
overseas training.
(e) The young pilot was on his first overseas training, feeling
very uneasy.
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(f) It being his first overseas training, the
young pilot felt very uneasy.
(g) The young pilot was on his first overseas
training and felt very uneasy.
(h) The young pilot, who was on his first
overseas training, felt very uneasy.
(i) When the young pilot was on his/first
overseas training, he felt very uneasy.
(j) As the young pilot was on his first overseas
training, he felt very uneasy.
(k) The young pilot was on his first overseas
training, so that he
felt very uneasy.
Complete Sentences and
Sentence Fragments
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A grammatically complete sentence
is one that contains at least a subject
and a predicate verb; if the verb is
transitive, there must be an object; if
the verb is a link verb, there must be
a predicative or complement.
Attributes and adverbials, though
they are not essential elements of a
sentence, help to make the meaning
clear or complete：
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He came.
He came to the classroom very
early.
She wrote a letter.
She wrote a long letter to her
parents.
Dr. Smith is a professor.
Dr. Smith is a well-known
professor of physics.
In order to be a sentence, a group of
words must meet three criteria:
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It must contain a subject;
It must contain a predictive verb;
It must make a complete thought.
1 Completeness in Structure
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They are correct because they are
complete in structure:
1.Each has a subject and a predicate
verb and also because each begins
with a capital letter and ends with a
full stop.
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1.How to operate this computer?
2. Have lost my key.
3.Because he hadn’t finished his
assignment, so he continued
working in the classroom.
4.The old man returning home after
eight years’ absence to find that
the neighbors he had known were
no longer there.
5.Mark Twain whose experience as
a sailor on the Mississippi provided
him with abundant material for the
novels he was to write.
2 The Right Subject
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We have kept the nonfinite
verbs and changed the subjects
in the original sentence. It is
also possible to improve the
sentences in other ways. These
sentences show that the subject
of a sentence should be
properly related to the nonfinite
verbs before it.
Entering the lecture hall, the
size of the crowed surprised me.
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1.On entering the classroom, the
students stood up and said, “Good
morning!”
2.After finishing her composition,
the translation exercise was taken
up.
3.Hurrying to the conference room,
no one was there.
4.Returning home after work,
supper was waiting for him in the
kitchen.
5.To look at a map, the importance
of this new railway will be seen.
Sentence Fragment 不完整句
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a sentence fragment is a part of a
sentence; it is a group of words not
complete in itself
1. Dependent-word fragments 从属
词不完成句
2. –ing and to fragments 现在分词和
不定式不完整句
3. Added detailed fragments附加细节
不完整句
4. Missing-subject fragments主语缺
位不完整句
1. Dependent-word fragments
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After I cashed my paycheck. I
treated myself to dinner.
I won’t leave the house. Until I
hear from you.
Rick finally picked up the socks.
That he had thrown on the floor
days ago.
Activity 1
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Examples
Although I felt miserable
Although I felt miserable, I tired
to smile to the photographer.
The man who found my wallet
The man who found my wallet
returned it next day.
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1. if I don’t get a raise soon
2. because it was raining
3. when I heard the news
4. because I couldn’t find the car
keys
5. the restaurant that we tried
Exercises: Please translate the
following sentences into English.
1、他花30万美元买了这所房子。
2、孩子不能接近这个地区。
3、春节要到了。
4、总共有200人在这次飞机坠毁事
件中丧生。
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He got the house for 300,000
American dollars.
He paid 300,000 American dollars
for the house.
The house cost him 300,000
American dollars.
It took him 300,000 American
dollars to buy the house.
The house took him 300,000
American dollars.
He spent 300,000 American dollars
buying/on the house.
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Children are not supposed to
approach the area.
Children are not permitted to
approach the area.
Children are not allowed to
approach the area.
Children are prohibited from
approaching the area.
Children are forbidden to
approach the area.
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The Spring Festival is drawing
near.
The Spring Festival is coming
near.
The Spring Festival is getting
nearer and nearer.
The Spring Festival is arriving
soon.
The Spring Festival is in sight.
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There are altogether 200 people
losing their lives in the air crash.
There are altogether 200 death
in the air crash.
200 people lost their lives in the
air crash.
200 people were killed in the air
crash.
This air crash killed 200 people.
This air crash leads to the death
of 200 people.
This air crash claimed 200
people’s lives.
2. –ing and to fragments 现在分词
和不定式不完整句
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I opened the door. Expecting to see
my brother standing on the porch.
I opened the door, expecting to see
my brother standing on the porch.
I opened the door. I was expecting
to see my brother standing on the
porch.
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Some students in order to get a better job after
graduation.
Some students study English hard in order to
get a better job after graduation.
Have better skills in English means have more
chances to get jobs.
Having better skills in English means having
more chances to get jobs.
Having better skills in English means to have
more chances to get jobs.
Having better skills in English means one can
have more chances to get jobs.
Added-detailed Fragments
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My son keeps several pets in his
room. Including hamsters and
mice
Louis works evenings in a video
store. He enjoys the fringe
benefits. For example, seeing
the new movies first.
Also especially except for
example like including such as
Missing-Subject Fragments
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Alicia loved getting wedding
presents. But hated writing
thank-you note.
Every other day, Kara runs two
miles. Then does fifty sit-ups.
I like all kinds of pizza, but
refuse to eat frozen pizza.
3 Agreement Between the Subject
and the Predicate Verb
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1) We know the simple rule that the
predicate verb of a sentence has to agree
with the subject in person and number,
such as a third-person singular takes a
predicate verb with-s if the verb is in the
present tense. There may be problems
when the number of the subject is not easy
to determine.
2) Collective nouns like family and
audience may be neither singular or plural,
depending on the meaning in which they
are used.
3) When two subjects refer to different
persons or are different in number, the verb
should agree with the subject close to it.
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4) Words together with, in
addition to, besides, etc., are
objects of prepositions; they do
not affect the number of the
subject.
5) A subject clause generally
takes a singular verb, but a
what-clause which clearly
refers to many things can take
a plural verb.
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1.His whole family is/are here with
him.
The majority of the students taking
this exam is/are girls.
2.These cattle belong/belongs to
that ranch.
3.There is/are an enormous
audience in the hall.
4.The audience was/were shocked
by the scenes of violence in the
film.
4 Agreement Between Pronoun
and Antecedent
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Just as the predicate verb of a sentence has to
agree with the subject in person and number, so a
pronoun has to agree with its antecedent.
1) After a compound antecedent with or, nor,
either…or, neither…nor, not only…but also, a
pronoun agrees with the nearer part of the
antecedent.
2) A singular pronoun follows a collective noun
antecedent when the members of the group are
considered as a unit; a plural pronoun, when they
are thought of individually.
3)For such singular antecedents as each, either,
neither, one, no one, everyone, someone, anyone,
nobody, everybody, somebody, and anybody, which
may refer to both male and female, she or he, his or
her, him or her, or the preferred plural pronoun they,
their or them used.
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1.I’m going to talk on jazz
music for he is a well-known
composer.
2.Leave out the word in that
sentence because it is too
difficult.
3.She told my sister that her
idea was practicable.
4.He is the man recommended
by Mr. Smith who knows how
to fix cars.
5 Clear Pronoun Reference
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We use personal pronouns
very often. They seem to be
easy, but they should be used
with care. Relative pronouns
should also be used carefully. In
short, when we use personal
and relative pronouns, we
should make sure that their
reference is clear.
6 Ending Sentences with Full
Stops
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When a sentence is structurally
complete, whether long or short, it
should end with a full stop.
To join two or more complete
sentences with commas may be
possible in Chinese, but it is wrong in
English. There is a name for such a
mistake: the comma fault or the
comma splice绞接. We should
remember that a complete
declarative sentence always ends
with a full stop.
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I set out for the biggest
bookstore in town, at the school
gate I saw a girl of my class, she
was going there, too, we
decided to go together, we
walked, the bookstore was not
far away.
7 Joining Clause with
Conjunctions
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When two or more sentences are
closely connected in meaning, it may
be better to put them into one
sentence than separate them. Then
those sentences will become clauses
which should be joined together with
proper conjunctions or other words,
like relative pronouns.
We should learn to distinguish
between conjunctions and adverbs,
such as but and however, so and
therefore. We can join coordinate
clause with a comma and a
conjunction, or with a semicolon, or
with a semicolon and an adverb.
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She enjoys listening to pop
music, her sister likes classical
music better.
She speaks English fluently,
she speaks French quite well.
The planes for the building are
not yet ready, the construction
can’t start very soon.
8 A Main Clause in a Complex
Sentence
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In a Complex sentence there
must be a main clause, whether
it is at the beginning or at the
end of the sentence.
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Because he had not heard about
that important decision.
Whatever the director said at the
conference.
The man we could find for the job.
8. Proper Use of Comparisons
Her English is much better than I.
The language of Henry James is
more elaborate than Ernest
Hemingway.
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But for many, the fact that poor people are
able to support themselves almost as well
without government aid as they did with it
is in itself a huge victory.
但在许多人看来，穷人能不靠政府救济养活
自己，而且生活得几乎和过去依靠政府救济
时生活得一样好，这件事本身就是一个巨大
的胜利。
(4) What easier way is there for a nurse, a
policeman, a barber, or a waiter to lose
professional identity than to step out of
uniform?
对于护士、警察、理发师或是服务员来说，
还有什么比脱下制服更容易的方法使人们看
不出他们的职业身份呢？
9 Proper Use of Comparisons
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Adjectives or adverbs of the
comparative degree should be
used only when there is
comparison. But we should not
use adjectives or adverbs of the
comparative degree when there
is no comparison, explicit or
implied. In addition, we should
remember that only things of the
same kind can be compared.
10 Correct Use of the Tense
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Since a predicate verb must be used
in a certain tense, we should learn to
use the tenses correctly.
Tenses tell the action of the verb
takes place. Whenever we make a
sentence, we should ask ourselves
when the thing mentioned in the
sentence happens, and use the right
tense to report it. Perhaps the
perfect tenses are more difficult than
the other tenses and deserve greater
attention. When we talk about
something that happened in the past,
but its result remains at present, we
should use the present perfect.
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They changed their timetable and
they are working according to it.
This is his latest novel. Did you
read it?
We are going to the Great Wall. Did
you go there?
He has been a friend of mine for a
few years, but we are no longer in
touch.
I have read the book for several
days and will finish it tonight.
He visited all the historical
monuments he wanted to see for a
long time.
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So far we have been talking
about the requirements of
correct sentences and a few
common mistakes. There are of
course many other types of
mistakes. The best way to deal
with them is to review grammar
and study the entries we are not
clear about in a dictionary, and
observe the use of words, while
we are learning new things, we
can discover and correct our old
mistakes.
Effective Sentences
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Unity
Coherence
Conciseness
Emphasis
Variety
Unity （统一）
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A unified sentence expresses a single complete
thought. It does not contain ideas that are not
closely related, nor does it express a thought
that is not complete by itself.
Faulty: Born in a small town in South China in
the early 50s, he grew up to be a famous
musician.
Revised: He was born in a small town in South
China in the early 50s. In his childhood he liked
to sing songs. Later he entered a conservatory.
In the 70s he became a famous musician.
Coherence （连贯）
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Coherence means clear and reasonable
connection between parts.
Faulty: A man is judged not only by
what he says but also by his deeds.
Revised: A man is judged not only by
what he says but also by what he does.
A man is judged not only by his words
but also by his deeds.
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Faulty: We thought she was charming,
intelligent, and a very capable young
woman.
Revised: We thought she was charming,
intelligent, and very capable.
We thought she was a charming,
intelligent, and very capable young
woman.
Faulty: We have great faith and high
hopes for her.
Revised: We have great faith in and high
hopes for her.
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Faulty: She told my sister that she was
wrong.
Revised: “I’m wrong,” she said to my
sister.
She admitted that she was wrong and
said so to my sister.
“You’re wrong,” she said to my sister.
My sister was told that she was wrong.
Faulty: The fresh water, it is the most
important things of the earth.
Revised: Fresh water is the most
important things of the earth.
Conciseness （简洁）
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A sentence should contain no unnecessary words.
If the idea is fully expressed, the fewer words are
used, the better.
Wordy: It was blue in color.
Mary is a quiet and careful woman.
He returned in the early part of the
month of August.
In spite of the fact that he is lazy, I like
him.
I liked him in spite of his laziness.
For the people who are diligent and kind,
money is just the thing to be used to buy the thing
they need.
Diligent and caring people use money only
to buy what they need.
Emphasis （强调）
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1.
When there is an important idea, it should be
expressed with emphasis. In writing there are ways for
placing emphasis on sentences or words that should be
emphasized.
Emphatic Sentences
The sky was overcast. A north wind was blowing. It threatened to
rain at any moment. A gloomy day.
The poet was born poor, and poor he remained all his life.
Don’t move! / How nice!
Didn’t I tell you that you mustn’t touch this machine?
I didn’t get a ticket for the opera. How could I?
There were so many errors in the performance that the result was
not a tragedy, but a comedy.
Government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not
perish from the earth.
2. Emphasis within the Sentences
a. Placing. The beginning and the end, especially the end, of
a sentence are the two places that attract the reader’s
attention.
There is a big tree, which is said to be 300 years old, in the
temple.
In the temple there is a big tree, which is said to be 300
years old.
b. Repetition. Unnecessary repetition should be avoided. But
in a proper context repeating a word or an idea in
different words may be a means of emphasis.
Bright, very bright, were the stars over the wild, dark Yenan
hills.
The good old days were gone forever, could never be got
back again.
2. Emphasis within the Sentences
c. The verb and the active voice.
When describing actions, one had
better use verbs instead of nouns
denoting actions.
At the sight of the disorderly crowd,
he was aware that something bad
would be possible.
The moment he saw the disorderly
crowd, he knew that something
bad would happen.
e. Subordination. Putting a minor idea in a dependent
element of the sentence so as to give the main idea a
prominent position.
The professor walked into the classroom and he carried a
bag of books with him.
The professor walked into the classroom, carrying a bag of
books with him.
The professor walked into the classroom with a bag of books
under his arm.
The professor walked into the classroom, a bag of books
under his arm.
They were waiting for the meeting to begin. They talked with
each other. They talked about the women’s football
team. The team had won victories in Guangzhou.
While waiting for the meeting to begin, they talked about the
victories won by the women’s football team in
Guangzhou.
e. Emphatic words and phrases.
This is the very dictionary I have been looking for.
The director himself told me this news.
His latest novel is by far the best he has ever written.
What on earth are the children doing in the next room?
I don’t like the play at all.
This theatre is far better than the one we went to last time.
I’m so hungry that I’ll eat whatever food I can find.
Variety （多样）


Variety is essential to good writing. A
series of sentences of the same
structure and length, beginning with
the same noun or pronoun as the
subject, would sound monotonous.
Variety is achieved when short
sentences are used in between long
ones, simple sentences in between
compound and complex one.
试比较以下两个段落


（1）We can imagine the beautiful surroundings.
(2) There are many trees along the streets. (3)
There is a clean river in the city. (4) There are
many fishes in the river. (5) There are willow trees
on the one side. (6) There are some pieces of
grassland on the other side. (7) There are many
flowers on them.
(1) Just imagine the beautiful surroundings if we
have made our cities greener. (2) Green trees line
the streets. (3) A clean river winds through the city,
in which a lot of fishes abound. (4) On the one
side stand rows of willow trees. (5) On the other
side lies a stretch of grassland sprinkled with
many yellow and red flowers.
一些被滥用的句型
There is
There are fewer and fewer citizens who like to see
films.
Films are now losing their appeal for many
citizens.

There are many people who complain of severe
housing shortages.
Housing shortages become the source of great
complaint.
一些被滥用的句型
If
If you compare the two tables carefully, you will
find the difference.
Careful comparison of the two tables will show
you the difference.

If we only apply book knowledge, we will not get
good result.
Book knowledge only will not be sufficient for us
to get good result.
If there is no pollution, man can certainly survive.
Man can certainly survive without pollution.
一些被滥用的句型
In order to
In order to prevent the problem becoming too
serious to solve, we must take an immediate
step.
An immediate step must be taken before the
problem becomes too serious to solve.

一些被滥用的句型
More and more
More and more people now prefer to stay at home and watch
TV.
People in increasing numbers prefer to stay at home and
watch TV.
More and more people who become more and more rich can
afford a motorcycle.
The growing number of people who become increasingly
rich can now afford a motorcycle.
More and more teenagers smoke cigarettes in recent years.
Teenage smoking is on the rise in recent years.
More and more teachers are needed with the development of
economy.
There is an increasing demand for teachers with the
development of economy.

More and more trees have disappeared in the city.
There is a sharp decline in the number of trees in
the city.
With the development of information technology,
more and more E-books appear in our lives.
The number of E-books is constantly on the rise as
a result of the rapid development of
information technology.
Nowadays, more and more young people delay
having children.
There is a growing trend toward delayed
childbearing among young couples.
一些被滥用的句型
It is… 或 It is… that…
It is necessary to make out why agriculture has drawn so
much attention.
Why has agriculture drawn so much attention.
It is reported that the sum of capital flowing to China ranks
2nd in the world.
The capital flowing to China is the second largest in the
world.
It is a matter of fact that more and more students especially
college students take part-time jobs in their spare time
or in holidays, the most ordinary form of which is to
act as a tutor.
Many students are taking on part-time jobs such as tutoring
younger students.
It is the common sense that fake commodities are harmful to
us.
Common sense tells us that pirated goods are not beneficial
in the long run.

练习1：Rewrite the following by putting the short sentences into
compound or complex sentences, or sentences with participial, prepositional,
or other phrases
The girl began to learn to play the piano. At
that time she was a child. Her mother was a
famous pianist.
The girl, whose mother was a famous pianist,
began to learn to play the piano when she was
a child.
Because her mother was a famous pianist, the girl
began to learn to play the piano very early.
Being a daughter of a famous female pianist, the
girl began to learn to play the piano when she
was very young.
Her mother being a famous female pianist, the girl
began to learn to play the piano very early.

The young dancer appeared on the stage. A
stormy applause broke forth.
A stormy applause broke forth because the young
dancer appeared on the stage.
A stormy applause broke forth when the young
dancer appeared on the stage.
The young dancer received a stormy applause
during her appearance on the stage.
The young dancer appeared on the stage, receiving
a stormy applause.
A stormy applause broking forth, the dancer
appeared on the stage.

He returned to his hometown. He had been away for
twelve years. He looked in vain for the familiar
landmarks.
He looked in vain for the familiar landmarks when he
returned to his hometown which he had been away for
twelve years.
He returned to his hometown which he had been away for
twelve years, looking in vain for the familiar
landmarks.
He looked in vain for the familiar landmarks in his
hometown which he had been away for twelve years.
Having been away from his hometown for twelve years, he
looked in vain for the familiar landmarks.
He returned to his hometown which he had been away for
twelve years only to find the unfamiliar landmarks.

We have made some progress. We still have a
long way to go.
We have made some progress but we still have a
long way to go.
We still have a long way to go although we have
made some progress.
Some progress having been made, we still have a
long way to go.
Having made some progress, we still have a long
way to go.

The gypsies are really a nomadic people from
India. They migrated into Europe. Once they
were thought to be Egyptians.
Before migrating into Europe, the gypsies are a
nomadic people from India but once they
were thought to be Egyptians.
Originally being a nomadic people from India, the
gypsies migrated into Europe but once they
were thought to be Egyptians.
The gypsies, whose ancestors are nomadic people
from India and later migrated into Europe
were once thought to be Egyptians.

Professor Li had great concern for us. She
often came to help us.
As Professor Li had great concern for us, she often
came to help us.
Professor Li had great concern for us, so she often
came to help us.
Professor Li often came to help us because she had
great concern for us.
Professor Li, who had great concern for us, often
came to help us.
Professor Li, having great concern for us, often
came to help us.
Having great concern for us, Professor Li often
came to help us.
Professor Li had great concern for us and therefore
often came to help us.

练习2：Rewrite the following sentences, emphasizing the main idea in each.
Huang, who is over two meters tall, is the
tallest man of the team.
Huang, the tallest man of the team, is over two
meters tall.

Social position, reputation, even life itself,
and friends, were no longer interesting to him
after he went bankrupt.
After bankruptcy, he no longer interested in
anything, such as social position, reputation,
even life itself and friends.

He decided to take the job, and it was
something unexpected.
Out of expectation, he decided to take the job.

China will not be the first to use nuclear
weapons under any circumstances.
Under no circumstances will China be the first to
use nuclear weapons.

Yang alone can do the work, and there are
twenty students in the class.
There are twenty students in the class, but Yang
alone can do the work.

China has changed a great deal as a result of
reform and the open policy during the past 20
years.
It is the reform and open policy that made China
changed a great deal.

练习3：Rewrite the following passage, giving the sentences some variety in
length and structure.
I got up a little later than usual on Sunday morning.
I washed and had a quick breakfast. Then I started
going to town to buy the dictionary recommended by
the teacher. At the school gate I saw Li Ping. I asked
him if he was going to town too, and he said that he
was. So we decided to go together. All the buses were
crowded. We had to wait for a long time at the bus stop
before we could get on a bus. An hour later we got off
the bus at a busy street. There were three bookstores
there. We went to the first one and didn’t find the
dictionary. Then we went to the second one and the
shop assistant said that the dictionary was sold out. I
finally bought the dictionary at the third bookstore.
After that Li Ping and I went to other stores and
bought various things. We returned to school just in
time for lunch.
I got up a little later than usual on Sunday morning.
After washing and having a quick breakfast, I started
going to town to buy the dictionary recommended by
the teacher. At the school gate I saw Li Ping and asked
him if he was going to town as well. We decided to go
together when he said he was. As all the buses were
crowded, We had to wait for a long time at the bus stop
before we could get on one. An hour later we got off
the bus at a busy street, where three bookstores were
available. We went to the first one and didn't find the
dictionary. Then at the second one, the shop assistant
said that the dictionary was sold out. I finally got the
dictionary at the third bookstore. After that Li Ping and
I went to other stores and bought various things. We
returned to school just in time for lunch.
Skills in Writing Sentences
1. 句子扩充
句子扩充指的是在简单句的基础上添加适当
的修饰成分,使句子能准确客观地表达作者
的思想,反映事物的本来面貌。
He is a college student.
He is a junior at Beijing University, majoring in
computer science.

1.1 添加形容词或副词

通过添加形容词或副词对句子中的名词和动
词加以修饰,使名词表意更确切,动词行为更
生动,给人以亲临其境,栩栩如生之感。这在
句子扩充的技巧中是最常用,也是最容易做到
的。

如: This course is a way to improve
my language skills (这门课程是改进
我语言技巧的一种途径)。
修改后，This optional course is a
good way to improve my English
language skills effectively。
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练习
1. The painting competition drew
students.
The yearly painting competition
drew crowds of college students.
2.In China, both women and
men can do well in their career.
In today’s China, women can do
equally well in their work.
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
1.2 添加介词短语
用来扩充句子的介词短语一般在句子
中作定语和状语,表明事物的特征和行
为发生的时间、地点、原因、目的、
方式等。通过给句子添加介词短语,可
以使句子意思更明确,信息更充实。在
说明文和记述文中介词短语用的最多。
例1
A) Brain drain is often heard·
B) In recent years, brain drain is often
heard in most of the developing
countries·
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例2
A) Creativity is an important
feature·
B) Creativity is one of the most
important features of a successful
person in our days·
练习：
1. He is going to Beijing.
He is going up to Beijing next
week for a job interview.


1.3添加分词短语
用于扩充句子的分词短语一般在句子
中作定语或状语。分词短语可分为现
在分词和过去分词。现在分词一般可
表示行为方式、伴随动作及时间和原
因等,而过去分词在句子中可表示原因、
时间、条件及动作发生时的背景或情
况。
A) They completed the experiment·
B) Working right through more than
two years, they completed the
experiment.
A) We had great difficulty in completing
the project.
B) Not having got enough hands, we had
great difficulty in completing the
project.

1.4 添加不定式

不定式是动词的一种非限定形式,在句子中可
以担当多种成分。不定式在句子中可以做主
语、宾语、表语、定语和状语。不定式具有
动词的特征,有时态和语态的变化。通过添加
不定式,可以把作者的思想表达的更充分,把事
情的原因,目的,结果,状态,性质和特征交代地
更清楚。
A) You should have confidence in
your ability·
B) You should have confidence
in your ability to fulfill the task·
A) Many students go to the
library at weekends·
B) Many students go to the
library at weekends to enjoy
reading books。

练习
The disease SARS made an attack on our country.
An unexpected infectious disease SARS made a sudden
attack on many areas of our country at the beginning of
2003.
It is a step to make it legal for all people to receive
education.
It is a big step forward to make it legal for all people to have
the right to receive higher education.
The world population is 6 billion.
The current world population is approximately 6 billion.
The money will support students to continue their study.
Consequently, the extra money obtained from part-time job
will strongly support students to continue their study.
Doing part-time job could take time; nevertheless it is not
harmful if the students can manage their time.
Admittedly, doing part-time job could take much time;
nevertheless it is not absolutely harmful if the students
appropriately manage their time.
Modern industry has also polluted our environment.
Having all the advantages mentioned above, modern
industry has seriously polluted our environment.
Government must take immediate action.
Government must take immediate action to prevent the
prevent the problem becoming too serious to solve.
One measure is to create nature reserves where animals can
wander and be protected.
One of the most effective measures to avoid the extinction
of wild animals is for all countries to create nature
reserves where all the native species of animals can
wander freely and be protected from men.
Money is considered to be an important thing.
Money is considered by some people to be the most
powerful and important thing in life.
The city government should give consideration to the
planting of trees.
In the planning of urban development, the city government
should give full consideration to the planting of trees.
2. 句子合并

由于受汉语思维的影响和出于求稳怕错的心
理,很多中国学生在写作时都喜欢用简单句。
简单句短小精悍,意义明确,但却无法表达各个
单句之间的内在联系。读来让人觉得散乱,层
次不清楚,重点不突出。有时思路的不连贯还
会导致句子之间的关系游离,给理解带来一定
的困难。
A) A wrist-watch is a time-telling
device·
B) Its size is very small·
C) It is very much convenient·
D) It can be worn on the wrist·
A wrist watch is a time telling
device, which is so small and
convenient that it can be wore on
the wrist.
从而突出了手表的功能,兼顾了手表的
特征,句子之间的主从关系一目了然。
A) There are many netbars along the
streets.
B) They are crowded with people.
C) They are mostly young men.
D) Their fingers are dancing on the
keyboard.


主语变来变去,让人摸不着头脑。
如果用句子合并的技巧把它改译
成: If you go along the streets, you
can notice a lot of net bars crowded
with people, most of whom are
young men, whose fingers are
dancing on the key board·就可以
使句子结构严谨、布局合理、主
题突出。
2.1. 复合句—— 名词从句

主语从句、宾语从句、表语从句和同位语
从句在句子中的作用相当于名词通常在句
子中所起的作用，因此统称为名词从句。
引导名词从句的关联词，主要有三类：
1.
主从连词：that, whether, if
2.
连接代词：who, whom, whose, what, which
3.
连接副词：when, where, why, how
主从连词只起连接作用；连接代词和连接副词
除了起连接作用外，还充当句子成分。
2.1. 1主语从句

主语从句有三类：
1) 由what等代词引起的主语从句,可以代替一个
名词加定语从句的结构：
What they are after is profit.
2) 由连词that引起的主语从句，通常放到句子的
后面，而用it作形式主语：
It’s not your fault that this has happened.
3) 由连接代词或连接副词或whether引起的主语
从句,这类句子可以直接用在句首作主语，
也可以放到句子后面用it作形式主语：
When they will come hasn’t been made public.
It hasn’t been made public when they will come.
练习
Keeping a diary in English is not difficult. It only needs your
determination and practice.
Keeping a diary in English is not so difficult as some students
imagine. What it demands is the determination and
practice.
He come to the office earlier than before this morning. He
suddenly realized he had forgotten to take the key with
him.
He meant to come to the office earlier than before this
morning. But it occurred to him that he had forgotten to
take the key with him halfway .
Developing the underground will solve the severe housing
problem. Many people doubt this.
Whether developing the underground will help to solve the
severe housing problem is still a doubtful question.
We still have some ways to solve the problem. That is good
news.
It is good news that we still have some ways to solve the
problem.
常用的经典主语从句
It is wrong/foolish/false/ridiculous/a fallacy to
say/think/believe…
money /happiness
It is ridiculous to believe that money always brings happiness.
It is a commonly accepted belief that…, coupled with…, leads
to/ contribute to/result in…
interest in English, seeking highly paid position in big
corporations, enthusiasm for learning English
It is a commonly accepted belief that interest in English,
coupled with the growing awareness of its role in
seeking highly paid position in big corporations, leads to
a nationwide enthusiasm for learning English.
It is high time that we put/laid great/special emphasis on…
environmental protection /economic growth
It is high time that we put great emphasis on environmental
protection while keeping the fast economic growth.
常用的经典主语从句
From what has been discussed above/ Taking into account all
these factors, we may reasonably come to/reach/draw the
conclusion that…
pollution problem ,complicated; one way, solve completely
From what has been discussed above, we may reasonably come
to the conclusion that the pollution problem is very
complicated and people can hardly rely on one way to
solve it completely.
Therefore/ Obviously, it is important/necessary/essential that
effective measures/steps should be taken to…
remove, fake commodities
Therefore, it is important that effective measures should be taken
to remove fake commodities from stores and markets.
Anyhow/ anyway, whether…is positive or negative/ good or not,
it is certain that…
legalization of euthanasia, moral and social problems
Anyhow, whether the effect of euthanasia is positive or negative,
it is certain that the legalization of euthanasia will bring
serious moral and social problems to this world.
2.1. 2 宾语从句

宾语从句有三类：
1) 由what等代词引起的宾语从句,可以比较自由
地用在动词或介词后面：
I’ll show you what I have put down in my book.
This reminded me of what he had once told us.
2) 由连词that引起的宾语从句，这是最常见的，
有时在这种宾语和谓语之间可以插入一个
间接宾语或状语：
I don’t doubt that they will be able to overcome
the difficulties.
He admitted to us that he had done it without the
president’s permission.
Chairman Mao announced on Oct.1st, 1949 that
the People Republic of China was founded.
3) 由连接代词或副词引起的宾语从句：
Tell me where you are from.
I just can’t imagine how he could have done such a
thing.
练习
What kind of show are they putting on? Can you tell me?
Can you tell me what kind of show they are putting on.
Peter has a slight headache sometimes.
He has always been in good health except that.
Peter has always been in good health except that he has a
slight headache sometimes.
I was far more intelligent than he was.
I always took that for granted.
I always took it for granted that I was far more intelligent than
he was.
You were unable to attend our meeting.
We all thought that was a pity.
We all thought it a pity that you were unable to attend our
meeting.
Every one of you should finish your homework on time.
I regard that as important.
I regard it important that every one of you should finish your
homework on time.
常用的经典宾语从句
Nowadays, an overwhelming majority of people
think/argue/claim that… But this argument/statement
may be questioned/doubted/doesn’t hold water today.
examinations, means, a person’s ability and aptitude
Nowadays, an overwhelming majority of people think that
examinations are a means to test a person’s ability and
aptitude.
Nowadays, an overwhelming majority of people think that
examinations are the efficient and reliable means of
testing a person’s true ability and aptitude.
One of the great men once said/stated… Now more and more
people share this belief.
Knowledge is power
One of the great men once said “Knowledge is power.” Now
more and more people share this belief.
常用的经典宾语从句
It was once thought that/People used to think that.. But the
fact is quite different/ But is this really the case?
air pollution, large cities
It was once thought that air pollution only affected large cities.
But is this really the case?
It was once thought that air pollution affected only the areas
around large cities with factories and heavy traffic. But
the fact is quite different.
常用的经典宾语从句
There is a public debate/ general discussion about the problem/issue
of… Those who object to/ oppose…argue that… But people
who advocate / favor…, on the other hand, claim/ maintain
that…
college students, part-time job，waste their time, improve their
academic studies, gain much experience
There is a general debate on the campus today about the phenomenon
of college students’ doing a part-time job. Those who object to
it argue that students should not waste their time in this way.
But people who advocate it, on the other hand, claim that, by
taking a part-time job, students can not only improve their
academic studies, but also gain much experience.
There is a general debate on the campus today about the phenomenon
of college students’ doing a part-time job. Those who object to
it argue that students should not spend their precious time in
this way. But people who advocate it, on the other hand, claim
that, by taking a part-time job or summer job, students can not
only improve their academic studies, but also gain much
experience, which they will never be able to get from the
textbooks.
2.1. 3表语从句

表语从句有三类：
1) 由what等代词引起的：
China is no longer what it used to be.
2) 由连词that引起的：
My suggestion is that we turn the land into rice
fields.
3) 由连接代词或连接副词引起的：
That was how they were defeated.
常用的经典表语从句
Although the popular idea/belief is that…, a recent study /
survey shows/reveals that…
daydreaming, waste of time, intellectual growth
Although the popular belief is that daydreaming is a waste of
time and an unhealthy escape from real life, a recent
study shows that daydreaming may contribute to
intellectual growth and lead to the attainment of actual
goals.
常用的经典表语从句
A is quite different from B in many ways. The most striking
difference between A and B is …
dormitory life, life at home
Dormitory life is quite different from the life at home in many ways.
The most striking difference between home life and dormitory
life is that students must depend on themselves to get up in the
morning on time for class, and they must depend on
themselves to eat properly, to keep their clothes and bodies
clean, and to set aside an appropriate amount of time for study
and relaxation.
The causes/reasons for.. have many and vary/ are complicated. They
include… Perhaps the main reason is…
teenage smoking, availability of cigarettes, pressure from other kids,
act like adults
The cause for the rise in teenage smoking have many and vary. They
include availability of cigarettes, the pressure from other kids
to be one of them, and the ever-present urge to act like adults.
Teenagers also find smoking can ease the burden of problems
at home and at school. Perhaps the main reason is that parents
fail to set a good example.
2.1. 4同位语从句
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He works hard.
The fact does not necessarily mean that he is a
competent leader.
The fact that he works hard does not necessarily mean
that he is a competent leader.
He explained that he didn’t see the notice.
The explanation is unsatisfactory.
The explanation that he didn’t see the notice is
unsatisfactory.
He holds that there is no advantage in introducing the
new method.
Most of us don’t agree with his view.
Most of us don’t agree with his view that there is no
advantage in introducing the new method.
常用的经典同位语从句
They may be correct/right in saying/asserting that…, but they
seem to fail to take note of/take into account the fact
that…
skyscrapers, save land
They may be correct in asserting that skyscrapers can save a
lot of precious land in the growing cities. But they seem
to fail to take into account that a cluster of tall buildings
in a city will not only overburden public transportation
but also worsen environmental problems. Mirror-walled
skyscrapers, whose reflective glasses reduce glare as
well as heat inside, raise the temperature of the
surrounding air.
常用的经典同位语从句
Now a lot of people believe that… But … , there is no/little
evidence that…
television, harmful effect on children
Now a lot of people believe that television has a harmful
effect on children. But although child psychologists
have spent a great deal of time studying this problem,
there is not much evidence that television brings about
juvenile delinquency.
The effect/ impact/ influence that… make/ exert on… is
evident/ apparent/ obvious.
books, teenagers
The effect that books make on teenagers is apparent. The good
book teaches youngsters knowledge and theories, exerts
a favorable influence on their character formation and
what is more, shows them the way when they feel at a
loss. On the contrary, books with much description of
violence or sex will tempt adolescents to fight or
commit a crime.
3. 句子的从属关系
要客观、准确地表达作者的思想,就
必须弄清句子的主从关系,明确哪一
部分是主体,哪一部分是从属,并巧妙
地把它们放置在适当的位置。判断
主从关系的基本原则是:次要从属于
主要;原因从属于结果,条件从属于事
实;方式从属于动作;背景从属于现状
或判断。例如，

In recent years, China’s economy
has been developing rapidly, but
we are still very poor and
underdeveloped compared with
the world’s developed countries.

Compared with the world’s
developed countries, China is still
poor and underdeveloped, though
China’s economy has been
developing rapidly·改译后,突出
了“中国还很穷”这一基本国情,
把“经济发展很快”放在了让步
状语的位置,从而理顺了主从关
系,达到了理想表意效果。再如

再如,在“China’s Reform”这篇作文中
有位同学写了这样一个句子,“In recent
years, China introduced a lot of foreign
funds, focused on scientific researches,
exploited local resources and economy
developed fast·”

显而易见,这句话的本意是说“近年来,中国
大量引进外资,大搞科学研究,积极开发资源,
经济发展很快”。抛开语法和文字上的错误
不讲,单从句子结构分析就不难看出,作者基
本上是用中文的句子结构对应英文的句子结
构。没有仔细分析句子内部的逻辑关系,忽略
了英语句子主从关系严谨的特点.
本句子的主体应为“经济发展很快”,
而“…引进外资,…科学研究,开发…资
源”均为方式状语,都是手段。据此,我
们可以把原来的句子改译为
“By introducing foreign funds in a large
scale, going in for scientific research and
exploiting local resources, china’s
economy has been developing rapidly in
recent years·”
Getting up a little later than usual on
Sunday morning, and having to buy the
dictionary recommended by the teacher, I
washed and had breakfast quickly.

Common Mistakes Correction
句式单调，语言啰嗦。没有掌握基本、
常用的表达法，不该用从句的时候用
了从句。
a. 用短语替代从句
One of these changes is that the computer
emerged, which can nearly be seen in
every corner of the world.
One of these changes is the emergence of
the computer in every corner of the
world.

Another result which is worthy of mention
here is that the vision of people is greatly
broadened, who are now more open-mined
and ambitious.
Another result worthy of mentioning is the
broadening view and open-mindedness of
people in general.

If it is easier for us to communicate, it’s
easier to make friends and enjoy life.
The ease of communication helps us to enjoy life
more.

A lot of commentators have expressed their
views on this state policy of birth control in
China, among which are both praises and
criticisms.
The family planning policy has both its advocates
and critics.

b. 忘记了在中学学过的基本表达法
They point out that although there are five
official languages in the UN, the most useful
of which is English which is the first foreign
language for most people.
They point out that among the five official UN
languages, English is the most useful and
mother tongue of most people.

In many universities second foreign
languages are provided as optional courses
for students who are willing as well as
qualified to take them.
Many universities offer an optional second foreign
language course for willing and qualified
students.

The reasons which lead to this problem are
worthy of research, whose resolution rests on
a clear understanding of the factors
responsible.
The reason behind this shortage need to be
understood in order to solve the problem.

When failure happened, the proper attitude
may be that he should make an investigation
to find out what has led to the failure; after
deliberate research, one should learn lessons
from it and make some amendments if
necessary.
One should view failure as a learning experience.

There are many teenagers who prefer to go to
professional schools, which will train them
into skilled worker who are likely to get
better jobs.
Many teenagers prefer to go to professional
schools to train themselves into skilled
workers for better jobs.

When you come to the second traffic light,
turn right.
At the second traffic light turn left.

c. 不擅于使用分词短语
The recommended age to study abroad is at
least after 22 when they have graduated from
colleges in China.
The ideal age to study abroad is 22, after graduating
from college.

Agriculture, which is identified as the First
Industry, is quite important for China. As an
Agricultural country, it still plays an important
role in the national economy.
Agriculture, identified as the first industry in China,
plays an important role in the national
economy.

d. 不会使用并列句或并列结构
In the past 20 years, Chinese economy has
experienced a boom whose GDP now ranks 6th
place in the international community.
China’s economy has grown dramatically in the
past 20 years and now ranks 6th internationally.

Agriculture must be emphasized so that the
living standard of the people in the country can
steadily rise, which is indispensable for the
stability of the country.
Agriculture in the countryside is important to
people’s standard of living and stability of the
country.

The population in the country account for
more than 80% of the whole population,
which means that if the stability of the
country cannot be guaranteed, there will be
no stability of the whole state.
The population in the countryside accounts for
80% of the population and the stability of the
nation depends on them.

They argue that taking part-time jobs is
commonplace among their foreign
counterparts, which is helpful to make them
independent.
They argue a part-time job is common in foreign
countries and helps students move toward
independence.

d. 过多使用从句与下笔缺乏考虑有关
As a result, people have to spend much more time on
the road than if there is no traffic jam. In rush hours,
people usually start an hour or earlier for fear that they
might be caught and late.
As a result, people often waste much time sitting in traffic and
have to make accommodations such as leaving for work
early in the morning to avoid traffic.

As a result, the last twenty years of 20th century is
described by commentators as a period of miracle,
during which great achievements have been made.
As a result, the last twenty years of 20th century has seen
miraculous growth and achievement.

Common Mistakes Correction

忽视平行结构，平行结构不平行。
Superman likes ice cream, catching villains and saving
women.
Superman likes eating ice cream, catching villains and
saving women.
When you are poor, you can walk, take the bus, or by
bicycle.
When you are poor, you can walk, take the bus or ride a
bicycle.
When you are poor, you can travel on foot, by bus or by
bicycle.
Love brings peace to this world, makes people cooperate
with others, helps the family get along harmoniously.
Love brings peace and cooperation among people and
harmony within the family.
写作练习
Directions: You are allowed 30 minutes to write a
composition entitled Books and Teenagers
in three paragraphs. You are given the topic
sentence for each paragraph and your part of
writing should be no less than 160 words.
1.
Different books are intended for people of
different ages.
2.
The effects of books on teenagers can either
be positive or negative.
3.
In my opinion, teenagers are not supposed to
read all kinds of books.