英语写作基础教程.ppt
英语英语写作写作教程教程1Chapter I Using Proper WordsvI.Using words correctlyvII.Using words accurately2I.Using words correctly1.overcome ChinglishvEg:vIm not afraid of the hot weather.I dont mind the hot weather.I found the room rather cold.I felt the room rather cold.On Sundays I always sleep late.On Sundays I always get up late.3vThe blanket felt soft to her.She felt the blanket soft.His level of English has been proved.His English has improved.He came out the fourth in the exam.He received the fourth place in the exam.42.Beware of archaisms,obsolete words,2.Beware of archaisms,obsolete words,and newly-coined words and newly-coined wordsWords or meaning of words which are no longer in common used but occur in special text(e.g.Religious works)and poetry are called archaic.Eg:mayhaps(v.hope;adv.maybe),quoth(vt.say),thy(pron.your),ere(prep.before)Words or meaning which have gone out of use altogether are called obsolete.Eg:admirable废语令人惊奇的 fine n.废语惩罚，处罚；为接受惩罚支付的钱 Newly-coined words Eg:junior-high-schooler,tube-steak,water-sensitive-crops,snow-poor-winter,53.Avoid slang3.Avoid slangvOn hearing that his father had kicked the bucket,we wrote him a letter to express our deep sympathies.vThe big banquet held in honor of the distinguished state guests was really neat.v俚语呱呱叫的；了不起的，极好的 vUnexceptionable/admirable/excellent6II.Using words accurately words accuratelyvThe shade of meaningThe shade of meaningvEg1:eagle and hawkvEagle is a bird that soars high and thus see far.to have an eagle eye(to have excellent vision)vHawk is a bird of pray,symbolizes harshness,thus people call the hard line politician“the hawk”.vEg2:dumb and mutevHe is a dumb/mute man.71.Specific and concrete wordsvSpecific and generalA good man:kind/honest/just/generous/sympathetic/warm-hearted/selfless/honorableGood food:tasty/nourishing/rich/wholesome/high-priced/fresh/substantial8General:General:In spring,the weather in Beijing can be In spring,the weather in Beijing can be very bad.very bad.Specific:Specific:In spring,it is often In spring,it is often windy and dustywindy and dusty here.here.More specific with the help of details:More specific with the help of details:In spring,the wind blows all day long.The air is In spring,the wind blows all day long.The air is then filled with fine dust which sometimes shuts then filled with fine dust which sometimes shuts out the sun.There is no escape from the fine out the sun.There is no escape from the fine dust.It gets into your eyes,your ears,your dust.It gets into your eyes,your ears,your nostrils,and your hair.nostrils,and your hair.92.Denotation and ConnotationvDenotation is the basic,direct,literal meaning of a word.As defined by the dictionary.vConnotation is the association around and the overtone about the word.its the feeling or idea suggested by the word.10vE.g.国家vCountry emphasizes the territory.vNation emphasizes the people.vState emphasizes political organization.vLand is often used to connote certain feeling.vAn island country;neighboring countryvpeace-loving nation;the awaking nation of AfricavState-owned enterprisesvOur state system is the peoples democratic dictatorship.vA far-away/foreign land;a land of liberty/opportunity11 Different connotation reflects the different Different connotation reflects the different attitude of the speaker.attitude of the speaker.Complimentary derogatory neutralPublic servant bureaucrat government employeeFinancier speculator investorLaw officer cop policemanCaptain of industry tycoon successful businessman Investigator spy detectiveCaptive jailbird prisoner123.SynonymsvSynonyms:Two or more forms with very closely related meaning,which are often but not always,intersubstitutable in a sentence.vAccording to formality:vEarly English:small/little ask time rise vFrench:petite question age mountvLatin:diminutive interrogate epoch ascendvGenerally,Latin words are more bookish than early English and French.13ExamplesExamples:vThe concert concluded with a performance of Beethovens 5th symphony.vThey ended the concert with Beethovens 5th symphony.vMy father purchased a large automobile.vMy dad bought a big car.14Chapter II Making Correct and Effective SentencesI.Elements of a sentenceII.Requirements of a correct sentenceIII.Requirements of an effective sentence15I.Elements of a sentencev1.Completeness in structure;v2.Begin with a capital letter;v3.End with a full stop,or a question mark,or an exclamation mark;v4.Express a single complete idea.16II.II.Requirements of a correct sentenceRequirements of a correct pleteness in structurev2.the right subjectv3.agreement between the subject and the predicate verbv4.agreement between pronoun and antecedentv5.clear pronoun referencev6.ending sentences with full stopsv7.joining clauses with conjunctionsv8.a main clause in a complex sentencev9.proper use of comparisonsv10.correct use of the tense17Correct the following sentences:vBecause he hadnt finish his assignment,so he continued working in the pleteness in structurevNot knowing his name,it was difficult to introduce him.the right subjectvA number of spelling mistakes was found in his composition.agreement between the subject and the predicate verbvEverybody should return the books he borrowed within a week.agreement between pronoun and antecedent18vShe told my sister that her idea was practicable.clear pronoun referencevNo one come to the party,it was a complete failure.ending sentences with full stops/joining clauses with conjunctionsvBecause he had not heard about that important decision.a main clause in a complex sentencevThe Sahara is larger than any desert in the world.proper use of comparisonsvWe have revised our work plan last night.correct use of the tenseCorrect the following sentences:19Fragment and EllipsevA fragment is a part of sentence(such as a phrase or dependant/subordinate clause)which begins with a capital letter and ends as a sentence does.vE.g.vFragment The result being that he lost the presidential election.vSentence The result is that he lost the presidential election.20MAs exclamations Oh!Nonsense!Well done!What a day!How kind of you!Susan a singer!?MIn spoken English A:how about this?B:very good!A:Your name and your address,please?B:All right,here.v More Fragment-like sentences21MAs transitions And a final instance,To return from our digression,Now,a few more words about the meeting today.MM For emphasis and vividnessFor emphasis and vividness There is a price to pay for success.The There is a price to pay for success.The demanding price of self denial,the price of blood demanding price of self denial,the price of blood and sweat and tears.and sweat and tears.22III.Requirements of an effective sentence一一.Unity.Unity 一致性一致性vUnity:Unity:A sentence should express a single complete idea,no more,no less.If it contains too much,then the sentence becomes confusing.If it contains too little,then the idea in it is incomplete.vIn other words,a sentence violates the principle of unity if it contains ideas that are not closely related;whats more,a sentence is not unified if it does not express a complete thought.23 vEg:vIdeas not closely related:vBorn in a small town in South China in 1937,he grew up to be a great musician.vHe was born in a small town in South China in 1937,and grew up to be a great musician.vIdea incomplete:vDream of the Red Mansion is the best-known novel.v Dream of the Red Mansion is one of the best-known classical Chinese novel.241.Avoid chopped-up sentence1.Avoid chopped-up sentenceIn the following sentence,the idea of one unified sentence is chopped into several short sentences.E.g:My best friend in high school was our literature teacher.Her name was Wang Li.She taught us literature for three years.Revised:My best friend in high school was our literature teacher,Wang Li,who taught us for three years.252.Avoid Fused sentence:2.Avoid Fused sentence:several ideas are fused into one sentence.several ideas are fused into one sentence.vFused:She suddenly paused and it seemed wonderful that she could speak so easily but she was usually bashful.Improved:She suddenly paused.It seemed wonderful that she could speak so easily,but she was usually bashful.vFused:They did not win the game so far as I could see they did not even try.Improved:They did not win the game.So far as I could see,they did not even try.26vCoherence requires that the parts of a sentence are so arranged that they stick together,and that the ideas progress in a logical sequence.v1.Parallelism vE.g:I forgot that my research paper was due on Tuesday and my teacher had said he would not accept late papers.二二.Coherence.Coherence 连贯性连贯性27vThe child was pretty and had brains.The child was pretty and intelligent.vHe sat down and was beginning to work.He sat down and began to work.vI will wait until you call or she comes.I will wait until you call or until she comes.vI went to the dance with a girl from Memphis and who has a southern accent.I went to the dance with a girl who is from Memphis and who has a southern accent.In parallel constructionIn parallel construction it is necessary to it is necessary to balance word for word,phrase with phrase,balance word for word,phrase with phrase,clause with clause,sentence with sentence.clause with clause,sentence with sentence.It is sometimes necessary to repeat the It is sometimes necessary to repeat the introductory word or phrase or clause.introductory word or phrase or clause.282.Consistency(1)keep the same grammatical subject unless there is good reason for changing.Eg:The cast first discusses the play and then nightly rehearsals begin.The cast first discusses the play and then begin nightly rehearsals.(2)Keep the person of pronoun consistent.Eg:Having eaten our lunch,they departed by boat.Having eaten their lunch,they departed by boat.29(3)Keep the(3)Keep the numbernumber of nouns and pronouns consistent of nouns and pronouns consistent Eg:Eg:Being Being a studenta student,wewe all wish to learn to write well.all wish to learn to write well.OneOne can never write effectively,unless can never write effectively,unless theythey write as write as much and as often as much and as often as theythey can.can.(4)Keep the(4)Keep the moodmood and the and the voicevoice that you have decided that you have decided upon.upon.Eg:First Eg:First buildbuild a fire and then you a fire and then you should makeshould make the coffee.the coffee.He drove the car into the garage and the motor He drove the car into the garage and the motor was was quickly stopped.quickly stopped.303.Subordination 3.Subordination Correct subordinationCorrect subordination clarifies the relationships clarifies the relationships between ideas,thus strengthens the between ideas,thus strengthens the coherencecoherence of a of a sentence.sentence.Subordination also leads to Subordination also leads to greater economygreater economy in writing,in writing,permitting one to express oneself in the fewest possible permitting one to express oneself in the fewest possible words.words.31It can be achieved by turning the other clause into:It can be achieved by turning the other clause into:(1)an adverbial clause(1)an adverbial clause(2)an adjective clause(2)an adjective clause(3)a present participial phrase(3)a present participial phrase(4)a past participial phrase(4)a past participial phrase(5)an appositive(5)an appositiveEg:A.I was in college.I had a roommate.He was studying to be a lawyer.B.I ran out of ink,thus being unable to finish my theme.C.The dean issued a bulletin,and it said the library would remain open on weekends.32三三.Conciseness.Conciseness 简洁性简洁性1.No wordinessnWordiness also violates the principle of unity,the idea gets blurred by unnecessary words which obscure it like clouds and smoke.nSorry,Im not in a position to offer assistance to him.Sorry,I am unable to help him.nThe maid put the letter that came from Prague on my desk.The maid put the letter from Prague on my desk.nThere are several advantages to buying a motorbike.Buying a motorbike offers several advantages.nId like to take the opportunity to say thank you.Thank you.332.Clarity 2.Clarity 2.Clarity 2.Clarity Clarity requires that a sentence should be written with its meaning unmistakably clear.Misunderstanding is often caused by the position of modifiers：The meaning of a sentence can be changed drastically by changes in the position of modifiers.Eg：I I reallyreally dont mind waiting.dont mind waiting.I dont I dont reallyreally mind waiting.mind waiting.In one word,the modifier must be placed as near to the modified as possible.34四.Emphasis Emphasis 强调性强调性Emphasis is the means by which you give desired force to your writing.1.positioning for emphasisThe sentence end-the place of strongest emphasisThe sentence beginning-the place of secondary emphasisThe middle-the place of least emphasisE.g.He will not have the endurance needed for the long training required to be a dentist,I think.Attention:move the point to be emphasized,out of order,to the front,this process is often called fronting or inversion.E.g:This I will never do.352.use of the appropriate voice for verbs2.use of the appropriate voice for verbsvIn general the active voice is preferable because it is more direct and precise,but sometimes the passive is more appropriate than the active.vE.g.vThe advice which was given to me by you will be followed by me.vTelevision was watched by the whole family in the evenings.vPassive voice is preferable:vwhen the receiver of an action is more important than the doer.vwhen the doer is vague or unknown.vwhen the doer is to be especially emphasized.363.Climactic order3.Climactic ordervClimacte order is the order that goes from the least important to the most important or that goes from the general to the specific.vShe was a kind-hearted,goodlooking,and well-mannered lady.vRevised:She was goodlooking,well-mannered and kind-hearted.vHe said he had lost interest in life,fame,position and money after that tragedy.vRevised:He said after that tragedy he had lost interest in vNote:vThe opposite of climatic order results in anticlimax.it is often used deliberately for humorous effects.vE.g.At one fell swoop,he lost his wife,his child,his household goods,and his dog.374.Rhetorical questionvA rhetorical question differs from an ordinary question in that it does not need an answer,it is used for emphasis.vThe rhetorical question is often reserved for special occasion to exert its great force.A positive rhetorical question is like a strong negative statement,while a negative rhetorical question is like a strong positive statement.vE.g.vIf winter comes,can spring be far behind?vIsnt it beautiful weather?385.The balanced sentence5.The balanced sentencevThe balanced sentence,by positioning together two or more parallel items,makes for poignancy and emphasis.vE.g.vReading maketh a full man;conference a ready man;and writing an exact man.-Francis Bacon:“Of Studies”396.Periodic sentences6.Periodic sentencesvA periodic sentence is one that is not complete in
