SAT写作基本要求介绍
SAT写作基本要求介绍
一、避免使用俚语和口语
尽量避免在正式的写作中使用俚语和口语,因为它们使用并不普遍,所以极易使读者误解作者要表达的意思。例如:
错误:She plays a wicked game of tennis.
正确:She excels in tennis.
错误:John has been doing a science for years.
正确:John has been a scientist for years.
错误:The blackened salmon’s been one of the restaurant’s most popular entrees.
正确:The blackened salmon has been one of the restaurant’s most popular entrees.
稍作思考,你就会选择正确的用法。注意要坚持使用标准用法,抛弃非正式场合用语以及表述不清晰的缩写等用法。
二、避免使用不完整或冗长的句式
不完整的句式没有独立的从句;而冗长的句式则有两个以上的从句,而这若干从句之间并没有恰当地衔接。这两种错误都是我们应该努力避免的,具体做法如下。
不完整的句式
正式写作中的每句话都必须有独立从句。所谓独立从句,就是包含主语、谓语,并且不以下述连词作为句子开头:
After if than whenever although in order that though where as provided that unless whether because since until while before so that
错误:Global warming. This is what the scientists and journalists are worried about.
正确:Global warming is the cause of concern for scientists and journalists.
注意,以并列连词——and、but、or、nor和for作为单句的开头,则是可以接受的。例如:
正确:Most people would agree that indigent patients should receive wonderful health care. But every treatment has its price.
冗长的句式
在时间紧张的情况下,不少学生写出来的句子没有标点连接,或者只有逗号。例如:
Current insurance practices are unfair they discriminate against the people who need insurance most.
我们有三种修改方法:
1)标注句号:Current insurance practices are unfair. They discriminate against the people who need insurance most.
这样,一个独立的句子就变成几个独立的从句。
2)标注分号:Current insurance practices are unfair; they discriminate against the people who need insurance most.利用分号把具有独立意义的句式分开,但同时向读者表明句子表示的含义之间存在一定联系。
3)利用连词:Current insurance practices are unfair in that they discriminate against the people who need insurance most.这也是最有效的修改方法,从句仍然是独立的,同时也表明了从句之间的联系。
出现冗长句式还有一个原因,就是误用however、nevertheless、furthermore、likewise、therefore等副词。例如:
错误:Current insurance practices are discriminatory, furthermore they make insurance too expensive for the poor.
正确:Current insurance practices are discriminatory. Furthermore, they make insurance too expensive for the poor.
三、 正确使用标点符号
1.逗号
请遵循以下4大规则:
1.用逗号分开系列成分。如果有2个以上相同成分,则应用逗号分开;例如:
My recipe for buttermilk biscuits contains flour, soda and buttermilk.
2. 使用逗号来分开插入从句和短语;例如:
Gordon, who is a writer by profession, bakes an excellent cheesecake.
3.在引导性分词或介词短语后使用逗号;例如:
After the banquet, Harold and Martha went dancing.
4.利用逗号来分开连词连接的独立从句。例如:
Susan’s old car has been belching blue smoke from the tailpipe for two weeks, but it has not broken down yet.
2.分号
请遵循以下2大规则:
1.使用分号而不是并列连词来连接两个含义紧密的独立从句;例如:
Whooping cranes are an endangered species; they are unlikely to survive if we continue to pollute.
2. therefore、nevertheless和moreover等词连接的独立从句可用分号隔开。(sat)例如:
The staff meeting has been postponed until next Thursday; therefore, I will be unable to get approval for my project until then.
3.冒号
请遵循以下3大规则:
1.在正式的写作中,冒号的作用仅在于表明其后是对前面所述内容的详细说明、定义、解释或过去发生事情的概述。冒号之前一般是独立从句,并且通常情况下有as follows、the following、namely或like等提示短语。例如:
正确:Your instructions are as follows: read the passage carefully, answer the questions on the last page, and turn over your answer sheet.
2.动词和直接宾语间不要放冒号。例如:
错误:I want: a slice of pizza and a small green salad.
正确:This is what I want: A slice of pizza and a small green salad.
3.如果前后两句话有如上所述的紧密关系,即使没有上述表示这层关系的短语,也可使用冒号,并且在这种情况下,句号也可用。例如:
正确:We were aghast: The “charming country inn” that had been advertised in such glowing terms proved to be a leaking cabin full of mosquitoes.
4.连字符号和破折号
请遵循以下7大规则:
1.行末单词分开时使用连字符号。例如:
正确:In this incredible canvas, the artist used only monochromatic elements.
2.表示21-99这些数字和用作形容词的分数时,使用连字符号。
错误:A two thirds vote was necessary to carry the measure.
正确:A two-thirds vote was necessary to carry the measure.
3.由前缀ex、all、self、semi或后缀elect构成的词语,前缀或后缀和主体之间应有连字符号。
错误:The president elect was invited to chair the meeting.
正确:The president-elect was invited to chair the meeting.
4.如果把复合形容词放在所修饰词语的前面,则该形容词各部分应由连字符号分开。
正确:The no-holds-barred argument continued into the night.
5.专有名词或形容词前添加前缀,两部分应由连字符号隔开。例如:
错误:His pro African sentiments were heartily applauded.
正确:His pro-African sentiments were heartily applauded.
6. 如果复合构词法构成的词语容易与其他词语混淆,或者导致元音字母相邻,则应用连字符号隔开。例如:
错误:Most buildings in the ghost town are recreations of the original structures.
正确:Most buildings in the ghost town are re-creations of the original structures.
错误:She took an antiinflammatory drug for her sports injury.
正确:She took an anti-inflammatory drug for her sports injury.
7. 用破折号表明思路的突然变化。
正确:To get a high score—and who doesn’t want to get a high score—you need to devote yourself to prolonged and concentrated study.
5.撇号
请遵循以下3大规则:
1. 表明动词缩写,但是在作文开始中应尽量避免缩写。
2. 表明名词所有格。
3.代词都另有单词表示其所有格,比较特殊的是中性词one,其所有格为one加上撇号和s。
四、正确使用修饰语
单词在句中的位置往往决定该单词与句中其他单词的关系,对修饰语而言尤其如此。修饰语和被修饰成分应在所有格和数上保持一致。如果修饰语和被修饰成分隔开太远,则容易导致语意模糊,所以应尽量避免出现这种情况。例如:
错误:Cheung and Martha sat talking about the movie in the office.
正确:Cheung and Martha sat in the office talking about the movie.
五、 正确使用代词
使用代词的时候,应明确其所指称或代表的先行词。如果容易引起歧义,应明确写明先行词,不用担心重复。例如:
错误:The teacher told the student he was lazy.
正确:The student was lazy, and the teacher told him so.
避免用this、that、it或which来指代整个短语或句子,即使这些代词与其指代的先行词很近,你可以用这些词再加上一个名词来指代。例如:
错误:The salesman spoke loudly, swayed back and forth, and tapped the table nervously, which made his customers extremely nervous.
正确:The salesman spoke loudly, swayed back and forth, and tapped the table nervously, mannerisms which made his customers extremely nervous.
除非指代天气,否则句子开头不要用it指代。
错误:It is difficult to distinguish between the scent of roses and that of tulips.
正确:T o distinguish between the scent of roses and that of tulips is difficult.
少数不定代词(some、all、most、any、none)既可以指代单数名词,也可以指代复数名词。当这些代词做主语时,必须明白其先行词是单数还是复数。
错误:His superiors have been following his progress. Some are more impressed than others. None are overwhelmed.
记住:以-body、-one、和-thing结尾的代词在数上始终是单数含义;both、few、many、several等代词在数上始终是复数含义。