句子结构常见错误

1、句子结构常见错误Sentence Structure Problems英语句子是受严格的语法规则制约的，在写作中如果违背这些规则，那么写出的句子就会使人无法理解，或引起歧义。要想避免发生这些情况，在写作时就必须处理好句子结构方面的几个问题。我们对常犯的写作错误进行了归纳。残缺句、接排句、误置修饰语和悬垂修饰语是句子结构中最常见的错误。我将对这些问题逐一进行分析，以帮助大家弄清写作中出现这些问题的原因，并掌握纠正错误的方法残缺句(Sentence Fragments)所谓残缺句，顾名思义，就是指不能独立成句的一个不完整的句子片断。尽管残缺句在形式上像句子一样是以大写字母开头，并在结尾处带有标点，

2、然而在逻辑上并不能单独表达一个完整的意思,仅是一组词而已。请看下列句子：Fragment Wondering what his son was going to doRevised Sentence MrSmith had been wondering what his son was going to doFragment Some errors in writing are seriousFor example， fragments and runon sentencesRevised Sentences Some errors in writing are serious，for exa

3、mple， fragments and runon sentencesOR Some errors in writing are serious，among which are fragments and run-on sentences虽然句子的残缺以各种形式出现，但最常见的形式是被分隔开的从句和以各种形式拆开的短语，如句号错误(period fault)。Fragments Having driven across the desertWe enjoyed the cool weather He enjoys flowers and shrubsWhich help screen his

4、yard from the streetRevised Sentences Having driven across the desert， we enjoyed the cool weather He enjoys flowers and shrubs，which help screen his yard from the street0R He enjoys flowers and shrubsThey help screen his yard from the street在写作中要经常检查句子的残缺问题，特别要注意那些以从属连词或短语等开头的句子，这些词都是“危险词”。要确定以这些词开

5、始的每个从句，都应附属于一个独立的句子。 避免残缺句的最好办法是注意区别句子和句子的一部分。我们知道句子的最基本特点是在语法和逻辑上是一个完整的意义表达单位。它至少具有一个主语和谓语。动词的非限定形式不能在句中作为谓语单独使用，除非是在如Where to go tonight?简短的问句中。因此在写句子时要特别注意。改写残缺句主要有以下两种方法： 1将句中用的句号变成逗号，或把分隔开的短语或从句同它所属 的句子合并成一个能表达完整意思的句子。例如：FragmentsSince there is a lack of interestThere is a great lack of informa

6、tion You should make a determined effort to avoid sentence fragmentsBecause they are considered serious mistakes in writing I look forward to holidaysFor example, Thanksgiving andChristmasRevised Sentences Since there is a lack of interest，there is a great lack of information.You should make a deter

7、mined effort to avoid sentence fragments because they are considered serious mistakes in writing I look forward to holidays，for example，Thanksgiving and Christmas2）把残缺句扩展到主句中，或通过添加或减少某些成分。把残缺 改写为独立、完整的句子。例如：Fragments I am interested only in the properties of citrus fruitSuch aslemons，oranges，and gra

8、pefruit Having no money and being lonely in the big city. It was difficult to decide. which choice to makeTo return to school or to accept the jobRevised Sentences I am interested only in the properties of citrus fruit. Examples are lemons，oranges，and grapefruit Having no money and being lonely in t

9、he big city，the womencommitted suicide It was difficult to decide whether to return to school or to acceptthe jobDirections：Try to revise the following fragments in one or more thanone way 1Because some students have part-time jobs in addition to going to school 2The table was covered with fresh veg

10、etablesSuch as lettuce， carrots，spinach，and squash 3Joe tries to call home once a weekTo be in touch with his family 4. He made a point of entering each misspelled word in a notebook. Which he kept for that purpose. 5. It was a wonderful week. Fishing and swimming every day and dancing every night.R

11、evised sentences1Because some students have part-time jobs in addition to full-time class work，they have very little free time2The table was covered with fresh vegetables such as lettuce，carrots，spinach and squash3Joe tries to call home once a week to keep in touch with his family4He made a point of

12、 entering each misspelled word in a notebook，which he kept for that purpose5It was a wonderful weekWe went fishing and swimming every day and dancing every nightOR：It was a wonderful weekWe fished and swam every day and danced every night2接排句(Run-on Sentence)所谓接排句就是两个或更多的句子混合交织在一起，而没有正确的标点符号标明它们之间关系

13、的句子。这样的句子，意思含混不清，使读者不能理解各部分之间的关系。接排句有两种形式:一是融合句(fused sentence)，即在句子之间没有标点符号和句间连接词；另一种更为常见的形式是逗号连接(comma splice)，即没有并列连词，只用逗号代替分号和句号，把两个完整的意思连接起来.请看例句:Fused Sentences 1. The girls scored higher in math the boys scored higher in verbal skills2. Gestures are a means of communication for everyone they

14、are essential for the hearing-impairedComma Splices 1. Education is an elusive word, it often means different things to different people2. Hikers would especially enjoy a vacation at Yellowstone National Park，the park consists of two million acres of backcountry改正接排句的基本方法可根据句子之间的不同关系分为以下5种1.用句号分隔。当长

15、句或两个句子之间的关系不是很密切或毫无 关系时，可使用这种方法。例如：Revised Sentences The girls scored higher in mathThe boys scored higher in verbal skillsGestures are a means of communication for everyoneThey are essential for the hearing-impaired Education is an elusive wordIt often means different things to different people Hik

16、ers would especially enjoy a vacation at Yellowstone NationalParkThe park consists of two million acres of backcountry2 用分号隔开。用分号连接两个独立的分句时，它们之间的关系 在意义和语法结构上比起使用句号时，关系较紧密。Revised Sentences The girls scored higher in math；the boys scored higher inverbal skills Gestures are a means of communication fo

17、r everyone；theyare essential for the hearingimpaired Education is an elusive word；it often means different thingsto different people Hikers would especially enjoy a vacation at Yellowstone National Park；the park consists of two million acres of backcountry3使用并列连词连接。当接排的句子之间关系紧密，容易辨别且 合乎逻辑时，可以借助并列连词来

18、连接，通常在这些连词前要 加上逗号。Revised Sentences The girls scored higher in math，andbut the boys scoredhigher in verbal skills Gestures are a means of communication for everyone， butthey are essential for the hearingimpaired Education is an elusive word，for it often means differentthings to different people Yell

19、owstone National Park consists of two million acres ofbackcountry，and hikers would especially enjoy a vacationthere4使用连接副词连接。根据作者的意图和句子的需要。接排的句 子可以使用连接副词来连接。这时，句子之间要用分号。在连接副词的后面还要加逗号，但是一般在单音节的连词后不加逗 号。如so，yet。thus等.Revised Sentences The girls scored higher in math；however，the boys scored higherin ve

20、rbal skills Gestures are a means of communication for everyone; neverthe1ess，they are essential for the hearing-impaired Education is an elusive word; indeed, it often means differentthings to different people Yellowstone National Park consists of two million acres of backcountry; therefore, hikers

21、would especially enjoy a vacation there5.使用从属连词、关系副词或关系代词连接. 当可以判断出一个句子从逻辑上或意义上从属于另一个句子时, 可以将此接排句 改写成复合句。Revised SentencesThe girls scored higher in math，while the boys scored higherin verbal skillsAlthough gestures are a means of communication for everyone，they are essential for the hearing-impaire

22、dThe power failure caused a blackout which created a lot ofproblemsHikers would especially enjoy a vacation at Yellowstone NationalPark，which consists of two million acres of backcountryDirections: Revise the following run-on sentences1 Women no longer need to move into the traditionally male profes

23、sions they have already opened most of the doors to desirable career paths2I called for a reservation at a famous restaurant in town，all the tables were taken before the Dragon Boat Festival3Eric was late to work he ran all the wayRevised sentences1Women no longer need to move into the traditionally

24、 male professions，for they have already opened most of the doors to desirable career paths OR：Women no longer need to move into the traditionally male professions；they have already opened most of the doors to desirable career paths OR：Women no longer need to move into the traditionally male professi

25、onsThey have already opened most of the doors to desirable career paths OR：Because women have already opened most of the doors to desirable career paths，they no longer need to move into the traditionally male professions2I called for a reservation at a famous restaurant in townAll the tables were ta

26、ken before the Dragon Boat Festival OR：I called for a reservation at a famous restaurant in town，but all the tables were taken before the Dragon Boat Festival OR：I called for a reservation at a famous restaurant in town； however，all the tables were taken before the Dragon Boat Festival OR：I called f

27、or a reservation at a famous restaurant in town；all the tables were taken before the Dragon Boat Festival OR：Although I called for a reservation at a famous restaurant in town，all the tables were taken before the Dragon Boat Festival3Eric was late to work，so he ran all the way or：Eric ran all the wa

28、y；otherwise，he could have been late to work or：Because Eric was late to work，he ran all the way or：Eric ran all the way because he was late to work or：Eric was late to work although he ran all the way Directions: Identify and correct serious errors(such as fragments·fused sentences and comma sp

29、lices)in each of the following1Without telling anyone，even her sister，Mary，going to the park，meeting her friends2The physics problems were just impossible，they took all day to do·3That the course was so hard we all studied day and night, with no one getting an A or a B4I knocked onat the door w

30、hen the lady came I gave her most in- gratiating smile5Why do you ask what concern is it of yours?6Getting married is easy，staying married is a different matter.7Michelle tried each of the appetizers on the tableAnd then found that，when the dinner arrived，her appetite had gone·8She didnt know w

31、hat to say to his announcement，she was not at a complete loss for words，eitherRevised sentences1Without telling anyone，not even her sister，Mary went to the park to meet her friends2The physics problems were just impossible；therefore，they tookall day to do3The course was so hard that we all studied d

32、ay and night，with noone getting an A or a B4I knocked onat the doorWhen the lady came，I gave her most ingratiating smile5Why do you ask? What concern is it of yours?6Getting married is easy；staying married is a different matter OR：Getting married is easy，but staying married is a different matter OR：

33、Although getting married is easy，staying married is a different matter7Michelle tried each of the appetizers on the tableShe then found that，when the dinner arrived，her appetite had gone8She didnt know what to say to his announcement，nor was she ata complete loss for words，either.OR：She was neither

34、ready with a response nor at a complete loss for words3. 误置修饰语（Misplaced Modifiers）在写作中，为了使句子生动和更具有吸引力，常常需要添加修饰语。按照英语构句规则，充当定语或状语的词、短语或从句必须尽可能地靠近所修饰的成分。如果忽视了这个规则，在修饰语和其所修饰的中心词之间不恰当地夹进了其他成分，就可能造成句子意思混淆，产生歧义。请看下面句子： Misplaced Modifiers He sold the old car to the man with leather seats Please give the

35、book to the boy with the blue cover That cat belongs to my neighbor with five kittensRevised Sentences He sold the old car with leather seats to the man Please give the book with the blue cover to the boy That cat with five kittens belongs to my neighbor如果一个修饰语既可以修饰其前面的词也可修饰其后面的词，这样的修饰语称为歧义修饰语(squin

36、ting modifier)。歧义修饰语会使读者对其修饰目的感到困惑不解。所以，应该把易产生歧义的修饰语放在它所惟一修饰的词的前面。例如： The equipment without the accessories sold the best(Differ- ent types of equipment were available，some with and some without the accessories) The equipment sold the best without the accessories(One type of equipment was available，

37、and the accessories were optional)Squinting Modifiers We agreed on the next day to make the adjustments· Students who practice writing often will benefitRevised Sentences We agreed to make the adjustments on the next day· (We agreed that on the next day we would make the adjustments)- Or O

38、n the next day，we agreed to make the adjustments (On the next day，we agreed that we would make the adjust- ments) Students who often practice writing will benefit Students who practice writing will often benefit 所以，在写作中我们要特别注意副词的位置，要把它们放在使读者对句子的意义更清楚的地方。请分析下面这个句子： He only suggested three rules for u

39、s to follow 除非我们在这里确实是指“He only suggested them；he didntinsist on them”，否则only这个词就应放在它所修饰的词前面： He suggested only three rules for US to follow 要注意句子会随着only位置的改变而改变其意义。Directions：Identify the misplaced word or words in each sentenceThen rewrite the sentences and make the meaning clear 1Our team didnt e

40、ven score once 2 . She is teaching a seminar this term on market economy at the Osaka International University. 3The city almost spent twenty million dollars on the new stadium 4Tony bought an old car from a crooked dealer with a faulty transmission 5The suburbs nearly had five inches of rain 6We co

41、uld see the football stadium driving across the bridge 7I almost had a dozen job interviews after I sent out my resume 8There were strong calls for an immediate ceasefire in the UNSecurity Council9. The exchange students we met for coffee occasionally questioned us about our latest slang.10. I put t

42、he chair in the middle of the room that I had recently purchased.Revised sentences1Our team didnt score even once.2This term she is teaching a seminar on market economy at theOsaka International University3The city spent almost twenty million dollars on the new stadium4Tony bought an old car with a

43、faulty transmission from a crookeddealer5The suburbs had nearly five inches of rain.6Driving across the bridge，we could see the football stadium.7I had almost a dozen job interviews after I sent out my resume.8There were strong calls in the UN Security Council for an immediate ceasefire9The exchange

44、 students we occasionally met for coffee questioned us about our latest slang OR：The exchange students we met for coffee questioned us occasionally about our latest slang.1OI put the chair that I had recently purchased in the middle of the room4悬垂修饰语(Dangling Modifiers)悬垂修饰语是与句子的主语不能构成逻辑关系的修饰语。悬垂修饰语

45、可以出现在句中的任意位置，但大多位于句首。请看下面例句：Dangling Modifiers By going to the various sorority houses on campus and meetinghundreds of new girls，my conversation，manners，and poisebecame more polished To write the proposal，research must be done 两句中斜体的修饰语与句子的主语不存在逻辑关系。在第一句中，当作者想当然地认为“I”是句子的主语，并打算对自己做个描述。但是由于用了“my con

46、versation”做句子的主语就破坏了句子中的逻辑关系而引起荒谬可笑的解释：It was her conversationthat visited the sorority houses动词的非限定性短语作状语时，其逻辑主语必须与句子主语保持一致，否则就会形成悬垂性修饰语。如果把句子的主语改成“I”，就可改成一个令人满意的句子了。同样，在第二句中，动词不定式在逻辑上不能修饰句子的主语，theresearchRevised Sentences By going to the various sorority houses on campus and meetinghundreds of new

47、 girls，I polished my conversation，manners，and poise To write the proposal, the professor must first do some re- search2悬垂动名词(Dangling Gerund)Dangling Modifiers By installing a birdbaththe birds were given a source of water After finishing the research，the paper was easy to writeRevised Sentences By

48、installing a birdbath，we gave the birds a source of water After finishing the research，I found that the paper was easy to write3悬垂动词不定式(Dangling Infinitive)Dangling Modifiers To ski properly，a course of instruction is necessary To write well，good books must be readRevised SentencesTo ski properly，a

49、beginner should take a course of instruction.To write well, I must read good books.4悬垂省略从句(Dangling Elliptical Clause)Dangling Modifier While climbing the hill，the rain began to fall· When only a small boy，my father took me with him to Chicago·Revised Sentences While climbing the hill，she

50、felt the rain beginning to fall· When I was only a small boy，my father took me with him to Chicago常用的修改悬垂性修饰语的方法有： 1.找出句子中隐含的主语，对所修饰的短语提供行为者(actor) (承担动作行为的人或物).Dangling Modifiers At the age of six my uncle bought my first pet，a goldfish. While leaving the house，the phone rang· Using this

51、drug，many undesirable side effects are experiencedRevised Sentences At the age of six, I received my first pet, a goldfish from my uncle While leaving the house, I heard the phone ring· Using this drug，patients experience many undesirable side effects2.补足悬垂短语或省略从句必要的成分，扩展其成为一个完整的 从句，由行为者做主语. Re

52、vised Sentences When I was six，my uncle bought me my first pet，a goldfish· As I was leaving the house，the phone rang.Many undesirable side effects are experienced when this drug is used.Directions：Please revise the following sentences with dangling modifiers1Thumbing through the magazine，her ey

53、es automatically noticed the cosmetic ads2To please the visitors，a cross talk was performed 3On entering the teachers office，a terrestrial globe caught his attention ；4Though only seventeen，the army accepted his application5From attending professional meetings，important lessons can be learned6With fifty pages left to re