英語寫作心得與建議

英語寫作心得與建議

基本上, 英文寫作和中文作文都是一樣, 只是用不同的語言表達. 其中主要的不同在于: 文化及思維上的差異. 這些差異要克服需要花一點時間, 沒有速成的方式, 只有不斷的學習與吸收.

英文寫作 (written English, 或所謂 writing) 比口語(spoken English) 較注重文法及正式的用法. 所以, 基本文法要扎實, 寫作時自然游刃有余.

以下是一些寫作的建議, 分享給大家.

1. 寫作時, 每個段落首句要空 5 spaces. 句與句間要 2 spaces.

2. 簡單句其實就是最好的寫法. 不要有太多的贅語.

3. 寫作的對象, 目的及形式:

Audience: Who are you writing to?

Purpose: Why are you writing?

Form: What will the finished piece of writing look like?

若為書信, 對象則可寫: “Dear Sir/Madam,” 或對象不明確時, “To whom it mayconcern”

4. 內容架構: 整篇文章, 段落的安排. 如果你是要說故事, 則內容依時間順序排列; 若是闡述事件或人, 則可采空間/地點的方式. 下列有幾種方式可采用:

• Chronological (by time)

• Spatial description (by location)

• Classification (by category)

• Illustration (by example)

• Argumentation (assertion and support)

• Cause/Effect

• Problem/Solution

• Comparison/Contrast (whole vs. whole or point by point)

5. 正式和非正式用法:

數(shù)字的寫法: 可以用既有的英文字代表的數(shù)字. 例: 1 = one; 100 = one hundred; 1,000,000 = one million

數(shù)字寫法較長者, 以數(shù)字表示. 如: two hundred and one = 201; forty-seven point five= 47.5

日期寫法: 正確寫法 July 19, 2001 或 20 May 2001

不要使用縮寫或簡稱 abbr: 以 cannot, will not, should not 取代 can’t, won’t,shouldn’t. 以 United States, February, television, California 取代 U.S., Feb., TV,CA……

*** 除非有此縮寫必要, ex. 給朋友/家人間一般書信.

其他可參考 https://www.learningpoint.org/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_9_1 (美國加州某學區(qū)的 writing 學習網(wǎng)站, 請進入: Teaching & Learning 單元)

6. 盡量使用主動的句型取代被動式 (very important): ex. “I was taught by myparents to have a good manner.” 最好用 “My parents taught me to have a goodmanner.”

7. 標點符號的使用:

兩個獨立子句且以 “and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet” 連接時: ex. I am going toschool, and he is going to work.

或無連接詞/ 無 “and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet” 時, 可以分號連接: ex. He oftenwatched TV when there were only reruns; she preferred to read instead.

另一用法 however, ex. He often watched TV when there were only reruns; however, she preferred toread instead.