Grammar Essentials 读书笔记—写作的正确方式
我们日常对话使用的是口语，而写作的时候使用的是书面语。和口语相比，书面语更正式。因此，写作的时候要注意以下几点：
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句子结构要完整。说话的时候，对方能通过说话者的语气、神态、动作等判断说话者想表达的意思。因此说话者可以使用不完整的句子。但写作中，作者要把句子写全。
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不要突然转变主语。说话的时候，我们可以轻易词转换主语。但是写作中，我们要先把一个主语相关的事情先说完，再说另一个主语的事情。
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不要使用缩写。cuz，gonna，til在口语里可以使用，但是书面语里就不能用。因为这些词语会让你的书面语不够正式。
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不要用符号代替单词。比如：
- four (不用4)，十以内的数字要用单词，不用阿拉伯数字。
- to, too, two (不用2)，不可以使用谐音。
- and (不用&)，不用符号代替单词。
- extra (不用x-tra)，不使用非主流词汇。
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不要使用口语化词汇。这一点和前面不要使用缩写类似。书面语中要说I just don’t understand，而不是I just don’t get it。
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不要啰嗦。不要对其没有实际意义的词。比如It was a twenty-minute period of time after the accident had occurred when the emergency vehicles arrived to lend assistance。可以改成The emergency vehicles arrived twenty minutes after the accident。
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不要使用虚词和浮夸的修饰词。常见的虚词有aspect，element，factor，scope，situation，type，kind，forms。常见的浮夸的修饰词有absolutely，definitely，really，very，important，significant，current，major，quite。比如这一句The nature of the scheduling system is a very important matter that can definitely have a really significant impact on the morale aspect of an employee’s attitude. Aspects of our current scheduling policy make it absolutely necessary that we undergo a significant change可以改成The scheduling system can affect employee morale. Our policy needs to be changed。
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不要用词组代替单词。能用单词就不用词组。比如at this point in time要改成now或today。in order to要改成to。
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不要抻长句子。示例如下：
抻长的句子 简短的句子 Alex seems to be impatient. Alex seems impatient. We must know what it is that we are doing. We must know what we’re doing. These requests will be considered by us on an individual basis. We’ll consider these requests individually. The musicians, who were distressed, left the hall. The distressed musicians left the hall. There are new problems arising daily. New problems arise daily. Due to the fact that we were early, we found great seats. We came early and found great seats. The consideration given in the latest evaluation is an example of how I was treated unfairly. My last evaluation was not fair. -
除非必须使用被动语态，否则尽量使用主动语态。因为主动语态比被动语态好理解，字数更少。
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不要使用宽泛或者模糊的词。示例如下：
模糊的表达 具体的表达 Homer managed the project. Homer organized the staff and monitored their progress. Melody doesn’t handle people well. Melody yells at and insults coworkers. Richard can relate to Patty. Richard understands Patty’s position. This is a good proposal. This proposal explains the problem and suggests a solution. These bad instructions confused me. These disorganized, vague instructions left me with no idea how to fix the stool We had a nice time with you. We enjoyed eating, chatting, and swimming at your house. I always have trouble with this machine. I can never get this truck started. I like to have fun at the company picnic. I like to eat, mingle, and play games at the company picnic. We need to clean up before we go. We need to put away the supplies and shower before we go.
