下面對雅思寫作詞匯中易錯詞匯進行了對比和分析,希望同學們在應用中有所注意。
一、such as與for example的混用
我們知道,在表示舉例子的時候,such as與like是完全等同的,如:Wild flowers such as/like orchids and primroses are becoming rare.
但是同學們對于Such as、for example 的把握還是不夠準確。我們都知道,后者接句子前者接詞語表示舉例子。于是就有了下面的寫法:
There is a similar word in many languages, such as in French and Italian.
這里的such as改為for example為好,因為“in French and Italian”其實是“there is a similar word in French and Italian”的簡化,所以要用for example來引出例證。再來看幾個類似的例子:
It is possible to combine computer science with other subjects, for example physics.
二、assume 及claim 使用不夠準確
我們知道, think、assume、claim是議論文中常用引出觀點的動詞。在實際作文中,同學們往往認為幾個詞的意思是一樣的,完全可以代換,所以拿過來就用。甚至還有同學把consider也拿過來與之混用。我們首先還是從定義來看這幾個詞的不同:
Think: to have opinion or belief about sth.
翻譯為“認為”,通常接賓語從句來表達比較確定的觀點。
Assume: to think or accept that sth is true but without having proof of it.
翻譯為“假設、假定”,是否有事實依據(jù)是不確定的。
Claim: to say sth is true although it has not been proved and other people may not believe it.
翻譯為“聲稱”,用這個詞往往意味著不贊同緊跟其后的觀點,所以很少用作I claim that…
Scientist are claiming a breakthrough in the fight against cancer, but in fact, …。
所以“It is claimed that”通常翻譯為“有報道稱......”。和“it is reported that”的區(qū)別在于后者翻譯為“據(jù)報道”,往往代表著作者贊同報告的內(nèi)容。
Consider: to think about sth carefully, especially in order to make a decision.
翻譯為“考慮”,一般不用作引出觀點,看個例子:
We are considering buying a new car.
所以,千萬不要在雅思大作文的第一段(觀點表達段)就因為用詞把握不準而導致對整篇文章的低分印象。
三、介詞使用錯誤
1、普通介詞的誤用
一般表現(xiàn)為固定搭配錯誤,如常把provide sb. with sth.用成provide sb sth.; be satisfied with用成be satisfied for等等,雖然這樣的錯誤看似無傷大雅,但在考官眼里就是影響順暢閱讀的,當然會影響最終成績。解決的辦法簡單而古老:把常見的固定搭配牢記于心,問題自然就解決了。
2、 “to”作為介詞的誤用
“to”最常見的用法是以動詞不定式符號的形式出現(xiàn)的,所以同學們也已經(jīng)習慣了“to do”的固定搭配。對于一些如walk to me、to the left等介詞to表方向等常見用法一般也不會出現(xiàn)錯誤。但是對于與動詞搭配的介詞to就會經(jīng)常犯錯:
如:
More and more students have taken to depend on their parents to make decision for them.
這里的‘take to’ means ‘to begin to do sth as a habit’其中‘to’為介詞,所以后面只能接名詞或相當于名詞的詞,如動名詞。所以句中depend on 應改為“depending on”?!皌ake to”的另一個常用用法也需要牢記:
He hasn’t taken to his new school. (這里“take to” means “to start liking sb or sth.”)
Prefer A to B中的“to”也是介詞,會有prefer doing sth to doing sth/ prefer sth to sth else,另外,“prefer to do sth rather than do sth”中的“to”可是真正的不定式符號。
類似的常用用法請同學們牢記:
Be used to doing
Adapt to doing
Adjust to doing
prefer doing sth. to doing sth.
Be accustomed to doing
See to doing
等等,請注意平時仔細積累。
四、表“建議”的詞匯后面忘記用虛擬從句
這是摘自學生雅思作文中的一個病句:
I suggest he continues his study instead of working after graduation from high school.
因為‘suggest’翻譯為“建議”,所以后面的從句應該用虛擬語氣,句中“continues”部分應該改為“(should) continue”。
一定要牢記以下常見表“建議”的詞匯,而且要記住這些詞接從句時要用虛擬語氣:recommend、suggest、advise。
五、compare與contrast的誤用
我們先從兩者的定義入手來看兩者的區(qū)別。 Compare的定義為:to examine people or things to see how they are similar or different. Contrast的定義為:to compare two or more things to show the difference between them。由定義不難看出前者側(cè)重于找到兩個或多個事物的異同,而后者則側(cè)重于它們的不同。
看個例句:
It is interesting to compare their situations to ours./It is interesting to contrast their situations to ours.
前一句翻譯為:對比一下我們的情況與他們的情況會很有趣。
后一句的翻譯為:我們的情況與他們的情況有很大的不同,這很有趣。
再看一個引自OXFORD ADBANCED LEARNER’S DICTIONARY的例子:
There is an obvious contrast between the culture of East and West.
The company lost $7 million in contrast to a profit of $6.2 million a year earlier.
When you look at their new system, ours seems very old-fashioned by contrast.
不難發(fā)現(xiàn),Compare翻譯為“與......相比”而contrast可譯為“明顯不同的是......”,切記這種翻譯方式就不會用錯彼此了。
通過對上面5組非常常見的易混用詞組的對比和講解,希望對同學們有所幫助。
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