1 注意主语的前后一致性
bad eg: To design an effective system, information about users' needs should be collected first.
good eg: To design an effective system, the programmers must first collected information about users' needs.
分析:是programmer 要design a system,因此programmer要作为句子后半部分的主语。
当句子不存在这样的主语时,可以换一种描述方式
bad eg:To solve this bottleneck, a small, fast memory buffer was placed between the central processor and main memory.
good eg: This bottleneck is solved by replacing a small, fast memory buffer between the central processor and main memory.
分析:要解决这个瓶颈,是人想要解决,但是后面的句子不包括人的成分,因此我们换了一种写作方式,使得句子更舒服。
2 程度副词的位置
程度副词(像是only, nearly, almost, even以及其他类似的词)应该直接放在它们所修饰的词的前面。
bad eg: The system only needs three iterations to find the solution.
good eg: The system needs only three iterations to find the solution.
分析:only 修饰的是three而不是need,只需要三个。
bad eg:The computation took two seconds approximately.
good eg: The computation took approximately two seconds.
分析:将近2秒钟,approximately 是用来衡量2秒钟的。
下面的例子说明了当副词的位置不同,句子的意思不一致:
eg1:The calculations are nearly all completed.
eg2: The calculations are all nearly completed.
分析:eg1说明所有的计算大部分都已经完成,但是有几项还没有完成。eg2的意思是,所有的计算都还没完成,但是每一项计算都已经完成了大部分。
其他的副词
当副词修饰动词时,常常紧跟在动词后面,或者直接放在动词之前。然而,有时候将其放在句末,句子反而共同顺。
eg:The new algorithm quickly and accurately finds the solution.
good eg: The new algorithm finds the solution quickly and accurately.
分析:后面这句更通顺。
good eg:The solution can easily be found by using the following method.
3 避免不合适的修饰词
bad eg: Then a new design is proposed for the system in the second section.
good eg: Then, in the second section, a new design is proposed for the system.
分析:这样写可以很清晰的理解,在第二个部分,一个好的设计被提出。
4 关系子句
关系子句一般紧跟着它所修饰的词。
bad eg: A laser disk drive is used in the CD-ROM device that is the same size as a traditional 5.25-inch drive.
good eg: A laser disk drive that is the same size as a traditional 5.25-inch drive is used in the CD-ROM device.
分析:bad eg里头后面的关系子句(that……drive)修饰的是device,而正确的应该是修饰drive。
5 副词子句
当句子中含有多个名词时,将子句提前,句子的意思更清晰。
bad eg: The samples were used in the experiments after they were doped with boron.
good eg: After they were doped with boron the samples were used in the experiments.
分析:bad eg中子句(after……boron)是在修饰experiment,但实际上他的意思是在修饰sample,样本被灌入了铅。而good eg将子句提前,就是在修饰sample。而good eg也可以写成After samples were doped with boron the samples were used in the experiments.在中文中,感觉这句更好,但是在英文里,这句和good eg实际上差不多。因为英语是就近修饰。
6 单复数
如果一个单位前恰好有一个数字,除非这个数字为1,否则单位就应该为负数(小于1也要用负数)。
7 指代不清
在英文文章中,应避免在同一个句子中使用多个代名词来表示不同的意思。
bad eg: If a diode fails the quality test, it is necessary to replace it.
good eg: If a diode fails the quality test, it must be replaced.
8 复合名词
eg: a research paper, mathematics textbooks, the electronics laboratory
注意中文说的时候通常会想在其中添加一个“的”,所以翻译的时候,常常会将复合名词改写成所有格(。。。的)的形式,这样是错误的。
good eg:a laser printer controller, a home entertainment center
bad eg: a laser printer's controller, a home's entertainment center
分析:复合名词是可以放一起的,不用一定要用的连接。
9 不够清楚的比较
bad eg: The flexibility of joint 1 is greater than joint 2.
good eg1: The flexibility of joint 1 is greater than that of joint 2.
good eg2: Joint 1 is more flexible than joint 2.
10 主题与评论的句型
bad eg:As to the second method, the most important advantage is that the cost of this method is lower.
good eg:The most important advantage of the second method is that the cost of this method is lower.
分析:bad eg没有语法错误,我们可以省略掉引导词,直接讲重点,而得到改善。
总结:突出重点,指代清晰。