文章中段的撰寫 (六) 表達因果之方法

評述會考作文卷時，發現大部分同學均不懂如何運用表達「因果」的詞語，下列為普遍的錯誤。

1. I am fat therefore I am not happy. O
2. I am fat so I am not happy. O
3. I am fat. So I am not happy. O

同學誤用Therefore 及So 這兩個副詞作連接詞，連起兩句子句的錯誤非常普遍。儘管上述兩詞語的中文解釋均為「因此」，但不能按中文的意思，生硬地一組英文字拼下來便算完成一句句子；相反，英文的副詞，每個均有其獨特的用法，同學需要細心研習、觀摩和掌握。下列正確運用Therefore及 So作例句，盼可讓你明瞭作文並非把中文詞語拼合便成：

1. I am fat. Therefore, I am not happy. (先把上句完結，再用Therefore 開新句)
2. I am fat and therefore I am not happy. (用and把兩子句連起來)
3. I am fat; therefore I am not happy. (分號 (；) 的作用等如and)

So

1. I am so fat that I am not happy. (強調fat這形容詞)
2. I am fat so that I am not happy. (強調fat之後果)

記著，下次用Therefore及So時，儘量以上述句子為藍本。

＊＊你明瞭自己的文法水平嗎？

一篇好的文章需要文體及文法並重，宜重質, 不重量. 為考核同學能否正確運用英語文法, 本欄每期均列一句子，內含本港公開試考生常犯之文法錯誤、答案及分析於下期刊載。你會接受考驗嗎？

今期修改句子： Chat friends can be a real laugh you can hang _____with them on your mobile. Pc or even your games console (Q41, 2003)

                              A) up         B) on    C) out          D) in

上期問题：  

The children _____generally spent their money on snacks, stationary, toys and computer games.

A) were surveyed        B) to be surveyed       C) surveyed       D) had been surveyed

答案:  C

考核文法重點:  分詞 (Participle), 作形容詞用

題解及分析:  因為此句的主詞是 “The children”, 他們巳被訪問, B不適用, 因 to be surveyed 意即將會被訪問, A 及D 也不能用, 因為用之會使這句超過一個動詞, C surveyed 乃形容“the children”的後綴形容詞.

*此輯文章共30講,凡連續於comment 欄中表達意見或答對本期問題6次,均可獲本中心送出精美禮品一份.

文章中段的撰寫 (五) 如何解釋因由

She is happy. Because she has been elected monitor. O

上述句子是筆者常評閱會考作文卷時看到的錯誤句子 (Common Errors)。下列為一些表達「為何」的正確句式，請各同學細閱：

a)      She is happy because she has been elected monitor of the class.

b)      As she has been elected monitor, she is happy.

c)      Since she has been elected monitor, she is happy.

d)     It is because she has been elected monitor, she is happy.

e)      She is happy for having been elected monitor.

f)       Owing to being elected monitor, she is happy.

上述句式，均可表達「因為」的意思，大家應留意because是連接詞 (Conjunction) 而非副詞 (Adverb)，故只能像a) 句中作連起兩句之用而不能放在句子之開首；相反e)水及f) 句中的 ‘for’和 ‘Owing to’，後面 則不能連起子句或動詞，否則為錯誤，如：

i)        She is happy for she has been elected monitor. O

ii) Owing to she has been elected monitor, she is happy. O

‘Owing to’ 及 ‘for’ 後面只能以名詞 (Noun) 及名詞片語 (Noun Phase) 連接，句子表達才會合乎文法。各同學切記！

＊＊你明瞭自己的文法水平嗎？

一篇好的文章需要文體及文法並重，宜重質, 不重量. 為考核同學能否正確運用英語文法, 本欄每期均列一句子，內含本港公開試考生常犯之文法錯誤、答案及分析於下期刊載。你會接受考驗嗎？

今期修改句子： The children _____generally spent their money on snacks, stationary, toys

               and computer games..

A) were surveyed    B) to be surveyed    C) surveyed    D) had been surveyed

上期問题:  ：： Since I installed the television. I have had a big _____in the number of

           patients.  Q41/98)

A)  turnover   B)  change    C)  input    D)  increase            答案:  D

考核文法重點:  名詞 (Noun)

題解及分析:  Turnover指「營業額」, change 只解「改變」, input指「輸入」, 只有 increase 才表示了「病人數字」有很大的增加.

*此輯文章共30講,凡連續於comment 欄中表達意見或答對本期問題6次,均可獲本中心送出精美禮品一份.

文章中段的撰寫 (四)

上週簡介了表達「時間次序」及「論點鋪排」的詞語，今次我們學習一些表達「相反」意念的詞語。這些句子的結構和模式，如能善用，會使文章有「抑揚頓挫」活潑而不落俗套的效果。

        表達「相反」的詞語：

a)      Although /Though she is fat, she does quite well in all the sports.

b)      She is fat. However, she does quite well in all the sports.

c)      In spite of being fat, she does quite well in all sports.

d)     Despite the fact that she is fat, she does quite well in all sports.

e)      She is fat. Nevertheless she does quite well in all sports.

f)       She is fat but she does quite well in all the sports.

需要留意的是：上述Nevertheless和 However均是副詞 (Adverb)，不能像其他連接詞般連起兩句句子，故需要先完成首句句子，加上句號，再用Nevertheless 或However接續其後的句子，這樣文法才沒有錯誤。

最後，如要用一組詞 (Phase) 表達相反的意念，In contrast with 和 on the opposite 也可以考慮，例如：

a)      In contrast with Mary, Anne is a very hardworking student.

b)      Mary was not happy in wedding party as expected. On the opposite, she was quite upset in the whole evening.

＊＊你明瞭自己的文法水平嗎？

一篇好的文章需要文體及文法並重，宜重質, 不重量. 為考核同學能否正確運用英語文法, 本欄每期均列一句子，內含本港公開試考生常犯之文法錯誤、答案及分析於下期刊載。你會接受考驗嗎？

今期修改句子： Since I installed the television. I have had a big _____in the number of

           patients.  (Q41/98)

A)  turnover     B)  change     C)  input     D)  increase

上期問题:  ：It will take 14 months for a forest sized like a soccer pitch to absorb ______                        amount of carbon dioxide . (Q34/2005)

A)  such     B)  all     C)  the     D)  that                   答案:  D

考核文法重點:  形容詞 (Adjective)

題解及分析:  因為such雖可作形容詞用, 但會有貶義. 用 that (那) 則是較中牲的形容詞.

*此輯文章共30講,凡連續於comment 欄中表達意見或答對本期問題6次,均可獲本中心送出精美禮品一份.