一词性误用

词性误用常表现为：介词错用为动词，形容词错用为副词，名词错用为动词等。

例:

They earn some money so that they can independence.

他们挣钱是为了自立。

解析：independence是名词，句中误用为动词。

改为：They earn some money so that they can be independent.

二修饰语错位

英语与汉语不同，同一个修饰语放在句子中不同的位置，可能会引起句子含义的变化。这一点常被同学们所忽视，因而造成了不必要的误解。

例:

I believe I can do it well and I will better know the world outside the campus.

我相信我会做得很好，而且我将对校园外的世界有更好的了解。

解析：better位置不当，应置于句末。

改为：I believe I can do it well and I will know the world outside the campus better.

三句子不完整

在口语中，交际双方可借助手势、语气等来理解对方的意思，不完整的句子也完全可以被理解。可是书面语就不同了，句子结构不完整会令意思表达不清，这常常发生在主句写完以后，学生又想加些补充说明的情况下。

例:

There are many ways to know the society. For example, by TV, radio and newspaper.

了解社会的途径有很多，比如可以通过电视、广播和报纸。

解析：本段后半部分“For example, by TV, radio and newspaper.”不是一个完整的句子，仅为一些不连贯的词语，不能独立成句。

改为：There are many ways to know society, for example, by TV, radio and newspaper.

四主谓不一致

英语的谓语动词在人称和数上必须与主语保持一致。由于受汉语的影响，许多同学在写作时经常忽略句子的主谓一致关系，从而出现错误。

例:

Once one have time, he can do what he want to do.

人一旦有了时间，他就能想干什么就干什么。

解析：one是单数第三人称，因而本句的have应改为has;同理，want应改为wants，本句是典型的主谓不一致。

改为：Once one has time, he can do what he wants to do.

五指代不清

指代不清主要指代词与被指代的人或物关系不清，或者先后所用的代词不一致。

例:

1. Mary was friendly to my sister because she wanted her to be her bridesmaid.

玛丽和我姐姐很要好，因为她要她做她的伴娘。

解析：读完上面这一句话，读者无法明确地判断两位姑娘中谁将结婚，谁将当伴娘。如果我们把容易引起误解的代词加以明确，意思就一目了然了。

改为：Mary was friendly to my sister because she wanted my sister to be her bridesmaid.

2.We can also know the society by serving it yourself.

我们还可以通过亲身参与、体验的方式了解社会。

解析：句中人称代词we和反身代词yourself指代不一致。

改为：We can also know the society by serving it ourselves.

六重复累赘

同学们在写书面表达时应尽量做到简洁：写句子没有一个多余的词，写段落没有一个多余的句子。

例:

1. In spite of the fact that he is lazy, I like him.

尽管他很懒惰，我还是喜欢他。

解析：本句的“the fact that he is lazy”系同位语从句，我们可按照“简洁”的原则加以简化。

改为：In spite of his laziness, I like him.

2. For the people who are diligent and kind, money is just the thing to be used to buy the thing they need.

对于勤奋善良的人来说，钱只是用来购买所需东西的工具。

解析：整个句子可以大大简化，重复累赘过多。

改为：Diligent, caring people use money only to buy what they need.

七句子不连贯

句子不连贯是指一个句子内部前言不搭后语，或是结构上不畅通。

例:

The fresh water, it is the most important things of the earth.

淡水是地球上最重要的东西。

解析：The fresh water与逗号后的it不连贯，it与things在语法上不一致。

改为：Fresh water is the most important thing in the world.

八结构混乱

句子结构混乱主要是受汉语思维方式影响而导致的。同学们在日常学习中应多加练习，培养语感。

例:

1. There are many students are playing basketball on the playground.

操场上有许多学生在打篮球。

解析：上面的句子中出现了两个谓语动词，不符合英语的语法习惯。

改为：Many students are playing basketball on the playground.

2. The girl is standing over there is from a big city.站在那边的女孩来自一个大城市。

解析：一个简单句中不能有两个谓语系动词，结构混乱。

改为：The girl standing over there is from a big city.

九句型单调，缺乏过渡

一篇文章如果简单句过多，句型单调，即使语法错误较少，思路较清晰，看后也会使人感到乏味。同学们应学会单句、复句交替使用，经常变换句型，尝试使用一些较复杂的语法结构及句型，适当运用过渡词，使文章更加连贯。

例:

They sleep fewer than eight hours every day. It has great influence on their health.

他们每天睡眠少于八小时，这对他们的健康有很大影响。

解析：这段话中使用的全部是简单句，句型比较单调，可以改为定语从句或加入插入语。

改为：Actually, they sleep fewer than eight hours every day, which will,no doubt, have great influence on their health.