学生常见标点符号错误例析
(1)顿号、书名号、句号、省略号错误。比较中英文标点符号可见,英文标点中没有中文形式的顿号、书名号、句号和省略号。而这四种标点符号成了大学英语写作中“借鉴频率较高的符号。如:
〔错误〕1. While she is reading《Gone With the Wind》, I amcooking。
〔错误〕2.My sister bought a lot of fruits for me ,such as bana 、orange 、apple and pear.
英文中的印刷体用斜体字表示书籍、报刊、戏剧、电影、绘画作品等的名称,在书写体或打字机打的文本中用字下线表示斜体字;英文常用逗号来代替冒号;而句号是用实心小黑点表示。故以上两句应改为:
〔修改〕1.While she is reading Gone With the Wind ,I am cooking. (印刷体)
或While she is reading Gone With the Wind , I am cooking. (书写体)
〔修改〕2.My sister bought a lot of fruits for me ,such as bana , orange , apple and pear.
还有,英文中的省略号其实是三个句号的并列,许多学生由于受中文影响常错误地把英文省略号写成六点。
(2)冒号错误。冒号是中英文兼有的标点符号。在汉语中,冒号是表示提示性话语之后的停顿,常用在“说、道、讲、问、唱、回答、喊、吼”等动词的后边,以标明下面的话是谁说的。
此用法影响下列英文句子标点:
〔错误〕3.I thought to myself :
“Whatkind oftrap is she laying ？”
〔错误〕4. He asked :
“Where are you from？”
以上两例中的冒号在英文中需用逗点表示。汉语中的冒号还可用在“如次“如下“例如“像等引起下文的提示语后边。在英文表达中,“forexample”(例如)一类的词后常用逗点代替冒号。
〔错误〕5.Good manners can be seen in everyday life.For example :
a person with good manners is kind and helpful to others.
〔修改〕5.Good manners can be seen in everyday life.For example ,a person with good manners is kind and helpful to others.
(3)破折号错误。汉语中的破折号标明行文中解释说明的部分,而英文同位语也具有同等说明的功能,故英文写作中用破折号连接同位语成份的错误也屡见不鲜。如:
〔错误〕6. We are studying and living at the famous university—Beijing University.
〔修改〕6. We are studying and living at the famous university ,Beijing University.
对于同位语,英语一般使用逗点而不用破折号。英文中破折号的用法远没有中文的丰富。
在大学英语写作中,与语法知识有关的标点错误主要有:
(1)把非限制性定语从句(non-restrictiveattributive clause)理解成限制性定语从句(restrictiveattributive clause)而忽略用逗点。如:
〔错误〕7.We were led into a nearest fabric shop that was divided into two parts.
从句意来看,上句是一个非限制性定语从句,故应在shop 后加逗点,把that 相应改成which 即:
〔修改〕7. We were led into a nearest fabric shop , which wasdivided into two parts.
(2)不论状语从句在整个句子中处于何种位置,一概以逗点隔开。
〔错误〕8. We will go there , if it is fine tomorrow.
状语从句可置于句首或句末。置于句首时,一般要用标点隔开;而置于句末时,则无需与主句隔开,故以上句子应改为:
〔修改〕8. If it is fine tomorrow , we will go there.或We will go there if it is fine tomorrow.
(3)在疑问句形式的陈述句后使用问号。
〔错误〕9. What fun we girls could expect , to stay in the sameclass , studying for four long years with them ？I wondered.〔修改〕9. What fun could we girls expect , to stay in the sameclass , studying for four long years with them , I wondered.英语疑问除可用问号来表达外,尚可用词序加以表达。故上例的疑问可用逗点表示。
〔错误〕10. She thought what the teacher pointed out was right ,however , she didn’t care for that .
两个完整的句子或两个并列句之间不能一概用逗点点开,可用句号、分号或在逗点后加并列连词(and , but , or , for , so ,nor , yet)等方法修改。故上例可改为:
〔修改〕10. She thought what the teacher pointed out was right .However , she didn’t care for that .
或She thought what the teacher pointed out was right ; however ,she didn’t care for that.
或She thought what the teacher pointed out was right , but she didn’t care for that .
〔错误〕11. Young men like blue jeans they wear them all thetime.
