論文寫作中常出現(xiàn)的語法問題

1.主語和謂語的單數(shù)和復(fù)數(shù)要一致

英語中名詞有它的單數(shù)和復(fù)數(shù)形式，動詞也有它的單數(shù)和復(fù)數(shù)形式,二者要一致.單數(shù)主語(subject)名詞要用動詞(verb)的單數(shù)(singular)形式,復(fù)數(shù)主語名詞要用動詞的復(fù)數(shù)(plural)形式.我們寫中文的不太習(xí)慣英語的這種寫法,很難做到不假思索地配對,需要特別留心才能不出錯誤，特別是當(dāng)主語名詞和動詞被分開時.試看下面的例句.

A high percentage of peptides that are made of amino acids are present in the sample.

A high percentage才是真正的主語，而不是鄰近的amino acids,所以應(yīng)該用單數(shù)形式.

宜改為:A high percentage of peptides that are made of amino acids is present in the sample.

讓事情更復(fù)雜的是英語名詞被分為不同的種類，其中的一類叫集合名詞.它既可以當(dāng)單數(shù)用詞也可以當(dāng)復(fù)數(shù)用.集合名詞當(dāng)整體來講時是單數(shù)，每個成員作為個體時用復(fù)數(shù).

The number of mice in the experiment was increased.

A number of mice have died.

All of the samples were analyzed.

All of the safety procedures was strictly followed.

代詞none既可以是單數(shù)也可以是復(fù)數(shù).當(dāng)none后面的詞是單數(shù)時,用單數(shù)動詞.當(dāng)none后面的詞是復(fù)數(shù)時，用復(fù)數(shù)動詞.

None of the information was useful.

None of the animals were starved.

描寫數(shù)量，重量，體積，時間等的詞用單數(shù)，但如果是分次添加或減少時用復(fù)數(shù).在這個意義上同集合名詞類似.

1.5 ml was added.

10 g was added.

6 hours was the required incubation time.

5 g were added stepwise.

簡寫的數(shù)量單位，如mg,ml,s等，單數(shù)和復(fù)數(shù)的寫法是一樣的,如1mg,5 mg.

一些詞如series,type,portion,class,要用單數(shù)形式.

A series of derivatives of penicillin was prepared.

A large portion of the reports is focused on how to deal with the increased cost.

Data,criteria,phenomena,media是復(fù)數(shù)形式，他們的單數(shù)形式分別是datum,criterion,phenomenon,medium.

2、修飾語同主語名詞關(guān)系上要一致

當(dāng)用1)動名詞(gerund)，2)分詞短句(participle)，3)不定式短句(infinitive)作修飾語時，修飾語中的動詞要同主句中的主語名詞關(guān)系上要一致.

科技雜志論文中有這種語法錯誤的情況較多.嚴(yán)格來講這只是種語法錯誤，一般不影響對句子的內(nèi)容的理解，所以很多作者不太注意.編輯和閱稿人有時也沒有嚴(yán)格要求改正.比如下面就是Nature雜志2006年第439卷中的一個例子.

Using the enhancer GAL4/UAS expression system,short-term memory traces of aversive and appetitive olfactory conditioning have been assigned to output synapses of subsets of intrinsic neurons of the mushroom bodies.

1)動名詞

After finishing the purification,the activity of the isolated compound was then studied.

We or I是動名詞finishing形式上的主語，同主句的主語activity不一致.

宜改為:After purification was finished,the activity of the isolated compound was then studied.

或:After finishing the purification,we studied the activity of the isolated compound.

Treated with the new drug,the blood cholesterol levels of participants were lowered by an average of 30%.

宜改為:Treated with the new drug,participants showed an average of 30%decrease in their blood cholesterol levels.

2)分詞短句

The iron concentration was determined using the Fenton reaction method.

The iron concentration同using the Fenton reaction method關(guān)系上不一致.

宜改為:The iron concentration was determined by the Fenton reaction method.

或:We determined the iron concentration using the Fenton reaction method.

When measuring the atmospheric level of carbon dioxide,air samples from a remote place,such as an island,is preferred.

宜改為:When the atmospheric level of carbon dioxide is measured,air samples from a remote place,such as an island,is preferred.

3)不定式短句

To further investigate the potential role of biking in causing infertility,an expanded population of biking athletes was surveyed.

不定式短語的形式主語是we or I，同主句主語population不一致.

宜改為:To further investigate the potential role of biking in causing infertility,we surveyed an expanded population of biking athletes.

To confirm the diagnosis,blood test was ordered.

宜改為:To confirm the diagnosis,the doctor ordered blood test.

3.主語和主語的行動(謂語)在邏輯上要一致

由于一些中文和英文的表達(dá)方式不同，把中文直接翻譯成相應(yīng)的英文會不講.一個經(jīng)常被引用的語句是“price is cheap”.中文可以說價格便宜,但英文只能說價格高或低.物品可以說cheap or expensive.用中文的表達(dá)方式來寫英文,會出現(xiàn)主語和主語的行動在邏輯上不一致.在寫一個句子時要注意行動的真正主語名詞是什么.下面是一些例子.

The highest antibiotic production was obtained at 48 h.

不是production而是production yield.

宜改為:The highest antibiotic production yield was obtained at 48 h.

The scavenging activity for hydroxyl radicals was based on Fenton reaction.

不是activity而是assay of activity

宜改為:The assay of scavenging activity for hydroxyl radicals was based on Fenton reaction.

The pharmacological compounds of ginseng were identified.

藥物活性化合物應(yīng)該是pharmacologically active compounds.

宜改為:The pharmacologically active compounds of ginseng were identified.

4、代名詞和其代理的先行詞要一致

代名詞和其代理的先行詞要在人稱,單數(shù)或復(fù)數(shù),和性別上一致.一些常見的代詞是:he,his(陽性單數(shù));she,her(陰性單數(shù));it,its(單數(shù));they,their,these,those(復(fù)數(shù));that,this(單數(shù)).比如下面的例句中,compounds和their一致,protein和it一致.

Many related compounds were synthesized and their antivirus activities were studied.

Growth hormone is a protein.It promotes human body growth.

下面的例句中,the應(yīng)該用their取代.

The potential antioxidant capacity of compound A and compound B could be deduced from the protective effects against oxidative stresses.

宜改為:The potential antioxidant capacity of compound A and compound B could be deduced from their protective effects against oxidative stresses.

用代名詞時除了要保持一致外,還要避免代理不清的情況出現(xiàn),以免不清楚它們到底指什么而引起誤解．

The crude sample was dissolved in water and extracted with organic solvent.It was then evaporated

to yield the product.

It指organic layer還是指water layer?不明確，最好不用it.

宜改為：The crude sample was dissolved in water and extracted with organic solvent.The organic layer was then evaporated to yield the product.

During meal hormones are released after which blood flow increases in the stomach.

Which既可以代表meal也可以代表hormones,容易產(chǎn)生誤解.

宜改為：During meal hormones are released.After their release stomach blood flow increases.

5、位置的強(qiáng)調(diào)作用

在英語寫作中，若要強(qiáng)調(diào)某件事情，就把它放在句子的前面.中文寫作中,有關(guān)句子的條件,時間等的修飾句都是放在前面，而主句總是放在后面.而英文中即可以把條件或修飾句放在前面，也可以放在后面.放在前面就表示你要強(qiáng)調(diào)修飾句的條件.比如:

Before the hurricane arrived,most of the people have moved out.

Most of the people have moved out before the hurricane arrived.

在英語中兩種位置關(guān)系都可以.前者強(qiáng)調(diào)在hurricane來之前，后者強(qiáng)調(diào)moved out.而在中文中，只有一種說法，反過來說”大多數(shù)人都離開了在hurricane來之前”就不對了.按中文的位置關(guān)系直譯成英文,往往會不確切.同樣按英文的位置關(guān)系直譯成中文也是怪怪的.我上小學(xué)的孩子回家來喊“我要吃冰激凌今天,我沒吃好長時間了”,就是英文“I want ice cream today.I have not eaten it for a long time.”的直接翻譯.

科技寫作中，一般還是把主句先寫出來，除非你想強(qiáng)調(diào)修飾的是條件．

Through scavenging free radicals,antioxidants play an important role in protecting against complex diseases.

宜改為：Antioxidants play an important role in protecting against complex diseases through scavenging free radicals.

In microbial fermentation,phosphorus is commonly the major growth-limiting nutrient.

宜改為：phosphorus is commonly the major growth-limiting nutrient in microbial fermentation.

主動句中事情的執(zhí)行者(作者)放在前面，有強(qiáng)調(diào)事情的執(zhí)行者(作者)的意思,而不是要研究的事物.被動句強(qiáng)調(diào)要研究的事物,這也是為什么科技論文中被動句用得比較多的原因之一.

We studied their effects on cell growth.強(qiáng)調(diào)We.

Their effects on cell growth were studied.強(qiáng)調(diào)Their effects.

6、修飾詞和被修飾詞要鄰近

科技寫作要求嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)，明確.為了嚴(yán)格定義一個事物，往往要加上限制性的修飾詞或短句.比如描寫實(shí)驗(yàn)用的mice時，一般不會只說mice，而是用類似“NCI-h23 tumor bearing female athymic nude mice”的描述.前面有5個修飾詞來定義研究用的mice這時一般把最窄的定義寫在最前面，最廣的定義寫在后面.修飾語要靠近同被修飾的對象.因修飾語和被修飾的詞被隔開，而造成意思混亂的情況很多.下面是一些例子.

Inhibition of Acid B on xanthine oxidase was also reported.

Inhibition of后面應(yīng)緊跟xanthine oxidase,而不是Acid B,隔開后句子就很難讀.

宜改為：Inhibition of xanthine oxidase by Acid B was also reported.

The chelating activities for ferrous ion of the Acid B were assessed.

The chelating activities后面應(yīng)緊跟Acid B,而不是ferrous ion.

宜改為：The chelating activities of the Acid B for ferrous ion were assessed.

Reducing power represents the electron donating capacity,which may serve as a significant indicator of potential antioxidant activity.

用which開頭的修飾句,是要修飾reducing power,而不是修飾electron donating capacity,所以要緊跟在reducing power后面.

宜改為：Reducing power,which may serve as a significant indicator of potential antioxidant activity,represents the electron donating capacity.或:Reducing power represents the electron donating capacity.It may serve as a significant indicator of potential antioxidant activity.

7、主語和謂語在句子中的位置要靠近

要使句子的可讀性強(qiáng),有兩個因素特別需要注意.一是句子的長短要合適.研究表明一個句子中有1 3-20個字時最合適閱讀.太短的句子有零碎的感覺，而太長的句子讀起來有困難.二是主語和謂語動詞要靠近.如果被隔開太遠(yuǎn)，就會有被隔離的感覺,句子讀起來就會比較困難，雖然從語法上來講是可行的.這主要同人類大腦處理文字信息的過程和方式有關(guān).當(dāng)人們讀到主語時，自然而然地期望知道主語后面的行動,也就是結(jié)果.在行動(謂語)出現(xiàn)之前,讀者需要記住主語是什么，同時又要閱讀和理解下面的文字，讀起來很累.就像要屏住呼吸等待要發(fā)生的事情,只有當(dāng)謂語出現(xiàn)，知道了主題的行動后，才能呼出這口氣.時間長了自然不舒服.

Lincomycin,one of the lincosamide antimicrobial agents which was first isolated more than fifty years ago,is used as a major antibiotic for the treatment of diseases caused by most Gram-positive bacteria.

宜改為：Lincomycin is one of the lincosamide antimicrobial agents which were first isolated more than fifty years ago.It is used as a major antibiotic for the treatment of diseases caused by most Gram-positive bacteria.

8、名詞作形容詞

科技寫作中經(jīng)常會用名詞來作為形容詞使用，如room temperature,university researchers.當(dāng)用一個名詞來修飾另一個名詞時，意義一般都很清楚.但當(dāng)三個名詞放在一起，或兩個名詞前再加一個形容詞時，就要小心.有的情況下,3個或3個以上的名詞放在一起，表達(dá)的意思很清楚，也是一種很簡潔的表達(dá)方式.如:blood white cell number,prostate cancer patient,Beijing University medical school student.但有時會有多種講法.Top university researchers可以是researchers of(only)top university也可以是(all)university researchers who are top.多個名詞排在一起，即使表達(dá)明確，也給擁擠的感覺.應(yīng)避免使用多個名詞的修飾方式.最好的辦法是用介詞或其它方式來把他們分開,以便清楚表達(dá)它們的修飾關(guān)系.多個名詞羅列的情況經(jīng)常發(fā)生，下面多舉一些例子.

H e wrote the quality control group reports.

宜改為：He wrote the reports of the quality control group.

The patient showed chronic liver disease symptoms.

宜改為：The patient showed symptoms of chronic liver disease.

The human brain oxygen level is quite high.

宜改為：The oxygen level in human brain is quite high.

Their specific inhibition producing effects on fat containing food intake were assessed.

宜改為：Their specific effects of inhibition on the intake of fat containing food were assessed.

The present investigation evaluated various specific drug sample combinations.

宜改為：The present investigation evaluated various combinations of specific drug samples