日常要处理许多信件电邮,因而运用英语上不得不留神,以下有一些个人意见,也参考了一些书本,希望大家有所得益。
A. 文法上
1.切忌主客不分或模糊. 例子: Deciding to rescind the earlier estimate, our report wa updated to include $40,000 for ew equipment.” 应改为 Deciding to rescind our earlier estimate, we have updated our report to include $40,000 for ew equipment. (We决定呀, 不是report.)
2.句子不要凌碎. 例子: He decided ot to audit the last te contracts. ecause of our reviou objectio about compliance. 应该连在一起.
3.结构对称,令人容易理解. 例子: The owner questioned the occupant\' lease intentio and the fact that the contract had ee altered with ink markings. 应改为: The owner questioned the occupant\' lease intentio and ink alteratio of the contract.
4.单众数不要搞乱,不然会好刺眼,看不舒服. 例如: A authorized erso must how that they have ecurity clearance.
5.动词主词要呼应. 想想这两个分别: 1.Thi i one of the ublic-relatio functio that i underbudgeted. 2. Thi i one of the ublic-relatio functio , which are underbudgeted.
6.时态和语气不要转变太多.看商务英语已经是苦事,不要浪费人家的精力啊.
7.标点要准确. 例如: He did ot make repairs, however, he continued to monitor the equipment. 改为: He did ot make repair however, he continued to monitor the equipment.
8.选词正确. 好像affect和effect, operative和operational等等就要弄清楚才好用啦.
9.拼字正确. 有电脑拼字检查功能后,就更加不能偷懒.
10.大小写要注意.非必要不要整个字都是大写,除非要骂人,:,例如: MUST change to O immediately. 外国人就觉得不礼貌和喝令人一样. 要强调的话,用底线,斜字,粗体就可以了.
B. 文体
1.可读性.对象是大学程度的话,用高中的英文就行,不要以为人人都是语言大师.多用短句(15-20字吧), 技术性的字,就更加要简单易明.
2.注意段落的开头.一般来说,重要或强调的事情都放在信件或段落的开头,而句子就放在最尾. 例如: 1.Because he wa unable to attend the meeting ersonally, he forwarded hi congratulatio o ca ette tape. 2.He forwarded hi congratulatio o ca ette tape ecause he wa unable to attend the meeting ersonally. 两者强调的事情就有分别了.
3.轻重有分. 同等重要的用and来连接,较轻放在次要的句子里.
4.意思转接词要留神. 例如: ut (相反), therefore (结论), also (增添), for example (阐明). 分不清furthermore和moreover就不要用啦.
5.句子开头不要含糊不清的主词. 例子: These decisio have ee a ig disa ointment to the committee members. They have delayed further action. They是指什么呀????开头少用this, that, it, they, 或 which.
6.修饰词的位置要小心,例如: He could only reimburse the cost after July 15. 应为 He could reimburse the cost only after July 15.
7.用语要肯定准确.切忌含糊. 例如:The figure how a ignificant increase.” 怎样significant呀,大哥? 改为: The figure how a increase of 19%.
8.立场观点一致. 少用被动语. 例如: artial data hould e ubmitted y April. 改为: You hould ubmit artial data y April.就很好了.
C. 格调
1.式样和句子长度不要太单调. 千篇一律的subject-verb-object会闷死人的.有时短句跟着长句可以化解一下.
2.弱软的词(e.g. was, were, is, are...)可以加强一点. 例如: runto roduct are highly effective i ... 改为: runto roduct excel i ...就有力很多了.
3.亲切,口语化是比较受欢迎! 用宾词和主动的词,让人家受落. 例如: 1. Thi informatio will e incerely a reciated.” 2. We incerely a reciate your information. 明显地,我们会喜欢第2句.