《英语写作手册：风格的要素》学习笔记：易错词

The Elements of Style

ASIN: B01N2O81CF

作者：William Strunk

《风格的要素》也是常被推荐的一本书，推崇语言表达精炼、明确，其中也有很多语法方面的知识。今天先摘几条词汇用法。

《英语写作手册：风格的要素》是近一个世纪以来流传最为广泛的英语写作手册之一，初为常春藤盟校康奈尔大学英语写作教材，现在美国大学生几乎人手一本。它包括11条“英语用法的基本规则”，11条“写作的基本原则”，写作格式的注意事项，以及一份“常被误用的单词和短语清单。本次出版的是这本英语写作手册的全新译本，为英语学习者指出真正的英文写作捷径，不说术语不讲语法，教大家如何删繁就简、字字珠玑，尤其适合参加托福、SAT、GRE等考试的学生以及需要进行简洁的商务信函写作的人群。（Amazon）

Claim

可以跟从句，但是 claim to be 更简洁，不能简单作为 declare, maintain, charge 的替换词。

vb. With object-noun, means lay claim to. May be used with a dependent clause if this sense is clearly involved: “He claimed that he was the sole surviving heir.” (But even here, “claimed to be” would be better.) Not to be used as a substitute for declare, maintain, or charge.
 
Compare

Compare to 比较的是不同的事物，重点是相像，compare with 比较的是本质相同的一类事物，重点是区别。

To compare to is to point out or imply resemblances, between objects regarded as essentially of different order; to compare with is mainly to point out differences, between objects regarded as essentially of the same order. Thus life has been compared to a pilgrimage, to a drama, to a battle; Congress may be compared with the British Parliament.

Paris has been compared to ancient Athens; it may be compared with modern London.

He compared Beijing to the heart of China.
他把北京比做中国的心脏。

Compare this new TV set with the old one, you will see which is better.
将这台新电视机与旧电视机一比，你就会看出哪一台更好一些。

Data

A plural, like phenomena and strata. These data were tabulated.

Data 是复数

 
However

表示转折时，however 不能放句首；放句首表示“无论如何”

In the meaning nevertheless, not to come first in its sentence or clause.

The roads were almost impassable. However, we at last succeeded in reaching camp. （误）

The roads were almost impassable. At last, however, we succeeded in reaching camp. （正）

When however comes first, it means in whatever way or to whatever extent.

However you advise him, he will probably do as he thinks best. However discouraging the prospect, he never lost heart.

Less.

Should not be misused for fewer. He had less men than in the previous campaign He had fewer men than in the previous campaign Less refers to quantity, fewer to number. “His troubles are less than mine” means “His troubles are not so great as mine.”“His troubles are fewer than mine” means “His troubles are not so numerous as mine.” It is, however, correct to say, “The signers of the petition were less than a hundred,” where the round number a hundred is something like a collective noun, and less is thought of as meaning a less quantity or amount.

less 用于不可数，few 用于可数。但有些情况特殊：

His troubles are less than mine 他的麻烦没有我的麻烦程度大

His troubles are fewer than mine 他的麻烦没有我的麻烦数量多

 

 
Like 

like 后面跟名词或介词，as 后面跟句子或短语

Not to be misused for as. Like governs nouns and pronouns; before phrases and clauses the equivalent word is as.

We spent the evening like in the old days. （误）

We spent the evening as in the old days.

He thought like I did. （误）

He thought as I did (like me).

 People

 the people 往往有政治含义，非政治类语境最好用 the public

The people is a political term, not to be confused with the public. From the people comes political support or opposition; from the public comes artistic appreciation or commercial patronage.

 
Very

Use this word sparingly. Where emphasis is necessary, use words strong in themselves.

 少用 very，如果想表达强烈程度，用本身就有强烈含义的词。

 
Would

A conditional statement in the first person requires should, not would. I should not have succeeded without his help. The equivalent of shall in indirect quotation after a verb in the past tense is should, not would. He predicted that before long we should have a great surprise. To express habitual or repeated action, the past tense, without would, is usually sufficient, and from its brevity, more emphatic.

Once a year he would visit the old mansion. （误）

Once a year he visited the old mansion.

第一人称的条件结构用 should。

  I should not have succeeded without his help.