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《The Element of Style》笔记一

桃李不言 2019-12-30 10:17:30

Elementary Rules of Usage

1. Form the possessive singular of nouns by add ‘s. 不论单数词语的结尾是什么都遵循这个规则。经常出现的错误是以 s 结尾的词语，比如应该是 Charles’s friend 而不是 Charles’ friend，Charles’s friend 指的是许多个 Charle 的朋友。唯一的例外是以 -es、-is 结尾的古代专有名词，比如说 Jesus'、Moses'，但是通常会使用 the laws of Moses 代替 Moses‘ laws。

2. In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last. 比如： red, white, and blue He opened the letter, read it, and made a note of its contents. 不过公司名称中，最后一个逗号经常省略：Little, Brown and Company

3. Enclose parenthetic expressions between commas. 这一条规则应用起来比较复杂。首相我们来理解一下什么是 parenthetic expressions：A parenthetical expressionis a word or words added to a sentence without changing the meaning or grammar of the original sentence.Parenthetical expressionsgive extra information but are not essential. You can add and remove aparentheticaland the sentence works just the same. 比如：The best way to see a country, unless you are pressed for time, is to travel on foot。如果当插入的词或短语仅轻微地中断行文并不太影响整个句子的，我们也可以省略这两个逗号，但是绝不能只省略一个逗号。

3.1. 日期 February to July, 1992 April 6, 1986 Wednesday, November 14 1990 30 December 2019 当使用“日期-月份-年份”的顺序表达时，逗号可以省略 3.2. A name or a tittle in direct address is parenthetical. 比如：Well, Susan, this is a fine mess you are in. 3.3. 缩写词 etc.、i.e. 、e.g. 比如 Letters, packages, etc., should go there. 3.4. 人名之后的头衔。 Rachel Simonds, Attorney 3.5. 人名之后表示身份的限制性短语不应该被逗号隔开。 The novelist Jane Austen 3.6. 限制性定语不用逗号，非限制行定语用逗号分开 限制性定语: People who live in glass houses shounn't thrown stones. 非限制性定语: In 1976, when Napoleon was born, Corsica had but recently been acquired by France.

4. Place a comma before conjunction introducing an independent clause. 由连词链接的两个分句，连词前需用逗号分开。比如： The situation is perilous, but there is still on chance of escape. 连词包括 but、and、as(because 的意思)、for、nor、while（and at the same time 的意思）。两个分句的主语一致并且只出现一次时，连词 but 前用逗号隔开。如果 and 连接两个分句关系紧密，逗号可以省略。比如： I have heard the arguments, but am still unconvinced He has had several years' experience and is thoroughly competent.

5. Do not join independent clauses with a comma. 如果我们想把两个语法完整的句子组成一个句子的时候，用分号连接而不是逗号。语法上同样正确的还有用句号连接和用连词和逗号连接，但是用分号连接更简洁而且能表达两个句子之间的紧密关系。如果使用副词连接，仍然需要分号。I had never been in the place before; besides, it was dark as a tomb.

例外：如果各个分句都很短并且形式相似，或者整个句子的语气很轻松像是在对话，那么用逗号更合适。比如 Man proposes, God disposes. I hardly knew him, he was so changed.

6. Do not break sentences in two. 换言之就是不要用句号代替逗号。

7. Use a colon after an independent clause to introduce a list of particulars, an appositive, an amplification, or an illustrative quotation.

7.1 Introduce a list of particulars 冒号不能置于动词和其宾语或介词和其宾语之间。

7.2 Introduce amplification. 比如： But even so, there was a directness and dispatch about animal burial: there was no stopover in the undertaker's foul parlor, no wreath or spray. 7.3 Introduce quotation. 比如： The squalor of the streets reminded her of a line from Oscar Wilde: "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.

8. Use a dash to set off an abrupt break or interruption and to announce a long appositive or summary. 破折号比逗号有更强的分隔作用，但不如分号正式，不如括号严谨。只有当普通标点都不合适的时候才使用破折号。 He first thought on getting out of bed--if he had any thought at all--was to get back in again.

9. The number of the subject determines the number of the verb. 9.1 主语和谓语动词之间的词不影响谓语动词 The bittersweet flavor of youth--its trials, its joys--is not soon forgotten. 9.2 在 "one of …" 之后的关系从句或者类似表达中，关系代词才是主语，因此从句中的谓语动词的数由关系代词决定,而不是由 one 决定是单数。 One of those people who are never ready on time. 9.3 Each、either、everyone、everybody、neither、nobody、someone 为主语时谓语动词用单数形式。 9.4 当 none 作"no one"或"not one"理解时，谓语动词用单数形式。 None of us is perfect. 当 none 指一个以上的人或物时，谓语动词常用复数形式。 None are so fallible as those who are sure they're right. (没有很理解为什么 none 在这里指一个以上）。 9.5 由 and 连接的两个或以上的名词组成的复合动词一般用需要复数形式的动词。某些约定俗成的固定搭配因为不可分割而视为整体，故使用单数形式的动词。 The walrus and the carpenter were walking close at hand. Bread and butter was all she served. 9.6 单数主语，在通过with、as well as、in additon to、except、together with和no less than连接了其它的名词的情况下，仍然使用用单数形式谓语动词。 9.7 有些词虽然是复数形式但是其实是单数词 Politics is an art, not science.

10. Use the proper case of pronoun.

10.1 正确使用人称代词的主格和宾格形式，主要看他们代替的词是主语还是宾语。 Will Jane or he be hired, do you think? Give this work to whoever looks idle. 不用whomever因为它是looks idle的主语，而整个whoeverlooks idle是to的宾语。 Virgil is the candidate who we think will win.who是will win的主语 Virgil is the candiate whom we hope to elect. whom是hope to elect的宾语。 10.2 比较级中的代词取决于它是已经叙述过或者省略的动词的主语还是宾语。为了避免歧义，最好不要省略动词。 Sandy writes better than I. (Than I write) Polly loves cake more than she loves me. I think Horace admires Jessica more than I do. 10.3 反身代词不做主语。 Blake and I (不能用myself) stayed at home. 10.4 动名词用所有格形式，动词现在进行时用宾格形式。 Mother objected to our driving on icy road. They heard him singing in the shower. 实际使用的时候两者区别可能比较细微，要注意分析，比如： Do you mind me asking a question? vs. Do you mind my asking a question? 前者是你介不介意我而不是其他人问问题，后者是你介不介意问问题这件事。

11. A participial phras at the begining of a sentence must refer to the grammatical subject.