縱觀多年來國家四、六級英語作文考試，考生作文成績欠佳的主要原因除了準(zhǔn)確性和連貫性差之外，語句軟弱無力也是不容忽略的一個方面。因此在英語寫作教學(xué)中，如何增強(qiáng)語句表現(xiàn)力的問題必須引起我們足夠的重視，以提高學(xué)生寫作的表達(dá)質(zhì)量。為此，筆者結(jié)合自己的寫作教學(xué)實(shí)踐，針對該項(xiàng)技能的訓(xùn)練提出了一些切實(shí)可行的有效做法，供廣大同仁和英語學(xué)習(xí)者參考借鑒。
　　一、避免使用語意弱的“be”動詞。
　　1、把句中的表語轉(zhuǎn)換為不同的修飾語。例如：
　　Weak: The trees are bare. The grass is brown. The landscape seems drab. Revision:The brown grass and bare trees form a drab landscape. (轉(zhuǎn)換為前置定語)
　　Or: The landscape, bare and brown, begged for spring green. (轉(zhuǎn)換為并列結(jié)構(gòu)作后置定語)
　　2、將作表語用的形容詞或名詞變?yōu)樾袨閯釉~。例如：
　　1) Weak: The team members are good players.
　　Revision: The team members play well.
　　2) Weak: One worker’s plan is the elimination of tardiness.
　　Revision: One worker’s plan eliminates tardiness.
　　3、在以“here”或“there”開頭的句子中，把“be”動詞后的名詞代詞變成改寫句的主語。例如：
　　1) Weak: There is no opportunity for promotion.
　　Revision: No opportunity for promotion exists.
　　2) Weak: Here are the books you ordered.
　　Revision: The books you ordered have arrived.
　　二、多用語意具體的動詞，保持句意簡潔明了。例如：
　　1、Poor: My supervisor went past my desk.
　　Better: My supervisor sauntered (=walked slowly) past my desk.
　　2、Poor: She is a careful shopper.
　　Better: She compares prices and quality.
　　三、盡量運(yùn)用主動語態(tài)。例如：
　　1、Weak: The organization has been supported by charity.
　　Better: Charity has supported the organization.
　　2、Weak: The biscuits were stacked on a plate.
　　Better: Mother stacked the biscuits on a plate.
　　四、防止使用語意冗長累贅的詞語。例如：
　　1、Wordy: My little sister has a preference for chocolate milk.
　　Improved: My little sister prefers chocolate milk.
　　2、Wordy: We are in receipt of your letter and intend to follow your recommendations.
　　Improved: We have received your letter and intended to follow your recommendation.
　　3、Redundant: We had a serious crisis at school yesterday when our chemistry laboratory caught fire.
　　Improved: We had a crisis at school yesterday when our chemistry laboratory caught fire.
　　4、Redundant: My sister and I bought the same, identical dress in different stores.
　　Improved: My sister and I bought the same dress in different stores.
　　五、杜絕濫用陳舊詞語或難懂的專業(yè)術(shù)語。例如：
　　1、Weak: They will not agree to his proposals in any shape or form.
　　Improved: They will not agree to any of his proposals.
　　2、Weak: I need her financial input before I can guesstimate our expenditures next fall.
　　Improved: I need her financial figures before I can estimate our expenditures next fall.