一、.句点
1.句点用于当一句话完全结束时。
2.句点也可以用于英文单词的缩写,如 Mrs., Dr., P.S. 等。但要注意的是当缩写的字母形成了一个单词的时候就不要使用句点。如 IBM, DNA 等。
二、?问号
问号要用在一个直接的问句,而不是间接的。
如 How will you solve the problem? 是正确的用法,但用在 I wonder how you will solve the problem?就不对了,应该使用句点而不是问号。
另外,在客气的用语中,也是用句点而不是问号.
如 Will you please give me a call tomorrow.
三、! 感叹号
感叹号用于感叹和惊叹的陈述中,在商业写作中要注意感叹号的应用,因为不恰当的使用会显得突兀及不稳重。
四、;分号
1.与中文一样,分号用于分隔地位平等的独立子句。在某些情况下,使用分号比使用句点更显出子句之间的紧密联系,另外分号也经常与连接副词 thus, however, therefore一起使用(放在这些词语之前)。如 I realize I need exercise; however, I’ll lie down first to think about it.
2.在句子中如果已经使用过逗点,为了避免歧义的产生,就用分号来分隔相似的内容。如 The employees were Tom Hanks, the manager; Jim White, the engineer; and Dr. Jack Lee.
需要注意的是:一个完整的句子以大写字母开始,以句点结束。写英文时用逗点代替句点、分号、冒号或破折号叫“逗号错”,这正是中国学生所要避免的。请比较下列例句:
误:It was raining hard, they could not work in the fields.
(注意:上面句子中划横线的部分是两个不同的主语,而且逗点前后的句子是完整的-----单独拿出来都能代表一个完整的意思。因此,用逗号违反了英文规定,即一个句子只能有一套主干。)
正:It was raining hard; they could not work in the fields.
It was raining hard. They could not work in the fields.
It was raining so hard that they could not work in the fields.
They could not work in the fields because it was raining hard.
It was raining hard, so they could not work in the fields.
As it was raining hard, they could not work in the fields.
误:The essay is poorly organized, there is no central idea.
正:The essay is poorly organized; there is no central idea.
The essay is poorly organized: there is no central idea.
五、:冒号
1.冒号用于对后面内容的介绍或解释,如 This is her plan: go shopping.
2.冒号用于名单之前,特别是一个竖排的名单。
We transferred three employees to new branches:
• Tony Wang to New York City
• Mike Jackson to Tokyo
• Mark Foster to Paris
当名单横排的时候,冒号要用在一个完整的句子之后,如 We need seven people: three students, three engineers, and a professor.
3.冒号用于一个正式的引用之前。如 The professor said: “It was horrible.”
4.冒号也可用于商业或正式信函的称谓后面,如 Dear Mr. Lee:(美国英语中,信件或演说词的称呼语之后用冒号,而在英国英语中多用逗号。)
5.冒号用于数字时间的表示,如16:45 或 4:45 p.m.
6.冒号用于主标题和副标题之间,如 Web Directory: World and Non-U.S. Economic Data
六、,逗点
1.逗点用于分隔一系列的简单内容,如 I will go to Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen.
2.逗点用于修饰名词的多个形容词之间,如 a small, fancy bike
3.逗点用于连接两个较长的独立子句,而且每个句子的主语不同,如 The Grizzlies were out of timeouts, and Miller missed a desperation 3-pointer as time expired.
4.逗点用于关联的子句之间,如 Since he’s your younger brother, please take care of him.
5.逗点用于一个较长的修饰短语之后,如 In the middle of the coldest winter on record, the pipes froze.
6.逗点用于直接引用的句子之前,如 Mary said, “Let’s go fishing.”(注意:这里说的和上面提及的冒号在直接引语中的使用不一样。如果是引用比较正式的发言讲话就要用冒号,一般情况下就用逗点。)
如果句中含有间接引用就不需要逗点,如 Mary said we should go fishing.
在反问句之前要使用逗点,如 :
He worked very hard, didn’t he?
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以上是比较常用的标点,下面列出一些次常用的标点:
七、连字号Hyphen( -)
1.连字号主要用于某些前缀(如: self-,ex-和all-) 后和构成复合词。如:
ex-husband(前夫),brand-new(全新的),poorly-dressed(衣着破烂的)
I have forty-thousand or fifty-thousand dollars.
I want to obtain the whole-year or half-year lease of the apartment.
当两个或两个以上复合词并用, 而各复合词连字号后的部分相同时, 各复合词的相同部分只出现一次,应改为the whole-or half-year lease.
2.用于区分同一词源
3. 当某复合词中出现重复的字母或过多的元音, 使阅读困难时, 可用连字号把前缀和词根分开。
non-nuclear, re-use, semi-independent
4. 构成某些复合数字(在英文写作中,100以下的数字应该用英文单词写出来,不可用阿拉伯数字代替)
twenty-one during the years 1949-1999
有时, 用作名词的分数可以不用连字号, 但所有用作形容词的分词均须加连字号。
如: one fourth [ 也可one-fourth ] of those surveyed
5.用于一个词的一部分要移行, 一般按音节间断开单词加连字号(例如:ha-ppy,不可断为hap-py……),或根据发音,不要把单个字母留在行尾或行首。注意一页中最后一个单词不能使用连字号将其置于两页。
八、圆括弧Parenthesis( ( ) )
1.标出表顺序的数字和字母(如: (1) 、(2) 等)
2.用来表示其中插入的或附加的解释成分。这个插入成分可以是单词、词组或句子.但要注意,括号会削弱强调作用,因此,如果要强调插入的句子成份,则要用破折号。
They might take a walk together(remember feet) and see the neighborhood with fresh , new eyes.
九、引号Quotation Marks(“”‘’)
引号分单引号(single quotation marks) 和双引号(double quotation marks) 。单引号只用在一个直接引语中所含有的另一个直接引语上。
1. 表示直接引语。当直接引语超过四行或多于40 个字词时, 一般不用引号而改用黑体字以便与文章的其它部分界线清晰
“Well, ”the foreigner said to him ,“ you look like an engineer. ”
句号和逗号必须置于引号(双引号和单引号) 之内。
He told the gunman ,“I refuse to do that ”;his knees , however , were shaking even as he said those words.
She called this schedule of activities her “load ”:work , study , exercise , recreation , and sleep.
冒号与分号必置于引号外。
The teacher asked , “Could you understand me”?
Did the teacher ask ,“Have they gone”?
Did the teacher ask ,“They have gone ?”
The frightened girl screamed ,“Help”!
The fellow only said ,“Sorry !”
He interrupted me , “Now , listen”——and went on saying.
问号、感叹号和破折号有时置于引号之内, 有时置于外号之外。如果所引内容本身是疑问句或感叹句或带有破折号, 问号、感叹号或破折号一般放在引号之内。否则,放在引号之外。
2. 标明短篇出版物的标题, 诸如杂志、报纸上的文章、短诗、短篇故事和整部书的某一章节。
Have you read“The Old Man and the Sea”?
Chapter three is entitled“The Internet . ”
3.表示所用的词语具有特殊意义。另外,当俚语出现在较正式的文章中, 也用引号引起来, 以表示文风的有意转变。
The report contained the“facts”of the case.
The speaker owns a“fat farm”in California , which slims down rich overeaters for $2 , 500 a week.
4. 用于表示引起读者注意的词语, 或读者不熟悉的特殊词语。
It is customary to say“Youpre welcome” whenever anyone says“Thank you. ”
“SOS”is a message for help from a ship or aircraft when in danger.
十、省略号Ell ipsis(...)
此省略号无论出现在句首、句中、还是句尾,都是表示单词的省略。
1. 表示直接引语中的省略
Max wrote ,“...in one word ,manps consciousness , changes with every change in the conditions of his material existence....”
句后的省略号和句号的写法应是在一条直线上的四个黑点。前三个黑点表示省略号,后一个黑点表句号。
2. 表示说话中的犹豫或迟疑
“If that the way you think...just go back to school ,”he said.
3. 表示段落或整行词句的省略, 须使用一整行黑点。
十一、撇号或省字号Apostrophe(’)
1.构成名词所有格
rest my son’ s
a moment’s books
A three weeks’pay
2.表示词、字母、数码、符号等的复数形式
Don’t use so many ands in the sentence.
How many 5s have you got?
这与一般单词的复数形式不同, 正规的写法须在s 前加“ ’ ”, 要牢记规则。
3.除表动词的紧缩形式外, 还表一个或几个字母和数字的省略。
I’ve got it. “Yes ,ma’ am ,”the waiter said.
注意:有相当大一部分省略词是口语中的用法,不宜出现在书面语中。例如:I’d like to(在书面语中要写作I would like to)
十二、 字底线Underline( ) 和斜体Italics
斜体是英语的一种独特的书写手段, 但具有标点的作用,它和字底线的作用完全一样。
1. 用于火车、飞机、轮船、太空船的名称之下
Challenger (飞机) Apollo Nine(太空船)
2. 用于具有一定厚度的书籍、报纸、杂志、长诗、电影、作曲的标题下
Have you read Gone with the Wind ?
在书写体中,长篇小说书名下要加字底线,如是印刷体写成斜体即可。
the Washington Post Time magazine
3.表示不常用的或还没有被英语这一语言所接受的外来词或短语。但外来语中的动植物科目须用字底线来表示。
In Korea , the sixty-first birthday is calld huan gup (beginning of new life) 1 He longed for
La dolce vita.
4. 强调文章中的某些词语,以引起读者的注意, 相当于汉语中的着重号(即在所强调的汉字下加一个黑点) 。
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英国英语和美国英语标点符号的差异
1.引号的用法:①属于引语的逗号、句号在美国英语中位于引号内,而在英国英语中多位于引号外;②引语内再套用引语时,美国英语中双引号在外单引号在内,而英国英语中的单引号在外、双引号在内。
在美国英语中,如果省略号恰好在句尾,就用四个点,如I‘d like to...that is...if you don‘t mind....
2. 冒号的用法:①在小时与分钟之间,美国英语多用冒号,英国英语多用句号;②美国英语中,信件或演说词的称呼语之后用冒号,而在英国英语中多用逗号。
中英文标点符号的差异
汉语中目前使用的标点符号是参考借鉴西文的标点体系而制定的,它既保留了西文标点的主体特征,又带有与汉语语言特点相适应的特色。因而,中英文标点符号之间存在着一定的差异。
⒈ 汉语中的某些标点符号为英语所没有。
⑴ 顿号(、):顿号在汉语中起分割句子中的并列成分的作用;英语中没有顿号,分割句中的并列成分多用逗号。如:
She slowly, carefully, deliberately moved the box.
注意:类似的情况下,最后一个逗号后可加and,这个逗号也可省略--She slowly, carefully(,) and deliberately moved the box.
⑵ 书名号(《》):英文没有书名号,书名、报刊名用斜体或者下划线表示。如:
Hamlet / Hamlet 《哈姆雷特》
Winter‘s Tale / Winter‘s Tale 《冬天的童话》
The New York Times / The New York Times 《纽约时报》
另外,英语中文章、诗歌、乐曲、电影、绘画等的名称和交通工具、航天器等的专有名词也常用斜体来表示。
⑶ 间隔号(•):汉语有间隔号,用在月份和日期、音译的名和姓等需要隔开的词语的正中间,如"一二•九"、"奥黛丽•赫本(人名)"等。英语中没有汉语的间隔号,需要间隔时多用逗点。
⑷ 着重号:有时汉语用在文字下点实心圆点表示需要强调的词语,这些实心点就是着重号。而英语中没有这一符号,需强调某些成分时可借助文字斜体、某些强调性词汇、特殊句型、标点停顿等多种方法。
⒉ 英语中的某些标点符号为汉语所没有。
⑴ 撇号--Apostrophe(‘)
⑵ 连字号--Hyphen(-)
⑶ 斜线号—Virgule or Slash(/):该符号主要起分割作用,如It could be for staff and / or students. 也常用于标音,如bed /bed/。
⒊ 某些符号在汉英两种语言中的形式不同。
⑴ 中文的句号是空心圈(。)
英文的句号是实心点(.)。
⑵ 英文的省略号是三个点(...),位置在行底;
中文的为六个点(......),居于行中。
⑶ 英文的破折号是(-)
中文的是(--)
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中国学生常见标点符号错误例析
(1) 顿号、书名号、句号、省略号错误。比较中英文标点符号可见,英文标点中没有中文形式的顿号、书名号、句号和省略号。而这四种标点符号成了大学英语写作中“借鉴频率较高的符号。如:
〔错误〕1. While she is reading《Gone With the Wind》, I am cooking。
〔错误〕2. My sister bought a lot of fruits for me , such as banana 、orange 、apple and pear.
英文中的印刷体用斜体字表示书籍、报刊、戏剧、电影、绘画作品等的名称,在书写体或打字机打的文本中用字下线表示斜体字;英文常用逗号来代替冒号;而句号是用实心小黑点表示。故以上两句应改为:
〔修改〕1. While she is reading Gone With the Wind , I am cooking. (印刷体)
或While she is reading Gone With the Wind , I am cooking. (书写体)
〔修改〕2. My sister bought a lot of fruits for me , such as banana , orange , apple and pear.
还有,英文中的省略号其实是三个句号的并列,许多学生由于受中文影响常错误地把英文省略号写成六点。
(2) 冒号错误。冒号是中英文兼有的标点符号。在汉语中,冒号是表示提示性话语之后的停顿,常用在“说、道、讲、问、唱、回答、喊、吼”等动词的后边,以标明下面的话是谁说的。此用法影响下列英文句子标点:
〔错误〕3. I thought to myself :“What kind of trap is she laying ?”
〔错误〕4. He asked :“Where are you from ?”
以上两例中的冒号在英文中需用逗点表示。汉语中的冒号还可用在“如次“如下“例如“像等引起下文的提示语后边。在英文表达中,“for example”(例如) 一类的词后常用逗点代替冒号。
〔错误〕5. Good manners can be seen in everyday life. For example : a person with good manners is kind and
helpful to others.
〔修改〕5. Good manners can be seen in everyday life. For example , a person with good manners is kind and helpful to others.
(3) 破折号错误。汉语中的破折号标明行文中解释说明的部分,而英文同位语也具有同等说明的功能,故英文写作中用破折号连接同位语成份的错误也屡见不鲜。如:
〔错误〕6. We are studying and living at the famous university — Beijing University.
〔修改〕6. We are studying and living at the famous university , Beijing University.
对于同位语,英语一般使用逗点而不用破折号。英文中破折号的用法远没有中文的丰富。
在大学英语写作中,与语法知识有关的标点错误主要有:
(1) 把非限制性定语从句(non -restrictive attributive clause) 理解成限制性定语从句(restrictive attributive clause) 而忽略用逗点。如:
〔错误〕7. We were led into a nearest fabric shop that was divided into two parts.
从句意来看,上句是一个非限制性定语从句,故应在shop 后加逗点,把that 相应改成which 即:
〔修改〕7. We were led into a nearest fabric shop , which was divided into two parts.
(2) 不论状语从句在整个句子中处于何种位置,一概以逗点隔开。
〔错误〕8. We will go there , if it is fine tomorrow.
状语从句可置于句首或句末。置于句首时,一般要用标点隔开;而置于句末时,则无需与主句隔开,故 以上句子应改为:
〔修改〕8. If it is fine tomorrow , we will go there. 或We will go there if it is fine tomorrow.
(3) 在疑问句形式的陈述句后使用问号。
〔错误〕9. What fun we girls could expect , to stay in the same class , studying for four long years with them ?I wondered.
〔修改〕9. What fun could we girls expect , to stay in the same class , studying for four long years with them , I wondered.
英语疑问除可用问号来表达外,尚可用词序加以表达。故上例的疑问可用逗点表示。
(4) 误把however ,therefore , because , thus 等起联系作用的副词当成并列连词,导致写作中的逗号粘连(comma splice) 错误。
〔错误〕10. She thought what the teacher pointed out was right , however , she didn’t care for that .
两个完整的句子或两个并列句之间不能一概用逗点点开, 可用句号、分号或在逗点后加并列连词(and , but , or , for , so , nor , yet) 等方法修改。故上例可改为:
〔修改〕10. She thought what the teacher pointed out was right . However , she didn’t care for that .
或She thought what the teacher pointed out was right ; however , she didn’t care for that .
或She thought what the teacher pointed out was right , but she didn’t care for that .
(5) 与comma splice 相映成趣的是,许多学生作文时,极少考虑句子间的逻辑关系,一个逗点连首尾,导致大量熔句(fused sentence) 的堆砌。例如:
〔错误〕11. Young men like blue jeans they wear them all the time.
〔修改〕11. Young men like blue jeans ; they wear them all the time.
或Young men like blue jeans. They wear them all the time.
或Young men like blue jeans , and they wear them all the time.
或Young men like blue jeans ; they wear them all the time.
或Since young men like blue jeans , they wear them all the time.
(6) 两个并列的形容词间以and 代替逗点。
〔错误〕12. Through the window , in front of me were large green fields which reminded me of the small clearing where I spent my lonely and hard childhood.
现代英语表达一般在两个形容词中间不使用and , 而是用逗点分隔。
〔修改〕12. Through the window , in front of me were large green fields which reminded me of the small clearing where I spent my lonely , hard childhood
因语体错位而造成的标点错误。英文写作是一种书面语的输出。其书面语体的特征要求其与口头语相区别。口语中存在的大量缩约(contraction) 在书面语体中应尽量避免。而许多学生在书面作文中大量使用省字号(’),几乎1/ 3 左右的作文在文体上存在漏洞,现代英语的发展对此却难以容忍。如:
1. I’d like to share my joys with you. ( I would like to)
2. .you can’t behave like that . (you cannot)
3. .there’re so many splendid toys for me to select . (there are)
其他错误:
(1) 引号错误。
〔错误〕13.“No pain , no gain. ”If you .
〔修改〕13. As the saying goes ,“No pain , no gain. ”
英文中短小的引语与作者提示“某某说之类的词语之间用逗点隔开,置于引号内。不能省略提示语“某某说之类而直接引用。
〔错误〕14. Glancing through the essay entitled“Why Not More ? ”, Dr. Jefferson frowned thoughtfully.
〔修改〕14. Glancing through the essay entitled“Why Not More ?,”Dr. Jefferson frowned thoughtfully.
许多学生对诸如上例引号边的标点位置含糊,不清楚以下常用法:句号和逗号必须置于引号之内;冒号和分号必须置于引号之外;如果所引内容本身是疑问句或感叹句,问号和感叹号一般放在引号之内,否则,问号和感叹号则放在引号之外。
(2) 日-月-年次序的日期中的逗号错误。英语日期的表达可以用月-日-年的次序和日-月-年
的次序,日和年之间加逗号而月和年之间习惯上不加逗号。例如: 误把“13 August 2002”写成“13 August , 2002”。
(3) 在部分副词如perhaps , so 后加逗号。如:
〔错误〕16. Perhaps , I would not have such a good chance again.
〔错误〕17. So , they keep in touch with each other merely by writing letters and phoning now.
以上两句的修改方法是把句中的逗号去掉。
(4) 连接号(hyphen) 错误。许多英语习作者往往随意用连接号派生单词,如把“boyfriend”写成“boy -friend”;“middle school”写成“middle -school”。在行末单词分行时,连接号使用错误更多。与之相反,若把本应有的连接号粗心删去,其单词含义可能会大相径庭。如有一年美国政府在一份贸易清单上列举了一些免税进口的物品,其中有一种是foreign fruit —plants(外国果树苗),后来由于打字员的疏忽,漏打连接号使其成了foreign fruit , plants(外国水果、树苗),结果导致第二年大量的水果如桔子、葡萄等从世界各地免税涌入美国市场从而使美国政府当年损失约200 多万美元。
应用逗号而没用,造成语义的表达不清。
Please send me a gross each of the red , green ,blue ,orange and black ties.
使人看了以后不知是发5 摞(1 摞= 12 打)
—红、绿、蓝、橙、黑各一摞— 领带,还是发4 摞
—红、绿、蓝、橙黑各一摞领带。这句话可改为:
①Please send me a gross each of the red , green ,blue ,orange ,and black ties.
②Please send me a gross each of the red , green ,blue ,orange-and-black ties.
该用分号的地方用了逗点, 不该用标点的地方也用了逗点,都导致了句子的错误。
①People make history , unusual people make history interesting. 此句逗点应改为分号, 这是两个独立分句。
②Mary was happiest when she was free of her parents’ scrutiny , or while she was working in her garden. 此句的并列连词是连接的成对的从句,而不是独立分句,连词前面的逗号应去掉。
标点符号的使用是约定俗成的, 初学写作的人只有牢记它的使用规则, 才能写出规范的文章来。