上一期谈到代名词的误用,特别是代名词的数和所指引的主语的数不符,使得后头谓语动词的数也跟着出差错,真是差之毫厘,失之千里,不可不察。 这里要指出一些方向,以避免因代名词的错误而使句子的意思模糊不清。 怎样避免代名词的错误呢? ㈠不要用同个代名词指引两个性别一样的名词,如: ① Mr Li told Mr Lin that he was wrong. 这里的 he 既可指林先生,也可指李先生,含糊不清。应该改为 ②或③: ② Mr Li said to Mr Lin, I am wrong. ③ Mr Li said to Mr Lin, You are wrong. ㈡避免把代名词和它所指引的名词隔开太远,如: ④ The man leaned over the bench for hours working on the plan. It was too low to be comfortable. 这里的代词 it 离开名词 the bench 太远,结果关系不清楚,因为在位置上,它更适合指引 the plan.在这种情况下,只好避开 it,而用名词,即 the bench. ㈢避免滥用指示代词this, that或关系代词who, which, that泛指上文的内容。例如: ⑤ Toms brother is an accountant, and this is the profession everyone envies. 这里的 this 指accountant。会计师是一种专业人士,和后头的专业(profession)并不相称,因此要把 this 改为 accountancy(会计工作),才合句子的意思。 |