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英文段落中的各个语句在长度上应该有一定变换，即所谓的长短句之说。 短句给人以精炼强调之感，长句则给人以严谨深刻之感。一般说来，长句有两种情况，一种是由于结构复杂而形成的长句，多见于书面语;还有一种是由简单句扩展而成以使语句表达得更加生动和清楚，主要出现在口语的表达中。 例如，有人曾请两个人用英文表达同一内容：今有一物，不知其数，三三数之余二;五五数之余三;七七数之余二。问物几何? 第一个人的英文表达：We have a number of things which, counted by threes, leave two; by fives, leave three; and by sevens, leave two. Find the number. 第二个人的英文表达：We have things of which we do not know the number. If we count them by threes, they leave a remainder of two. If we count them by fives, they leave a remainder of two. If we count them by sevens, they leave a remainder of two. How many things are there? 英文写作不能一味地使用短句。段落中的短句过多，不仅使得段落显得单调，而且使得段落非常零散、内容浅薄。如果一旦发现段落中尽是写短句的话，这时就需要将某些简短的语句扩展成比较长的句子。 语句的扩展主要是在语句的主干上增添修饰成分(如定语、状语等)。 | 
