误置的修饰语及其优化方案

在英文句子中,字词或字词组的位置,可以表明字词或字词组与句子中其他的字词间的相互关系。 如果具有修饰功能的字词位置不正确,则文章会变得不精确或令人困惑。

(1)程度副词

程度副词(像only, nearly, almost, even 以及其他类似的字词)应该直接放在它们所修饰的字词之前。 例如:

误置:The system only needs three iterations to find the solution．

修正:The system needs only three iterations to find the solution．

程度副词的位置会直接影响句子要表达的意思。 例如,下面的句子的意思会随着only位置的不同而改变:

Only Arnold said that he ate his apple．(没有其他人这么说。)

Arnold only said that he ate his apple．(他只说了这个事,除此之外,他没有做其他事。)

Arnold said only that he ate his apple．(除此之外,他没说其他的事。)

Arnold said that only he ate his apple．(他是唯一吃这个苹果的人。)

Arnold said that he only ate his apple．(他只吃了苹果,除此之外,没有做其他的事。)

Arnold said that he ate only his apple．(他没有吃别的东西,也没有吃别人的苹果。)

Arnold said that he ate his only apple．(他只有一个苹果,而且他把这个苹果吃掉了。)

Arnold said that he ate his apple only．(他只吃了自己的苹果,并没有吃自己的香蕉或橘子,也没有吃别人的苹果。)

同时,也要注意其他副词的位置。 当副词修饰动词时,副词常紧跟着在动词之后,或直接放在动词之前。 有时候将副词放在句尾,而不放在它所修饰的动词的前后,有时会使句子比较通顺。 尤其是当作者有意强调这个副词,或副词片语很长时,则可以采取上述的用法。例如:

The new algorithm quickly and accurately finds the solution．

The new algorithm finds the solution quickly and accurately．

第一句也是正确的,只是没有第二句读起来通顺,同时第二句比较强调副词的意义。 注意,修饰词的位置不当,可能会让读者不清楚究竟所修饰的字词是哪一个。(www.xing528.com)

(2)片语

修饰名词的片语通常应该直接放在它所修饰的名词之后,否则整个句子就会让人困惑。例如下面句子,片语with a scanner and a printer 似乎是修饰store 这个名词,然而,事实上它却应该修饰system 这个名词。 例如:

误置:Stuart bought a new computer system from a discount store with a scanner and a printer．

修正:Stuart bought a new computer system with a scanner and a printer from a discount store．

作为副词的片语可以直接放在其所修饰的字词之后,也可以放在句首或句尾。 选择副词片语的位置时,要确定句子的意思,也就是说要明确到底是修饰哪个字词。

(3)关系子句

关系子句通常应该紧跟它所修饰的字词。 如果句子中关系子句的位置出错,也会让人困惑。 例如:

误置:A laser disk drive is used in the CD-ROM device that is the same size as a traditional 5．25-inch drive．

修正:A laser disk drive that is the same size as a traditional 5．25-inch drive is used in the CD-ROM device．

修正:The CD-ROM device has a laser disk drive that is the same size as a traditional 5．25-inch drive．

这里关系子句应该修饰drive,而不是device。 当然也有例外,如果关系子句太长,而使得子句直接放在它所修饰的名词之后,会导致句子笨拙而不平均,那么就应该把关系子句移到比较恰当的位置(如句尾)。 如以based on 开头的片语不应该放在句首。 例如:

不通顺:Based on the simulation results, the second algorithm is faster and requires less memory．

修正:On the basis of the simulation results, we can conclude that the second algorithm is faster and requires less memory．

修正:From the simulation results, we can conclude that the second algorithm is faster and requires less memory．

当关系代名词之后紧接着to be 动词时,关系代名词以及动词有时可以省略。 例如:

The results that were obtained are shown in Figure 1．

简化:The results obtained are shown in Figure 1．