雅思写作如何实现句子类型多样化？

老雅在本专栏之前各期中曾多次说过，雅思写作在句子方面的要求对各分数段是不同的。句子质量包括三个纬度，即语法正确与否、类型多样与否、表达地道与否。5分段的作文，句子很多都是语法不正确的（但还能让人看懂）;6分段的作文，句子语法基本都是正确的，但类型不够多样，比较简单或单调;7分段的作文，句子语法基本没有错误，而且类型多样化;8分段的句子，除了正确、多样，还要确保地道。从这个意义上说，雅思写作要达到7分，通过恰当的训练，在句子层面上是可以实现的，但要达到8分，也就是要地道表达，则只有通过大量阅读和积累才能实现，非一般短期培训所能及。本期的专栏中，老雅专门谈谈如何让雅思写作中的句子多样化起来，也就是在句子层面上实现7分。

句子的多样性并不简单等同于句子的复杂性，虽然复杂句型是7分段作文必需的。当我们要表达几个意思时，我们可以用独立的单句来表达每一个意思，也可以把这几个意思写在同一个句子里，在后一种情况下我们就需要写复杂句。我们首先要确定哪一个意思是最主要的，把它作为主干句子来表达，然后把次要的意思放置在从句中。比如：

This policy would affect the cost of public transport. Some people need to travel on roads every day. This policy would be very unpopular with them.

在这里，我们有三个意思需要表达：（1）这项政策会影响到公共交通的成本;（2）有些人需要每天乘坐公共交通;（3）因此，这项政策对他们来说是不受歡迎的。如果，我们以“这项政策不受他们欢迎”为主句，那么“这项政策会影响到公共交通的成本”就可以安排成原因状语从句，而“有些人需要每天乘坐公共交通”则可以安排为定语从句来修饰“他们”。于是，上面三个句子就可合并为：

As it would affect the cost of public transport， this policy would be very unpopular with those who need to travel on roads every day.

以下介绍几个常见且容易模仿的复杂句型。

1. It is believed （said， reported， well-known， argued， assumed…） that…

It is believed by many that universities should concentrate on teaching students the subjects that will be useful for their future careers.

It is assumed that computers and the Internet are more important to a childs education than going to school.

It is commonly agreed that too much food and lack of exercise leads to obesity.

2. “which” 引导的非限定性定语从句

They have gained much experience， which will be useful in their future work.

Much progress has been made， which is a blessing for human race.

3. What引导的主语从句

What really matters is not just how serious the environmental problems have become， but how determined we are to solve them.

What role a teacher should play depends to a large extent on what kind of students he has.

4. While引导的转折和让步从句

While advertising does bring us useful information about new products and services， it also creates many problems.

Some people believe computer games have negative effects on society and should be banned， while other people say these are just harmless relaxations.

如前所述，句子的多样性不能仅由复杂句来实现，事实上，如果学生作文段落里充满了复杂句，这是很有风险的，一方面复杂句用得越多，学生犯错的几率就越大;另一方面复杂句使用不当的话，容易淹没学生想表达的主要意思，从而造成行文不连贯。老雅的经验表明，一篇250字左右的雅思范文，复杂句有5句左右即可。句子的多样性，还可通过其他手段来实现。以下介绍实现句子多样性的几种常见方法。

1. 状语提前

Without the natural talent， continuous training would be neither attractive nor productive.

To do this， we need to improve the choice of public transport services available to travellers.

Interestingly， some people hold that we should not use animals as source of food and clothing.

2. 插入语

Unlike western media， the newspapers in China usually report the positive developments， rather than the problems and emergencies， of the society.

Sport stars and pop stars， for instance， are soon replaced by the next younger， more energetic generation.

Spending too much time planning for future， as is argued by many people， is a total waste of time.

3. 用分詞短语/介词短语

Many people find their rewards unfair， especially when comparing their salaries with those of top surgeons or research scientists.

Giving children pocket money is a great way of teaching them the value of money and the benefits of saving.

In addition to dealing with stress， exercise is a way to lose weight and improve your mental and physical health.

4. 倒装句

Not only are parents responsible for their own actions， they are also responsible for their childrens behaviour.

Strange as it may seem， parents attention sometimes hinders students academic development.

5. 强调句

It is only those who reach the very top of their profession who can get these huge salaries.

It is the young people who keep the world going， but it is the old people who keep the young people going.

6. 被动语态

Many people suggest that traditions be respected and other people suggest they be abandoned.

Importation of cars from foreign countries should be discouraged.

由于语言习惯，中国学生在写作中喜欢表达条件、转折和原因，而他们常用的连接词就是if、although、because，有时候连续使用，同一篇文章中会出现多次，给人造成句式单调的感觉。老雅建议，如果写作中有冲动想使用if、although、because，可以考虑更换句型，使句子呈现多样性。

1. if （如果）冲动

If the government makes greater efforts， the pollution problem can be brought under control.

? With greater efforts made by the government， the pollution problem can be brought under control.

?Greater efforts made by the government can bring the pollution problem under control.

If people were allowed to carry guns， the world would become more dangerous.

?Were people allowed to carry guns， the world would become more dangerous. （高分）

?The permission to carry guns would render the world more dangerous.

If the female students and male students are encouraged to learn different subjects in school， the inequality between them will become intensified.

?Encouraged to learn different subjects in school， the female students and male students will become wider apart from each other. （高分）

?Learning different subjects in school will intensify the inequality between male students and female students.

2. though （虽然，尽管）冲动

Though children should be made to obey the rules， they should also be given enough freedom to make their own choices.

?While children should be made to obey the rules， they…

?Despite that children should be made to obey the rules， they…

?Children should be made to obey the rules， yet they should also…

Though the cheaper air travel has brought about many benefits， it has also posed a great threat to the resources and environment.

?For all the benefits brought about the the cheaper air travel， it has also posed…（高分）

Though it is a hard work， we should set about doing it immediately.

?Hard as the job is， we should set about doing it immediately.

3. because （因为）冲动

Because of the Internet， we can gain access to large amount of information in a blink of an eye.

? Thanks to the Internet， we can gain access to…

? The Internet enables us to gain access to…

? The Internet makes it possible for us to gain access to…

We must protect the wild animals， because many of them are on the verge of extinction.

? We must protect the wild animals， for many of them are on the verge of extinction.

? As many of the wild animals are on the verge of extinction， we must protect them.

? We must protect the wild animals， many of whom are on the verge of extinction.

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1唐伟胜，博士生导师，江西师范大学首席教授，英美文学学者。