代名词在写手作业的写作中是非常直接且简单的,也正是如此才更容易出错。所以今天小编将为大家分享几个诀窍,避免再出现代名词的使用错误。
1、当指称某人或某事时,代名词的使用应保持一致。
举个例子:Self-efficacy refers to one’s belief in his or her ability to solve specific problems by applying their knowledge,在这个句子中,作者实用率one、his、her以及they来指称同一个人,从而导致整个句子的语意不清。鉴于此,我们建议作者选择一个单一的代名词并从头到尾保持一致,以避免读者混淆。譬如上句经修改变为:Self-efficacy refers to individuals’beliefs in their ability to solve specific problems by applying their knowledge。至于为什么不选择使用one?让我们继续看下去。
2、避免使用One
虽然在文法上使用它是没有错的,但却很少被用到学术写作中,因为one的使用会让人觉得作者做作且自负。再者,one没有所有格形式(如:mine、yours、hers等),无法表达one的所用格。相较美式英语,英式英语中更常使用one。
3、大多数期刊会要求使用中性的文字以避免性别歧视
当你在表达一个假设情况时,请尽量避免使用he,例如:A patient with Alzheimer disease may pose a burden to his family。这样的语言会强化社会偏见且让女性读者感到疏离。最简单直接的做法是将单数概念改为复数:Patients with Alzheimer disease may pose a burden to their families。另一个常用办法是使用he or she或his or her,但当这一用法频繁出现在一篇文章中,会使文章看上去相当冗赘。还有一种做法是使用不同性别的代名词,如:A patient with Alzheimer disease may pose a burden to his family.His family doctor should therefore consider whether to prescribe community support when she consults with him。此处,使用he来指称那位病患,并使用she来指称病患的家庭医生,同时用了两种性别的代名词。
4、另一个常见的代名词错误是代名词的单复数不一致
以下句为例:Cities with an effective mayor can flourish,句中使用了复数的城市,而市长却是单数,发生单复数不一致。应将句子改为:Cities with effective mayors can flourish或A city with an effective mayor can flourish。重要的是不可单复数混用,以避免不合逻辑的情况。
5、尽量避免使用虚拟代名词(dummy pronouns)
虚拟代名词指没有实际指代对象的代名词,it就常被用作虚拟代名词。例句:It is clear that elaboration of the activated microglia should be prevented,句中it没有任何意思,其功能仅是开启一个句子,该句可改写为:Elaboration of the activated microglia should clearly be prevented。请务必注意区分it是否为虚拟代名词。例如:On 28 March 2017,a mild-magnitude earthquake struck Springfield.It caused the destruction of a water tower and several automobiles,这里的it很清楚的是在指前一句提到的地震。相反地,It is evident that enterprises that do not alter their strategies will not survive,这里的it没有指代任何东西,因此被视为虚拟的而可以删除,而这个句子也必须做改写。
6、避免不明确的先行词(antecedents)
这基本上表示您应确保代名词所指称的对象必须是清楚的。以这个句子为例:Ca was located in the bone marrow;subsequently,it was added to culture media,读者无法清楚知道究竟是Ca(钙)或是bone marrow(骨髓)被放进culture media(培养皿)中,究其原因在于it的先行词未交待明确。为使语意清楚,可将句子改写:Ca was located the bone marrow and was subsequently added to culture media。