Whether we 're composing a blog or a business letter, an email or an essay, our usual goal is to respond clearly and directly to the needs and interests of our readers. These 10 tips should help us sharpen our writing whenever we set out to inform or persuade.

无论我们是写博客，还是写商业信函，发电子邮件还是写文章，通常我们的目标都是明确且直接地回应读者的需求和兴趣。这10个提示可以帮助我们提高写作水平，不管是我们是想通知事情还是试图说服别人。

 

1. Lead with your main idea.

以主题句开头。


As a general rule, state the main idea of a paragraph in the first sentence--the topic sentence. Don't keep your readers guessing.

一般规则是这样的，用段落的第一句话——也就是主题句，来陈述整个段落的中心思想。不要让你的读者看了文章一头雾水。

 

2. Vary the length of your sentences.

句子长度要多样化。


In general, use short sentences to emphasize ideas. Use longer sentences to explain, define, or illustrate ideas.

一般来说，用短句强调想法。用较长的句子解释、下定义或者阐述想法。

 

3. Put key words and ideas at the beginning or end of a sentence.

把关键词和想法放在句子的开头或结尾上。

Don't bury the main point in the middle of a long sentence. To emphasize keywords, place them at the beginning or (better yet) at the end.

不要把重点放在长句的中间。想要强调关键词的话，把它们放在开头或结尾（放结尾比放开头效果还要好）。

4. Vary sentence types and structures.

句型和结构要多样化。


Vary sentence types by including occasional questions and commands. Vary sentence structures by blending simple, compound, and complex sentences.

可以通过时不时写点问句和命令式来丰富句型。想要改变句子结构的话，可以混用简单句、复合句还有复杂句。

 

5. Use active verbs.

使用主动动词。

 

Don't overwork the passive voice or forms of the verb "to be." Instead, use dynamic verbs in the active voice.

不要过度使用被动语态或者“to be”形式的动词，应该使用主动语态和动态动词。

 

6. Use specific nouns and verbs.

使用特定的名词和动词。


T

o convey your message clearly and keep your readers engaged, use concrete and specific words that show what you mean.

为了清楚地传达信息并且让读者们参与进来，我们需要使用具体而且明确的词语来表达意思。

 

7. Cut the clutter.

删去混乱的词句。


When revising your work, eliminate unnecessary words.

在修改文稿的时候，应当去掉不必要的词。

 

8. Read aloud when you revise.

修改文稿时大声朗读。


When revising, you may hear problems (of tone, emphasis, word choice, and syntax) that you can't see. So listen up!

修改文稿的时候，你可能会“听”到一些你“看”不到的问题（语气、重音、单词的选择和句法）。所以要仔细听！

 

9. Actively edit and proofread.

积极主动地编辑和校对。


It's easy to overlook errors when merely looking over your work. So be on the lookout for common trouble spots when studying your final draft.

只是简单看看稿子会很容易忽略里面的错误。所以在研究最后一版草稿时，要留心经常容易犯错的地方。

 

10. Use a dictionary.

使用字典。


When proofreading, don't trust your spellchecker: it can tell you only if a word is a word, not if it's the right word.

在校对的时候，不要过于信任自动拼写检查工具：它只能告诉你你用的这个词是否存在，而不能告诉这个词你用得对不对。

 

We'll close with a cautionary note borrowed from George Orwell's Rules for Writers: "Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous."

借用乔治奥威尔《作家的准则》中一句警示语来结束本文：“文章不可能完全按照规则来，有时候不得不打破规则来更好地写作。”

 

翻译：Andrea安宁