中英文语言存在文化差异,英语中动词名词化的使用非常常见,然而,由于思维方式的原因,对于中国学生来说,在写英语作文的时候,名词化并不是想象中的那么容易。擅用名词化不仅体现了你的新托福写作水平,更是一种思维方式。

曾有人说过,老外眼中句子分为3个档次,最差的是主动句,较好的是被动句,倒装句等,最好的nominalization(名词化)的句子,这样的句子最学术最适合写论文。

如果在托福写作中,如果能见到一些名词化的句子,必将为自己的托福写作冲刺高分带来帮助。

有人更是戏说道,老外眼中句子分为3个档次,最差的是主动句,较好的是被动句,倒装句等,最好nominalization(名词化)的句子,这样的句子最学术最适合写论文。那么面对这样的差异,我们需要重新审视我们写作中的思维方式,做到如何恰到好处又不“画蛇添足”。

简单说,名词化即是动词或形容词被用作名词的现象。比如动词转成名词:discovery->discovery, move->movement, refuse->refusal,又比如形容词转成名词:careless->carelessness, difficult->difficulty, intense->intensity。那么什么情况下,我们需要进行名词化呢?

A 谓语动词的宾语部分

原句:I do not know either what she meant or what he intends.

名词化:I do not know either her meaning or his intentions.

B 结合被动形式

原句:If people decide without enough persuasive information,...

名词化:If a decision is made without enough persuasive information,...

C 取代诸如从句中“the fact that”的用法

原句:The fact that I denied what he accused me of impressed the jury.

名词化:My denial of his accusations impressed the jury.

更好的名词化:a. When I denied his accusations, I impressed the jury.

b. In denying his accusations, I impressed the jury.

D 名词化部分用在there is/are的后面

原句:We demand that the government stop taxing entertainment.

名词化:There is a demand for an end to taxation on entertainment.

原句:The floods considerably eroded the land.

名词化:There was considerable erosion of the land from the floods.

然而,有些时候,在我们的新托福写作方式中认为理所应当使用“名词化”时,老外认为是没有必要的。比如:

A 名词化部分跟在动词后面

原句(名词化“冗余”):The police conducted an investigation into the matter.

改后:The police investigated the matter.

B 名词化部分作为主语

原句:Our discussion is concerned with a tax cut.

改后:We discussed a tax cut.

C 连续进行名词化

原句:a. First, she reviewed the evolution of the dorsal fin.

b. There was a first a review of the evolution of the dorsal fin.

改后:First, she reviewed how the dorsal fin evolved.

D 连接部分名词化

原句:Their cessation of hostilities was because of their personnel losses.

改后:They ceased hostilities because they lost personnel.

原句:The instability of the motor housing did not preclude the completion of the field trials.

改后:Even though the motor housing was unstable, the research staff completed the field trials.