1. 你是做什么工作的呢?
False: What’s your job?
True: Are you working at the moment?
what’s your job這種說法難道也有毛病嗎?是的。因?yàn)槿绻恼勗拰?duì)象剛剛失業(yè),如此直接的問法會(huì)讓對(duì)方有失面子,所以您要問:目前您是在上班嗎,Are you working at the moment,接下來您才問:目前您在哪兒工作呢, where are you working these days,或者您從事哪個(gè)行業(yè)呢,What line of work are you in,順帶說一下,回答這類問題時(shí)不妨說得具體一點(diǎn),不要只是說經(jīng)理或者秘書。
2. 我很喜歡它。
False: I very like it.
True: I like it very much.
3 這個(gè)價(jià)格對(duì)我挺合適的。
False: The price is very suitable for me.
True: The price is right.
suitable(合適的、相配的)最常見的用法是以否定的形式出現(xiàn)在告示或通知上,如:下列節(jié)目?jī)和灰恕he following programme is not suitable for children在這組句子中用后面的說法會(huì)更合適。
4. 用英語怎么說?
False: How to say in English?
True: How do you say this in English?
How to say是在中國(guó)最為泛濫成災(zāi)的中國(guó)式英語之一,這決不是地道的英語說法。同樣的句子有:請(qǐng)問這個(gè)詞如何拼寫,How do you spell that please,請(qǐng)問這個(gè)單詞怎么讀,How do you pronounce this word。
5. 明天我有事情要做。
False: I have something to do tomorrow.
True: Sorry but I am tied up all day tomorrow.
用I have something to do來表示您很忙,這也完全是中國(guó)式的說法。因?yàn)槊繒r(shí)每刻我們都有事情要做,躺在那里睡大覺也是事情。所以您可以說我很忙,脫不開身:I’m tied up.還有其他的說法:I’m afraid I can’t make it at that time. I,d love to, but I can’t,I have to stay at home.
6. 我沒有英文名。
False: I haven’t English name.
True: I don’t have an English name.
許多人講英語犯這樣的錯(cuò)誤,從語法角度來分析,可能是語法功底欠缺,因?yàn)閔ave在這里是實(shí)義動(dòng)詞,而并不是在現(xiàn)在完成時(shí)里面那個(gè)沒有意義的助動(dòng)詞。所以,這句話由肯定句變成否定句要加助動(dòng)詞。明白道理是一回事,習(xí)慣是另一回事,請(qǐng)您再說幾話:
我沒有錢;I don’t have any money.
我沒有兄弟姐妹;I don’t have any brothers or sisters.
我沒有車。I don’t have a car.
7. 我想我不行。
False: I think I can’t.
True: I don’t think I can.
這一組然是個(gè)習(xí)慣問題,在語法上稱為否定前置,這就是漢語里面說“我想我不會(huì)”的時(shí)候,英語里面總是說“我不認(rèn)為我會(huì)”。以后您在說類似的英語句子的時(shí)候,只要您留心,也會(huì)習(xí)慣英語的說法的。
8. 我的舞也跳得不好。
False: I don’t dance well too.
True: I am not a very good dancer either.
當(dāng)我們說不擅長(zhǎng)做什么事情的時(shí)候,英語里面通常用not good at something,英語的思維甚至直接踴躍到:我不是一個(gè)好的舞者。
9. 現(xiàn)在幾點(diǎn)鐘了?
False: What time is it now?
True: What time is it, please?
What time is it now這是一個(gè)直接從漢語翻譯過的句子,講英語的時(shí)候沒有必要說now,因?yàn)槟豢赡軉杦hat time was it yesterday或者what time is it tommorow。所以符合英語習(xí)慣的說法是:請(qǐng)問現(xiàn)在幾點(diǎn)了?還有一種說法是:how are we doing for time這句話在有時(shí)間限制的時(shí)候特別合適
10. 我的英語很糟糕。
False: My English is poor.
True: I am not 100% fluent, but at least I am improving.
有人開玩笑說,全中國(guó)人最擅長(zhǎng)的一句英文是:My English is poor實(shí)話說,我從來沒有遇到一個(gè)美國(guó)人對(duì)我說:My Chinese is poor。無論他們的漢語是好是壞,他們會(huì)說: I am still having a few problem, but I'm getting better。當(dāng)您告訴外國(guó)人,您的英語很poor,so what(那又怎么樣呢) 是要讓別人當(dāng)場(chǎng)施舍給我們一些英語呢,還是說我的英語不好,咱們不談了吧。另外一個(gè)更大的弊端是,一邊不停的學(xué)英語,一邊不停地說自己的英語很poor,這正像有個(gè)人一邊給車胎充氣,又一邊在車胎上扎孔放氣。我堅(jiān)信,如果現(xiàn)在就苦下功夫,把EPTIP系列教材吃通吃透,您的IT職業(yè)英語水平立即就會(huì)迅速的提高。您以后和外國(guó)IT同行交流時(shí)再也不用說:我的英語很poor。您可以實(shí)事求事地說,我的英語還不算十分流利,但至少我在進(jìn)步。
11. 你愿意參加我們的晚會(huì)嗎?
False:Would you like to join our party on Friday?
True: Would you like to come to our party on Friday night?
join往往是指參加俱樂部或者協(xié)會(huì),如:join a health club; join the Communist Party。事實(shí)上,常常與party搭配的動(dòng)詞的come 或者go。如go a wild party,或者come to a Christmas Party。
12. 我沒有經(jīng)驗(yàn)。
False:I have no experience.
True: I am afraid I don’t know much about that.
I have no experience這句話聽起來古里古怪,因?yàn)槟恍枰f:那方面我懂得不多,或者這方面我不在行,就行了。I am not really an expert in this area.
13. 我沒有男朋友。
False: I have no boyfriend.
True: I don’t have a boyfriend.
14. 他的身體很健康。
False: His body is healthy.
True: He is in good health.You can also say: He’s healthy.
15. 價(jià)錢很昂貴/便宜。
False: The price is too expensive/cheap.
True: The price is too high/ rather low.
16. 我們下了車。
False: We got off the car.
True: We got out of the car.
17. 車速快了。
False: The speed of the car is fast.
True: The car is speeding. Or “The car is going too fast.”
18. 這個(gè)春節(jié)你回家嗎?
Will you be going back home for the Spring Festival?
False: 是的,我回去。Of course! (這一句是錯(cuò)的)
True: 當(dāng)然。Sure. / Certainly.(這種說法是正確的)
以英語為母語的人使用of course的頻率要比中國(guó)的學(xué)生低得多,只有在回答一些眾所周知的問題時(shí)才說of course。因?yàn)閛f course后面隱含的一句話是“當(dāng)然我知道啦!難道我是一個(gè)傻瓜嗎?”因此,of course帶有挑釁的意味。在交談時(shí),用sure或certainly效果會(huì)好得多。同時(shí),of course not也具挑釁的意味。正常情況下語氣溫和的說法是certainly not。
19. 我覺得右手很疼。
False:I feel very painful in my right hand.
True: My right hand is very painful.Or "My right hand hurts(aches)."
20. 他看到她很驚訝。
False: He looked at her and felt surprised.
True: He looked at her in surprise.
21. 我讀過你的小說但是沒料到你這么年輕。
False: I have read your novels but I didn't think you could be so young.
True: After having read your novel,I expected you would be older.
22. 她臉紅了,讓我看穿了她的心思。
False:Her red face made me see through her mind.
True: Her red face told me what she was thinking.
23. 看到這幅畫讓我想到了我的童年時(shí)代。
False:The sight of these pictures made me remember my own childhood.
True: Seeing these pictures reminded me of my own childhood.
24. 別理她。
False: Don't pay attention to her.
True: Leave her alone.
25. 我在大學(xué)里學(xué)到了許多知識(shí)。
False: I get a lot of knowledge in the university.
True: I learned a lot in universit.