推荐阅读:英文标点符号的使用句点(Full Stop / Period,“.”) 问号(Question Mark,“?”) 感叹号(Exclamation Mark,“!”) 逗点(Comma,“,”) 冒号(Colon,“:”) 分号(Semicolon,“;”) 连字符(Hyphen,“-”) 连接号(En Dash,“–”) 破折号
英文标点符号的使用句点(Full
Stop
/
Period,“.”)
问号(Question
Mark,“?”)
感叹号(Exclamation
Mark,“!”)
逗点(Comma,“,”)
冒号(Colon,“:”)
分号(Semicolon,“;”)
连字符(Hyphen,“-”)
连接号(En
Dash,“–”)
破折号(Em
Dash,“—”)
括号(Parentheses,小括号“(
)”;中括号“[]”;大括号“{}”)
引号(Quotation
Marks,双引号“"”;单引号“‘”)
缩写及所有格符号(Apostrophe,“‘”)一、.句点1.句点用于当一句话完全结束时。
2.句点也可以用于英文单词的缩写,如
Mrs.,
Dr.,
P.S.
等。但要注意的是当缩写的字母形成了一个单词的时候就不要使用句点。如
IBM,
DNA
等。二、?问号问号要用在一个直接的问句,而不是间接的。如
How
will
you
solve
the
problem?
是正确的用法,但用在
I
wonder
how
you
will
solve
the
problem?就不对了,应该使用句点而不是问号。另外,在客气的用语中,也是用句点而不是问号.如
Will
you
please
give
me
a
call
tomorrow.
三、!
感叹号感叹号用于感叹和惊叹的陈述中,在商业写作中要注意感叹号的应用,因为不恰当的使用会显得突兀及不稳重。四、;分号1.与中文一样,分号用于分隔地位平等的独立子句。在某些情况下,使用分号比使用句点更显出子句之间的紧密联系,另外分号也经常与连接副词
thus,
however,
therefore一起使用(放在这些词语之前)。如
I
realize
I
need
exercise;
however,
I’ll
lie
down
first
to
think
about
it.
2.在句子中如果已经使用过逗点,为了避免歧义的产生,就用分号来分隔相似的内容。如
The
employees
were
Tom
Hanks,
the
manager;
Jim
White,
the
engineer;
and
Dr.
Jack
Lee.
需要注意的是:一个完整的句子以大写字母开始,以句点结束。写英文时用逗点代替句点、分号、冒号或破折号叫“逗号错”,这正是中国学生所要避免的。请比较下列例句:误:It
was
raining
hard,
they
could
not
work
in
the
fields.(注意:上面句子中划横线的部分是两个不同的主语,而且逗点前后的句子是完整的-----单独拿出来都能代表一个完整的意思。因此,用逗号违反了英文规定,即一个句子只能有一套主干。)正:It
was
raining
hard;
they
could
not
work
in
the
fields.It
was
raining
hard.
They
could
not
work
in
the
fields.It
was
raining
so
hard
that
they
could
not
work
in
the
fields.They
could
not
work
in
the
fields
because
it
was
raining
hard.It
was
raining
hard,
so
they
could
not
work
in
the
fields.As
it
was
raining
hard,
they
could
not
work
in
the
fields.误:The
essay
is
poorly
organized,
there
is
no
central
idea.正:The
essay
is
poorly
organized;
there
is
no
central
idea.The
essay
is
poorly
organized:
there
is
no
central
idea.五、:冒号1.冒号用于对后面内容的介绍或解释,如
This
is
her
plan:
go
shopping.
2.冒号用于名单之前,特别是一个竖排的名单。We
transferred
three
employees
to
new
branches:?
Tony
Wang
to
New
York
City?
Mike
Jackson
to
Tokyo?
Mark
Foster
to
Paris当名单横排的时候,冒号要用在一个完整的句子之后,如
We
need
seven
people:
three
students,
three
engineers,
and
a
professor.
3.冒号用于一个正式的引用之前。如
The
professor
said:
“It
was
horrible.”
4.冒号也可用于商业或正式信函的称谓后面,如
Dear
Mr.
Lee:(美国英语中,信件或演说词的称呼语之后用冒号,而在英国英语中多用逗号。)5.冒号用于数字时间的表示,如16:45
或
4:45
p.m.
6.冒号用于主标题和副标题之间,如
Web
Directory:
World
and
Non-U.S.
Economic
Data
六、,逗点1.逗点用于分隔一系列的简单内容,如
I
will
go
to
Shanghai,
Beijing,
and
Shenzhen.2.逗点用于修饰名词的多个形容词之间,如
a
small,
fancy
bike
3.逗点用于连接两个较长的独立子句,而且每个句子的主语不同,如
The
Grizzlies
were
out
of
timeouts,
and
Miller
missed
a
desperation
3-pointer
as
time
expired.
4.逗点用于关联的子句之间,如
Since
he’s
your
younger
brother,
please
take
care
of
him.
5.逗点用于一个较长的修饰短语之后,如
In
the
middle
of
the
coldest
winter
on
record,
the
pipes
froze.
6.逗点用于直接引用的句子之前,如
Mary
said,
“Let’s
go
fishing.”(注意:这里说的和上面提及的冒号在直接引语中的使用不一样。如果是引用比较正式的发言讲话就要用冒号,一般情况下就用逗点。)如果句中含有间接引用就不需要逗点,如
Mary
said
we
should
go
fishing.
在反问句之前要使用逗点,如
:He
worked
very
hard,
didn’t
he?以上是比较常用的标点,下面列出一些次常用的标点:七、连字号Hyphen(
-)
1.连字号主要用于某些前缀(如:
self-,ex-和all-)
后和构成复合词。如:
ex-husband(前夫),brand-new(全新的),poorly-dressed(衣着破烂的)I
have
forty-thousand
or
fifty-thousand
dollars.
I
want
to
obtain
the
whole-year
or
half-year
lease
of
the
apartment.
当两个或两个以上复合词并用,
而各复合词连字号后的部分相同时,
各复合词的相同部分只出现一次,应改为the
whole-or
half-year
lease.
2.用于区分同一词源3.
当某复合词中出现重复的字母或过多的元音,
使阅读困难时,
可用连字号把前缀和词根分开。non-nuclear,
re-use,
semi-independent
4.
构成某些复合数字(在英文写作中,100以下的数字应该用英文单词写出来,不可用阿拉伯数字代替)twenty-one
during
the
years
1949-1999
有时,
用作名词的分数可以不用连字号,
但所有用作形容词的分词均须加连字号。如:
one
fourth
[
也可one-fourth
]
of
those
surveyed
5.用于一个词的一部分要移行,
一般按音节间断开单词加连字号(例如:ha-ppy,不可断为hap-py……),或根据发音,不要把单个字母留在行尾或行首。注意一页中最后一个单词不能使用连字号将其置于两页。八、圆括弧Parenthesis(
(
)
)
1.标出表顺序的数字和字母(如:
(1)
、(2)
等)
2.用来表示其中插入的或附加的解释成分。这个插入成分可以是单词、词组或句子.但要注意,括号会削弱强调作用,因此,如果要强调插入的句子成份,则要用破折号。They
might
take
a
walk
together(remember
feet)
and
see
the
neighborhood
with
fresh
,
new
eyes.
九、引号Quotation
Marks(“”‘’)
引号分单引号(single
quotation
marks)
和双引号(double
quotation
marks)
。单引号只用在一个直接引语中所含有的另一个直接引语上。1.
表示直接引语。当直接引语超过四行或多于40
个字词时,
一般不用引号而改用黑体字以便与文章的其它部分界线清晰“Well,
”the
foreigner
said
to
him
,“
you
look
like
an
engineer.
”句号和逗号必须置于引号(双引号和单引号)
之内。He
told
the
gunman
,“I
refuse
to
do
that
”;his
knees
,
however
,
were
shaking
even
as
he
said
those
words.
She
called
this
schedule
of
activities
her
“load
”:work
,
study
,
exercise
,
recreation
,
and
sleep.
冒号与分号必置于引号外。The
teacher
asked
,
“Could
you
understand
me”?
Did
the
teacher
ask
,“Have
they
gone”?Did
the
teacher
ask
,“They
have
gone
?”
The
frightened
girl
screamed
,“Help”!
The
fellow
only
said
,“Sorry
!”
He
interrupted
me
,
“Now
,
listen”——and
went
on
saying.
问号、感叹号和破折号有时置于引号之内,
有时置于外号之外。如果所引内容本身是疑问句或感叹句或带有破折号,
问号、感叹号或破折号一般放在引号之内。否则,放在引号之外。2.
标明短篇出版物的标题,
诸如杂志、报纸上的文章、短诗、短篇故事和整部书的某一章节。Have
you
read“The
Old
Man
and
the
Sea”?
Chapter
three
is
entitled“The
Internet
.
”
3.表示所用的词语具有特殊意义。另外,当俚语出现在较正式的文章中,
也用引号引起来,
以表示文风的有意转变。The
report
contained
the“facts”of
the
case.
The
speaker
owns
a“fat
farm”in
California
,
which
slims
down
rich
overeaters
for
$2
,
500
a
week.
4.
用于表示引起读者注意的词语,
或读者不熟悉的特殊词语。It
is
customary
to
say“Youpre
welcome”
whenever
anyone
says“Thank
you.
”
“SOS”is
a
message
for
help
from
a
ship
or
aircraft
when
in
danger.
十、省略号Ell
ipsis(...)
此省略号无论出现在句首、句中、还是句尾,都是表示单词的省略。1.
表示直接引语中的省略Max
wrote
,“...in
one
word
,manps
consciousness
,
changes
with
every
change
in
the
conditions
of
his
material
existence....”
句后的省略号和句号的写法应是在一条直线上的四个黑点。前三个黑点表示省略号,后一个黑点表句号。2.
表示说话中的犹豫或迟疑“If
that
the
way
you
think...just
go
back
to
school
,”he
said.
3.
表示段落或整行词句的省略,
须使用一整行黑点。十一、撇号或省字号Apostrophe(’)1.构成名词所有格rest
my
son’
sa
moment’s
books
A
three
weeks’pay
2.表示词、字母、数码、符号等的复数形式Don’t
use
so
many
ands
in
the
sentence.
How
many
5s
have
you
got?
这与一般单词的复数形式不同,
正规的写法须在s
前加“
’
”,
要牢记规则。3.除表动词的紧缩形式外,
还表一个或几个字母和数字的省略。I’ve
got
it.
“Yes
,ma’
am
,”the
waiter
said.
注意:有相当大一部分省略词是口语中的用法,不宜出现在书面语中。例如:I’d
like
to(在书面语中要写作I
would
like
to)十二、
字底线Underline(
)
和斜体Italics
斜体是英语的一种独特的书写手段,
但具有标点的作用,它和字底线的作用完全一样。1.
用于火车、飞机、轮船、太空船的名称之下Challenger
(飞机)
Apollo
Nine(太空船)
2.
用于具有一定厚度的书籍、报纸、杂志、长诗、电影、作曲的标题下Have
you
read
Gone
with
the
Wind
?在书写体中,长篇小说书名下要加字底线,如是印刷体写成斜体即可。the
Washington
Post
Time
magazine
3.表示不常用的或还没有被英语这一语言所接受的外来词或短语。但外来语中的动植物科目须用字底线来表示。In
Korea
,
the
sixty-first
birthday
is
calld
huan
gup
(beginning
of
new
life)
1
He
longed
for
La
dolce
vita.
4.
强调文章中的某些词语,以引起读者的注意,
相当于汉语中的着重号(即在所强调的汉字下加一个黑点)
。英国英语和美国英语标点符号的差异1.引号的用法:①属于引语的逗号、句号在美国英语中位于引号内,而在英国英语中多位于引号外;②引语内再套用引语时,美国英语中双引号在外单引号在内,而英国英语中的单引号在外、双引号在内。
在美国英语中,如果省略号恰好在句尾,就用四个点,如I‘d
like
to...that
is...if
you
don‘t
mind....
2.
冒号的用法:①在小时与分钟之间,美国英语多用冒号,英国英语多用句号;②美国英语中,信件或演说词的称呼语之后用冒号,而在英国英语中多用逗号。
中英文标点符号的差异
汉语中目前使用的标点符号是参考借鉴西文的标点体系而制定的,它既保留了西文标点的主体特征,又带有与汉语语言特点相适应的特色。因而,中英文标点符号之间存在着一定的差异。
⒈
汉语中的某些标点符号为英语所没有。
⑴
顿号(、):顿号在汉语中起分割句子中的并列成分的作用;英语中没有顿号,分割句中的并列成分多用逗号。如:
She
slowly,
carefully,
deliberately
moved
the
box.
注意:类似的情况下,最后一个逗号后可加and,这个逗号也可省略--She
slowly,
carefully(,)
and
deliberately
moved
the
box.
⑵
书名号(《》):英文没有书名号,书名、报刊名用斜体或者下划线表示。如:
Hamlet
/
Hamlet
《哈姆雷特》
Winter‘s
Tale
/
Winter‘s
Tale
《冬天的童话》
The
New
York
Times
/
The
New
York
Times
《纽约时报》
另外,英语中文章、诗歌、乐曲、电影、绘画等的名称和交通工具、航天器等的专有名词也常用斜体来表示。
⑶
间隔号(?):汉语有间隔号,用在月份和日期、音译的名和姓等需要隔开的词语的正中间,如"一二?九"、"奥黛丽?赫本(人名)"等。英语中没有汉语的间隔号,需要间隔时多用逗点。
⑷
着重号:有时汉语用在文字下点实心圆点表示需要强调的词语,这些实心点就是着重号。而英语中没有这一符号,需强调某些成分时可借助文字斜体、某些强调性词汇、特殊句型、标点停顿等多种方法。
⒉
英语中的某些标点符号为汉语所没有。
⑴
撇号--Apostrophe(‘)⑵
连字号--Hyphen(-)⑶
斜线号—Virgule
or
Slash(/):该符号主要起分割作用,如It
could
be
for
staff
and
/
or
students.
也常用于标音,如bed
/bed/。
⒊
某些符号在汉英两种语言中的形式不同。
⑴
中文的句号是空心圈(。)英文的句号是实心点(.)。
⑵
英文的省略号是三个点(...),位置在行底;中文的为六个点(......),居于行中。⑶
英文的破折号是(-)中文的是(--)中国学生常见标点符号错误例析(1)
顿号、书名号、句号、省略号错误。比较中英文标点符号可见,英文标点中没有中文形式的顿号、书名号、句号和省略号。而这四种标点符号成了大学英语写作中“借鉴频率较高的符号。如:
〔错误〕1.
While
she
is
reading《Gone
With
the
Wind》,
I
am
cooking。〔错误〕2.
My
sister
bought
a
lot
of
fruits
for
me
,
such
as
banana
、orange
、apple
and
pear.
英文中的印刷体用斜体字表示书籍、报刊、戏剧、电影、绘画作品等的名称,在书写体或打字机打的文本中用字下线表示斜体字;英文常用逗号来代替冒号;而句号是用实心小黑点表示。故以上两句应改为:
〔修改〕1.
While
she
is
reading
Gone
With
the
Wind
,
I
am
cooking.
(印刷体)
或While
she
is
reading
Gone
With
the
Wind
,
I
am
cooking.
(书写体)
〔修改〕2.
My
sister
bought
a
lot
of
fruits
for
me
,
such
as
banana
,
orange
,
apple
and
pear.
还有,英文中的省略号其实是三个句号的并列,许多学生由于受中文影响常错误地把英文省略号写成六点。
(2)
冒号错误。冒号是中英文兼有的标点符号。在汉语中,冒号是表示提示性话语之后的停顿,常用在“说、道、讲、问、唱、回答、喊、吼”等动词的后边,以标明下面的话是谁说的。此用法影响下列英文句子标点:
〔错误〕3.
I
thought
to
myself
:“What
kind
of
trap
is
she
laying
?”
〔错误〕4.
He
asked
:“Where
are
you
from
?”
以上两例中的冒号在英文中需用逗点表示。汉语中的冒号还可用在“如次“如下“例如“像等引起下文的提示语后边。在英文表达中,“for
example”(例如)
一类的词后常用逗点代替冒号。〔错误〕5.
Good
manners
can
be
seen
in
everyday
life.
For
example
:
a
person
with
good
manners
is
kind
and
helpful
to
others.
〔修改〕5.
Good
manners
can
be
seen
in
everyday
life.
For
example
,
a
person
with
good
manners
is
kind
and
helpful
to
others.
(3)
破折号错误。汉语中的破折号标明行文中解释说明的部分,而英文同位语也具有同等说明的功能,故英文写作中用破折号连接同位语成份的错误也屡见不鲜。如:
〔错误〕6.
We
are
studying
and
living
at
the
famous
university
—
Beijing
University.
〔修改〕6.
We
are
studying
and
living
at
the
famous
university
,
Beijing
University.
对于同位语,英语一般使用逗点而不用破折号。英文中破折号的用法远没有中文的丰富。在大学英语写作中,与语法知识有关的标点错误主要有:
(1)
把非限制性定语从句(non
-restrictive
attributive
clause)
理解成限制性定语从句(restrictive
attributive
clause)
而忽略用逗点。如:〔错误〕7.
We
were
led
into
a
nearest
fabric
shop
that
was
divided
into
two
parts.从句意来看,上句是一个非限制性定语从句,故应在shop
后加逗点,把that
相应改成which
即:〔修改〕7.
We
were
led
into
a
nearest
fabric
shop
,
which
was
divided
into
two
parts.(2)
不论状语从句在整个句子中处于何种位置,一概以逗点隔开。〔错误〕8.
We
will
go
there
,
if
it
is
fine
tomorrow.
状语从句可置于句首或句末。置于句首时,一般要用标点隔开;而置于句末时,则无需与主句隔开,故
以上句子应改为:
〔修改〕8.
If
it
is
fine
tomorrow
,
we
will
go
there.
或We
will
go
there
if
it
is
fine
tomorrow.
(3)
在疑问句形式的陈述句后使用问号。〔错误〕9.
What
fun
we
girls
could
expect
,
to
stay
in
the
same
class
,
studying
for
four
long
years
with
them
?I
wondered.
〔修改〕9.
What
fun
could
we
girls
expect
,
to
stay
in
the
same
class
,
studying
for
four
long
years
with
them
,
I
wondered.
英语疑问除可用问号来表达外,尚可用词序加以表达。故上例的疑问可用逗点表示。(4)
误把however
,therefore
,
because
,
thus
等起联系作用的副词当成并列连词,导致写作中的逗号粘连(comma
splice)
错误。〔错误〕10.
She
thought
what
the
teacher
pointed
out
was
right
,
however
,
she
didn’t
care
for
that
.
两个完整的句子或两个并列句之间不能一概用逗点点开,
可用句号、分号或在逗点后加并列连词(and
,
but
,
or
,
for
,
so
,
nor
,
yet)
等方法修改。故上例可改为:
〔修改〕10.
She
thought
what
the
teacher
pointed
out
was
right
.
However
,
she
didn’t
care
for
that
.或She
thought
what
the
teacher
pointed
out
was
right
;
however
,
she
didn’t
care
for
that
.或She
thought
what
the
teacher
pointed
out
was
right
,
but
she
didn’t
care
for
that
.
(5)
与comma
splice
相映成趣的是,许多学生作文时,极少考虑句子间的逻辑关系,一个逗点连首尾,导致大量熔句(fused
sentence)
的堆砌。例如:
〔错误〕11.
Young
men
like
blue
jeans
they
wear
them
all
the
time.
〔修改〕11.
Young
men
like
blue
jeans
;
they
wear
them
all
the
time.
或Young
men
like
blue
jeans.
They
wear
them
all
the
time.
或Young
men
like
blue
jeans
,
and
they
wear
them
all
the
time.
或Young
men
like
blue
jeans
;
they
wear
them
all
the
time.
或Since
young
men
like
blue
jeans
,
they
wear
them
all
the
time.
(6)
两个并列的形容词间以and
代替逗点。〔错误〕12.
Through
the
window
,
in
front
of
me
were
large
green
fields
which
reminded
me
of
the
small
clearing
where
I
spent
my
lonely
and
hard
childhood.
现代英语表达一般在两个形容词中间不使用and
,
而是用逗点分隔。〔修改〕12.
Through
the
window
,
in
front
of
me
were
large
green
fields
which
reminded
me
of
the
small
clearing
where
I
spent
my
lonely
,
hard
childhood因语体错位而造成的标点错误。英文写作是一种书面语的输出。其书面语体的特征要求其与口头语相区别。口语中存在的大量缩约(contraction)
在书面语体中应尽量避免。而许多学生在书面作文中大量使用省字号(’),几乎1/
3
左右的作文在文体上存在漏洞,现代英语的发展对此却难以容忍。如:
1.
I’d
like
to
share
my
joys
with
you.
(
I
would
like
to)
2.
.you
can’t
behave
like
that
.
(you
cannot)
3.
.there’re
so
many
splendid
toys
for
me
to
select
.
(there
are)
其他错误:(1)
引号错误。〔错误〕13.“No
pain
,
no
gain.
”If
you
.
〔修改〕13.
As
the
saying
goes
,“No
pain
,
no
gain.
”
英文中短小的引语与作者提示“某某说之类的词语之间用逗点隔开,置于引号内。不能省略提示语“某某说之类而直接引用。〔错误〕14.
Glancing
through
the
essay
entitled“Why
Not
More
?
”,
Dr.
Jefferson
frowned
thoughtfully.
〔修改〕14.
Glancing
through
the
essay
entitled“Why
Not
More
?,”Dr.
Jefferson
frowned
thoughtfully.
许多学生对诸如上例引号边的标点位置含糊,不清楚以下常用法:句号和逗号必须置于引号之内;冒号和分号必须置于引号之外;如果所引内容本身是疑问句或感叹句,问号和感叹号一般放在引号之内,否则,问号和感叹号则放在引号之外。(2)
日-月-年次序的日期中的逗号错误。英语日期的表达可以用月-日-年的次序和日-月-年的次序,日和年之间加逗号而月和年之间习惯上不加逗号。例如:
误把“13
August
2002”写成“13
August
,
2002”。(3)
在部分副词如perhaps
,
so
后加逗号。如:〔错误〕16.
Perhaps
,
I
would
not
have
such
a
good
chance
again.〔错误〕17.
So
,
they
keep
in
touch
with
each
other
merely
by
writing
letters
and
phoning
now.以上两句的修改方法是把句中的逗号去掉。(4)
连接号(hyphen)
错误。许多英语习作者往往随意用连接号派生单词,如把“boyfriend”写成“boy
-friend”;“middle
school”写成“middle
-school”。在行末单词分行时,连接号使用错误更多。与之相反,若把本应有的连接号粗心删去,其单词含义可能会大相径庭。如有一年美国政府在一份贸易清单上列举了一些免税进口的物品,其中有一种是foreign
fruit
—plants(外国果树苗),后来由于打字员的疏忽,漏打连接号使其成了foreign
fruit
,
plants(外国水果、树苗),结果导致第二年大量的水果如桔子、葡萄等从世界各地免税涌入美国市场从而使美国政府当年损失约200
多万美元。应用逗号而没用,造成语义的表达不清。Please
send
me
a
gross
each
of
the
red
,
green
,blue
,orange
and
black
ties.
使人看了以后不知是发5
摞(1
摞=
12
打)
—红、绿、蓝、橙、黑各一摞—
领带,还是发4
摞—红、绿、蓝、橙黑各一摞领带。这句话可改为:
①Please
send
me
a
gross
each
of
the
red
,
green
,blue
,orange
,and
black
ties.
②Please
send
me
a
gross
each
of
the
red
,
green
,blue
,orange-and-black
ties.
该用分号的地方用了逗点,
不该用标点的地方也用了逗点,都导致了句子的错误。①People
make
history
,
unusual
people
make
history
interesting.
此句逗点应改为分号,
这是两个独立分句。②Mary
was
happiest
when
she
was
free
of
her
parents’
scrutiny
,
or
while
she
was
working
in
her
garden.
此句的并列连词是连接的成对的从句,而不是独立分句,连词前面的逗号应去掉。标点符号的使用是约定俗成的,
初学写作的人只有牢记它的使用规则,
才能写出规范的文章来。