| 一张房地产传单中这么写： “We have qualified Hong Kong PR and local buyers who want to purchase a flat in this area, if you have the intention to sell your flat, please contact us immediately. ” 认识英语的人，都懂得这话的意思。可惜的是，这话的英语用得不好， 共有六处不符合标准。 现在一一指出如下： ⒈“We have qualified Hong Kong PR and local buyers”：这里的“Hong Kong PR”可以译为“香港的永久居民”，但文中要的应该是“来自香港的永久居民”（Singapore Permanent Residents from Hong Kong）。此外，“PR”要改为复数（PRs）才对。在“ local buyers”里“local”（本地的）较短，根据修饰语的排列秩序，应该先排。此外，“buyers”后面有个形容词分句提到买组屋的事，“buyers”便成为多余的元素了。最后，修饰语“qualified” 虽然用法对，但选词不妥当。“Qualified”表示“有知识”或“有资格”，但这里要的是“合条件的”或“适当的”修饰语，那就是“ eligible”或“suitable”了。 ⒉“...who want to purchase a flat in this area...”里的 “a flat”不能说错，但根据上下文，应该用复数的“flats”较合理。 ⒊在“...if you have the intention to sell your flat... ”之前的句子已告一段落，应该加上句号；不然又和这个条件副词分句连起来了， 叫“run-on sentences”，在句法上， 是错误的。此外，“have the intention to sell”这个名词句型正确的构造是： “have the intention of selling”，反义句是：“have no intention of selling”。 上述这个名词句型相当常见，其形式如下： “动词（形容词）＋名词＋介词＋宾语”。例如： John expressed dissatisfaction with lrene's work. Jason is a specialist in language teaching.
David has full confidence in my ability. I took great delight in writing. 这个名词句型可以和“动词＋介词＋宾语”的动词句型及“Be＋形容词＋介词＋宾语”的形容词句型，意思也相近。例如：
John was dissatisfied with lrene's work. Jason specialises in language teaching. I was greatly delighted with singing. He delighted in writing. David is fully confident of my ability. 最后，我们可以将全面修改后的句子写下： “We have eligible local people and Singapore permanent residents from Hong Kong who want to purchase flats in this area. If you have the intention of selling your flat, please contact us immediately.” 如果把形容词分句节缩一下，去掉“who want”，并将名词句型 “have the intention of”变成动词“intend to”全段将更紧凑简练： “We have eligible local people and Singapore permanent residents from Hong Kong to purchase flats in this area. If you intend to sell your flat, please contact us immediately. ”（陈清霖） 在学习英语时若碰到困难，可将问题邮寄或传真给我们。 地址：82 Genting Lane,News Centre, Singapore 349567 传真：7491447 电邮：zbnow@cyberway.com.sg |
