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。因為如果您的談話對象剛剛失業(yè),如此直接的問法會讓對方有失面子,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,或者您從事哪個行業(yè)呢,What line of work are you in,順帶說一下,回答這類問題時不妨說得具體一點,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 這個價格對我挺合適的。
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)目兒童不宜。The following programme is not suitable for children在這組句子中用后面的說法會更合適。
4. 用英語怎么說?
False: How to say in English?
True: How do you say this in English?
How to say是在中國最為泛濫成災(zāi)的中國式英語之一,這決不是地道的英語說法。同樣的句子有:請問這個詞如何拼寫,How do you spell that please,請問這個單詞怎么讀,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,這也完全是中國式的說法。因為每時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誤,從語法角度來分析,可能是語法功底欠缺,因為have在這里是實義動詞,而并不是在現(xiàn)在完成時里面那個沒有意義的助動詞。所以,這句話由肯定句變成否定句要加助動詞。明白道理是一回事,習(xí)慣是另一回事,請您再說幾話:
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”的時候,英語里面總是說“我不認(rèn)為我會”。以后您在說類似的英語句子的時候,只要您留心,也會習(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)我們說不擅長做什么事情的時候,英語里面通常用not good at something,英語的思維甚至直接踴躍到:我不是一個好的舞者。
9. 現(xiàn)在幾點鐘了?
False: What time is it now?
True: What time is it, please?
What time is it now這是一個直接從漢語翻譯過的句子,講英語的時候沒有必要說now,因為您不可能問what time was it yesterday或者what time is it tommorow。所以符合英語習(xí)慣的說法是:請問現(xiàn)在幾點了?還有一種說法是:how are we doing for time這句話在有時間限制的時候特別合適
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,全中國人最擅長的一句英文是:My English is poor實話說,我從來沒有遇到一個美國人對我說:My Chinese is poor。無論他們的漢語是好是壞,他們會說: I am still having a few problem, but I'm getting better。當(dāng)您告訴外國人,您的英語很poor,so what(那又怎么樣呢) 是要讓別人當(dāng)場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,這正像有個人一邊給車胎充氣,又一邊在車胎上扎孔放氣。我堅信,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)英語水平立即就會迅速的提高。您以后和外國IT同行交流時再也不用說:我的英語很poor。您可以實事求事地說,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,如:join a health club; join the Communist Party。事實上,常常與party搭配的動詞的come 或者go。如go a wild party,或者come to a Christmas Party。
12. 我沒有經(jīng)驗。
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,因為您只需要說: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的頻率要比中國的學(xué)生低得多,只有在回答一些眾所周知的問題時才說of course。因為of course后面隱含的一句話是“當(dāng)然我知道啦!難道我是一個傻瓜嗎?”因此,of course帶有挑釁的意味。在交談時,用sure或certainly效果會好得多。同時,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。
False: I get a lot of knowledge in the university.
True: I learned a lot in universit