(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)

（编辑：何莹莹）