如何做到句子多样性（二）

上一次我们讨论了英语中的4种基本句型——simple sentence, complex sentence, compound sentence, and compound-complex sentence。搞清楚了它们的区别，我们今天就来谈谈一些增加句子多样性的简单有效方法。

一、通过调整modifier的位置避免单一“主+谓+宾”的结构

英语中的modifier是对所有形容词性和副词性的句子成分的统称。它可以是一个简单的形容词单词，也可以是一个很长的条件状语从句，只要它是形容词性或副词性的。

一个句子中可以有很多modifier，为了避免枯燥的“主+谓+宾”结构，一个最简单但又很实用的方法，就是把其中的一些modifier提到句子的开头来。能够被提到句子开头而又不改变句子含义的，一般就是副词性的modifier了，譬如：

A few drops of water eventually began to trickle into the bucket.

可以变为：

Eventually, a few drops of water began to trickle into the bucket.

A pair of ducks flew over the pond just as the sun was coming up.

可以变为：

Just as the sun was coming up, a pair of ducks flew over the pond.

这里的划线部分无论是单词还是从句，都是副词性的，所以可以在句子中灵活调整位置，从而改变句子结构，形成多样性。形容词性的modifier一般是不能随意调整位置的，否则会出现语病或歧义，但各种分词短语往往也是可以提到句子开头的：

Edward, dejected and down, nearly gave up his job search.

可以变为：

Dejected and down, Edward nearly gave up his job search.

无论是哪种modifier被提到开头，大家都要注意避免语法错误，譬如dangling modifier。

二、Coordination和subordination结构混合使用

什么是coordination 和 subordination？

其实这就所谓的并列结构和主从结构。我们上次说到的compound sentence就是coordination并列结构的一种；而complex sentence就是subordination主从结构的一种。这两种结构还涉及到句子的重点如何安置，我们以后有时间再讨论，这里主要想强调的是4种句型混合使用，而不是单一的simple sentence。譬如在这篇我们课上的范文中，就使用了各种不同句型来描述孔雀的生活日常：

SIMPLE:

Frequently the cock combines the lifting of his tail with the raising of his voice.

COMPOUND:

Any chicken’s dusting hole is out of place in a flower bed, but the peafowl’s hole, being the size of a small crater, is more so.

COMPLEX:

The peacock does most of his serious strutting in the spring and summer when he has a full tail to do it with.

COMPOUND-COMPLEX:

The cock’s plumage requires two years to attain its pattern, and for the rest of his life, this chicken will act as though he designed it himself.

—— Flannery O’Connor’s “The King of the Birds,” an essay describing the author’s pet peafowl.

三、倒装句

当句子中的谓语动词被提到了主语之前，这就是倒装句。关于倒装句的详细介绍，大家可以查阅我们之前的文章《英语里让人困惑的倒装句》 在写作中不时用一下倒装句，不仅能起到强调作用，也能增加句子的多样性：

Huge lavender hearts outlined in bright white lights were set at the top corners of the stage.

可以变为：

Set at the top two corners of the stage were huge lavender hearts outlined in bright white lights.

四、设问句和反问句

设问句就是我们常说的“自问自答”，是用问答的方式来表达自己的观点；而反问句则不需要回答，问题本身就是答案，就是自己的观点。无论是中文还是英文写作，它们都是常见的句式，合理使用也可以增加文章句型的多样性：

Virginia Woolf, in her book A Room of One’s Own, wrote that in order for a woman to write fiction she must have two things, certainly: a room of her own (with key and lock) and enough money to support herself. What then are we to make of Phillis Wheatley, a slave, who owned not even herself ? This sickly, frail black girl who required a servant of her own at times — her health was so precarious — and who, had she been white, would have been easily considered the intellectual superior of all the women and most of the men in the society of her day.