这一节主要以示例形式给出中国人在英文写作时易犯的语法错误。
摘自我在2016年12月给MA开发工程师所做技术写作讲座（Writing Tips for Technical Guides)。
Ambiguous Pronoun References
When two or more nouns precede a pronoun, the one to which the pronoun refers is ambiguous. Pronouns usually identify themselves with the nearest nouns.
Example: You can add a table to the database and modify it.
Corrected: You can add a table to the database and modify the table.
Misunderstanding Caused by Dangling Participles
Dangling participles are present or past participles that are hanging there in your sentence with no proper subjects in sight.
Dangling participles can cause serious misunderstanding. A participle goes with the noun or pronoun closest to it, either directly preceding or following it.
Example: Designed to help implement specialized reporting, you can use this feature to automate your data downloads.
Corrected: Designed to help you implement specialized reporting, this feature enables automated data downloads.
Misused Lists
Use a bulleted list for items that do not need to be in order.
Use a numbered list for items that need to be in order.
Example: IIS 6.0 supports two modes of operation:
1. IIS 5.0 isolation mode
2. IIS 6.0 native mode
Corrected:
IIS 6.0 supports two modes of operation:
*IIS 5.0 isolation mode
*IIS 6.0 native mode
Missing Noun Determiners
Use noun determiners to help identify the nouns that follow. Noun determiners include:
- Articles: a, an, the
- Possessive nouns, such as Elena’s. Possessive pronoun/adjectives: my, your, his, …
- Demonstrative pronoun/adjectives: this, that, these, those
- Quantifiers: all, any, each, either, every, few, many, more, most, much, some, several, and so on.
- Numbers: one, two, and so on.
Example: The Preview pane provides user a quick view on workflow-level information .
Corrected: The Preview pane provides users a quick view on the important workflow-level information.
Unclear Words
Unclear words are often ambiguous and subject to misinterpretation.
Example: Since you registered on Support Web, you can begin downloading the setup file.
Corrected: Because you registered on Support Web, you can begin downloading the setup file.
Example: Once you register as a new user on Support Web, you can begin downloading the setup file.
Corrected: After you register as a new user on Support Web, you can begin downloading the setup file.
Miscellaneous
Indicate the names for UI components that you will reference later.
Example: In a New Page window, click Edit.
英文技术写作系列
