两种文体在语言特征上的主要差异首先表现在用词上，体现在以下几个方面：
    
    1. 正式文体常使用正式用语，非正式文体则常使用非正式用语，这两类不同的用语是在长期的使用过程中被约定俗成地固定下来的。比如以下非正式用语一栏中的词汇在考生大作文中普遍存在，可修改为右栏正式用语中的表达：

非正式用语	正式用语
crime	offense
people	individuals
cut down	reduce
serious	severe/grave
harm	damage(or destroy/undermine/jeopardise)
job	position

    具体而言，源于法语、拉丁语、希腊语的词语多用于正式文体；源于古英语的词语则多用于非正式文体。试比较：
    
    We should investigate the root cause of the problem.
    
    We should look into the root cause of the problem.
    
    Investigate源于拉丁语，属正式文体用语，而look into是古英语词汇成分，属非正式文体用语。
    
    2. 现代英语中的缩略词及缩约词多用于非正式文体，其相应的非缩略或非缩约形式则常出现在正式文体中。很多考生都忽略了这一区别，以下非正式用语栏中的表达都是从考生大作文中选出的，可修改为右栏正式用语中的表达。

缩略词	正式用语	缩约词	正式用语
ad	advertisement	shouldn’t	should not
phone	telephone	won’t	will not
TV	television	there’s	there is
e.g.	for example	don’t	do not
paper	newspaper	I’ve	I have
PC	personal computer	they’re	they are

    3. 很多考生使用了很多短语动词，而这正是非正式文体的一大特征，正式文体则常用与之同义的单个动词。试比较：
    
    Informl:  People can’t put up with the alienation brought by the Internet.
    
    Formal: Individuals cannot tolerate the alienation brought by the Internet.
    
    Informal: In this day and age, many people can make use of the Internet via computers or mobile phones.
    
    Formal: In this day and age, many individuals can utilise the Internet via computers or mobile phones.
    
    两种文体在语言特征上的第二类主要差异体现在语法上，具体包括以下几个方面：
    
    1. 在构成比较句型时，很多考生选择使用了人称代词的宾格形式，其实使用人称代词的主格形式要显得更正式些。
    
    Informal: He spent more time playing computer games than me.
    
    Formal: He spent more time playing computer games than I.
    
    2. 在表达“让步”概念时，很多考生选择使用的but, anyway, all the same, though, although等为非正式文体常用词语表达。正式文体则常使用yet, however, nevertheless, in spite of (despite), notwithstanding等词语，
    
    Informal: He tried to overcome his addiction to the Internet, but he failed.
    
    Formal: He endeavoured to overcome his addiction to the Internet; however, it turned out to be a failure.
    
    3. 在构成“方式状语”时，很多考生偏爱使用副词，而这正是非正式文体常用的表达方式，正式文体则常用介词和与该副词同根的词构成的介词短语：
    
    Informal: It’s very important to….
    
    Formal: It is of great importance to….
    
    4. 在表达“原因”、“后果”等概念时，很多考生由于水平所限，总是使用非正式文体常用的so, because或其他形式的表示原因的从句，正式文体则常用 on account of, accordingly, thus, hence, consequently, owing to (the fact that…)等词或词组，且比较经常地运用分词短语、独立主格结构等。
    
    Informal: Since computers had proliferated, many people become addicted to the Internet.
    
    Formal: Computers having proliferated, many people become addicted to the Internet.
    
    5. 在构成表示“目的”的状语时，很多考生使用具有非正式文体色彩的so as to；其实，用in order that引导的目的状语从句常出现于正式文体中：
    
    Informal: We should do more outdoor activities so as to enrich our life.
    
    Formal: We should do more outdoor activities in order that our life gets enriched.
    
    6. 很多考生不会使用由引导词it引导的句子（如it is said that…），实际上，这一结构多见于正式文体，不用这一结构而表达同一意义的句子多见于非正式文体：
    
    Informal: The number of students in the classroom has been going down.
    
    Formal: It has been noted with concern that the number of students attending class has been declining alarmingly.
    
    7. 很多考生省略关系代词、连词、介词，这些情况多见于非正式文体。
    
    Informal: He flunked many courses. He had been expelled from the college.
    
    Formal: He flunked so many courses that he had been expelled from the college.
    
    Informal: He dealt with the problem the way his classmates does.
    
    Formal: He dealt with the problem in the way his classmates does.
    
    Informal: We should prevent it going from bad to worse.
    
    Formal: We should prevent it from going from bad to worse.
    
    8. 在表达“请求某人做某事时”，很多考生选择使用具有非正式文体色彩的主动语态句式，而没有使用具有正式文体色彩的被动语态句式。
    
    Informal: Please communicate more with your friends and family.
    
    Formal: More communication with your friends and family is needed.
    
    9. 很多考生未能正确使用某些不定代词、动名词的复合结构，不太注意句子的主谓一致，未能体现文章的正式文体风格。
    
    Informal: Everybody should look after themselves.
    
    Formal: Everybody should look after himself.
    
    Informal: Everyone should do their best.
    
    Formal: Everyone should do his best.
    
    Informal: I’m not surprised at him failing the course.
    
    Formal: I am not surprised at his failing the course.
    

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