长句变短句

英语学术写作中，长句会加重读者的负担。推荐每个句子是15-18个词，最多不超过25个词。

1 长句中一般包含以下内容：

a.  连词或词组 (e.g. and, moreover, in fact, although, due to the fact that ).

b.  并列关系 (i.e. by enumerating their characteristics). 

c. 分号，冒号和许多逗号（当作者不想组织他的思想时）

2 长句如何变短句

a. and

(1) to join two verbs ( speak and write) and two nouns (English and Italian )

(2)  to add additional information ( and that this is true .. and to this end )

第二种用法会使得句子太长，一般考虑从and处断句

b. as well as

as well as is used to add some additional information. It is often used as an alternative to  and when the sentence might otherwise contain too many  ands  and would thus confuse the reader.

如果句子太长，则需要断句。

修改前: This finding could be explained by the specific  properties  of  gold,  silver  and platinum  as  well  as  by  the  conditions  in which these metals were found, for example silver was found in ..

修改后：This finding could be explained by the specific  properties  of  gold,  silver  and platinum. Another  explanation  could  be the conditions ...

修改后： ...  silver  and  platinum.  The  conditions in  which  these  metals  were  found  could also  be an  explanation . For example, ...

c. 其他添加额外信息的关联词：moreover, in addition, furthermore

这种断句，可以直接从关联词处断，用关联词引导新句子。

d. 表示转折和比较的关联词：whereas, on the other hand, although, however

其中on the other hand和however可以作为句子的开头。although是两部分，不能单独存在，需要从句。whereas也是常放在句中表转折，不能一个从句单独存在。

e. 表示解释的连词: because, since, as, in fact

since, as, because是连接两部分，不能单独存在，需要从句 

修改前：The chemical characterization of organic paint materials  in  works  of  art  is  of  great  interest in  terms  of  conservation,  because  /  since  /  as the organic components of the paint layer are particularly subject to degradation.

修改后：The  chemical  characterization  of  organic paint  materials  in  works  of  art  is  of  great interest  in  terms  of  conservation. This  is because  /  In  fact  the  organic  components of the paint layer are ...

f. 表示结果的连词: owing to, due to,as a result of, consequently, thus  etc.

g.  which 和从句

h.  ing form

修改前：As can be seen from Table 1, the concentrations were  far  higher  than  expected  especially  in the  first  set  of  samples,  indicating  that  one cause of pollution was ...

修改后：As can be seen from Table 1, the concentra-tions were far higher than expected especially in the first set of samples.  This indicates  that one cause of pollution was ...

i. in order to

修改前：In order to establish a relationship between document length and level of bureaucracy and to confirm whether documents, such as reports regarding legislative and administrative issues, vary substantially in length from one language to  another,  we  conducted  an  analysis  of  A,  B and C.

修改后：We  conducted  an  analysis  of  A,  B and C.  The aim of the analysis was to  establish ....

修改后：We  wanted  to  establish  a  relationship between  ..  language  to  another. To  do this , we conducted ...

j. 过多的逗号

k.分号和冒号的使用

现代英语中一般不用分号和冒号，而是直接断句。如果分号表示并列，句子不长的时候可以考虑使用。如果句子很长，还是考虑断句。

l. 括号的使用

Phrases in parentheses can considerably increase the length of a sentence. Parentheses are best used just to give short lists that act as examples. 

For example: Several members of the European Union (e.g. Spain, France and German) have success -fully managed to reduce their top tax threshold from 42 to 38%.

Parentheses should be avoided when giving explanations or examples that are not lists. 

For example: Using automatic translation software can considerably ease the work of researchers when they need to translate documents thus saving  them  money  (for  example  the  fee they  might  have  otherwise  had  to  pay  to  a professional  translator)  and  increasing  the amount  of  time  they  have  to  spend  in  the laboratory rather than at the PC.