英语正式文体与非正式文体的区别

以2009年的大作文为例，该作文为图画作文，图画是一张蜘蛛网上有很多人上网。图画中的中文提示词为：互联网的“远与近”，题目给出的要求是考生简要描述图画，阐明其含义，并发表评论。下面特意选择了考生大作文中普遍存在的非正式用语，并给出相应的正式用语进行比较。

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 crime people cut down serious harm job 正式用语 offense individuals reduce severe/grave damage(or destroy/undermine/jeopardise) 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 ad phone 正式用语 advertisement telephone 缩约词 shouldn’t won’t 正式用语 should not will not TV e.g。 paper PC television for example newspaper personal computer there’s don’t I’ve they’re there is do not I have they are Informl: People can’t put up with the alienation brought by the

Internet.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：

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。

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.

考生应该在注意把握信息点，注意信件的种类(即正式文体和非正式文体)。如果应用文考题是写给公司单位就要采用正式文体，如果考题是给朋友的话，就应当用非正式的普通用语考研英语阅读材料。对于正式文体，我们可以背诵有关投诉信，询问信，请求信，道歉信，感谢信，建议信，求职信，辞职信，邀请信的一些惯用表达。而非正式文体我们同样要注意词句方面不要写错，要准确多样。