你曾經因為睡過頭而這樣說嗎:Sorry, I slept over.錯了!sleep over 是過夜,sleep in才是睡過頭。
錯了!sleep over 是過夜,sleep in才是睡過頭。這種誤會說大不大,但有時真是糗。
英文說錯了沒人告訴你,外國同事朋友覺得「懂意思就好,沒必要糾正」、本國同事覺得「指出錯誤有點小尷尬」、「不用為你的英文負責」,於是你就帶著這些bug一輩子。
「Debug」徹底除錯適合有基本程度的English users,能自我介紹、做部分溝通,現在,把錯誤的文法、用字、口語說法…,徹底移除!
英語島採訪10位外籍教師最常聽到台灣學生犯的口語錯誤,歸納出6大類型,一次錯誤就是一次驚喜。從以下開始,剛剛的句子錯在……
錯誤No.1=>中文腦直譯
* 我沒辦法接受辣的食物。
(X)I won't accept eating spicy food.
(O)I don't like/prefer eating spicy food.
* 那大概只能撐5分鐘。
(X) Only might be work for five minutes.
(O) It might work for only five minutes.
* 這是我最不希望你做的事。
(X) This is the thing I don’t want you to do the most.
(O) This is the last thing I’d expect you to do.
*我有機會進行電話會議。
(X) I have the opportunity do a conference call.
(O) I have an opportunity to participate in a conference call.
*他們很在意……。
(X) They very care….
(O) They care very much….
*我希望時間由我自己做決定。
(X) I want my time to be decision by myself.
(O) I want my time to be decided by myself.
Solution: 說出來的英文常常很「中式」,可以(1)發現老外的句子和你不一樣,立刻寫下來重複練習 (2)讀中英對照文章,眼睛讀中文,嘴巴說英文,再去對和英文原文哪裡不一樣,把這些英文模式思考內建到大腦。
NO.2=>動詞不給力
*上禮拜認識了一個新朋友。
(X) I knew a new friend last week.
(O) I met a new friend last week.
*可以借一下廁所嗎?
(X) May I borrow your bathroom?
(O) May I use your bathroom?
*我要準備一場大考。
(X) I need to prepare for a big exam.
(O) I need to study for a big exam.
*我在泰國度假時住在一間不錯的飯店。
(X) I lived in a nice hotel during my vacation in Thailand.
(O) I stayed at a nice hotel during my vacation in Thailand.
Solution: 乍看之下文法沒錯的句子,其實用動詞被中文牽著走,有時候英文比較實事求是,「用」洗手間是use,「準備」考試其實是要study,「住」飯店其實只有停留stay幾天,邏輯通了就不容易再錯。
No.3=>詞性搞不清
*去大賣場真好玩。
(X) Going to the mall is so funny.
(O) Going to the mall is a lot of fun.
*這個方法有效多了。
(X) That way is more efficiency.
(O) That way is more efficient.
*亞洲人
(X) Asia people
(O) Asian people
*我很急。
(X) I was very rush.
(O) I was very rushed.
*你必須排出優先順序。
(X) You need to category your priorities.
(O) You need to categorize your priorities.
Solution: 學單字要見樹見林,不要只查單字翻譯,找有各種詞性例句字典,就能掌握正確用法。例如學「決定」這個字,可以上thefreedictionary.com熟悉怎麼用動詞decide、名詞decision、形容詞decisive。
NO.4 =>對象是誰沒在看!
* 誰在意!
(X) Who care!
(O) Who cares!
*他只是需要有一點紀律。
(X) He just need a little discipline.
(O) He just needs a little discipline.
*人們做了研究。
(X) People does research.
(O) People do research.
*他不會進來。
(X) He don't come in.
(O) He doesn't come in.
Solution: 一開始說得慢一些沒關係,腦中找到正確搭配的動詞變化再說出來,之後每次慢慢加快,就像運動一樣訓練久了,反應就變成直覺了。
NO.5=>沒有時間感
*他會遲到五分鐘。
(X) He will be late for 5 minutes.
(O) He will be late by 5 minutes.
*我明天白天時間會去辦這件事。
(X) I'll get it done tomorrow in the daytime.
(O) I'll get it done tomorrow during the daytime.
*我從小就認識他了。
(X) I know him since I was a child.
(O) I have known him since I was a child.
*臉書今年已經賺了64億。
(X) Facebook already gets $64 billion this year.
(O) Facebook already got $64 billion this year.
Solution:沒有時間感的錯誤有兩種,一種是看到時間就想用for;另一種是對於「期間」和「發生動作的時間」掌握不好,例如白天的時間是一段期間,介係詞要用during,認識一個人多久也是一段期間,要用完成式;而facebook賺了多少錢已經發生了,所以用過去式。
NO.6=>超愛about和with
*他們討論了下一季的目標。
(X) They discussed about the goal for next quarter.
(O) They discussed the goal for next quarter.
(O) They had a discussion about the goal for next quarter.
還有一種超容易錯用with的形容詞,都用在比較:
*與…類似
(X) similar with
(O) similar to
*與…不同
(X) different with
(O) different from
*與…一樣
(X) same with
(O) same as
*其中的不同
(X) the difference with
(O) the difference between
Solution: 因為學過talk about所以覺得discuss也要about,不用去想是及物或不及物動詞,只要記得少數容易搞錯的動詞就好。中文說與/跟…不同,所以說英文也自動加了with。感覺一下介係詞,similar to是一種「對應」的比較,different from是「不同於…」,same as有「就如同…」的意思,the difference between是兩件事「之間」的不同所以用between。這是一種語感的累積,需要時間,但是確立的用法多了,就會掌握越來越好。
錯誤還有,
*我從臺大畢業。
(X) I was graduated from National Taiwan University.
(O) I graduated from National Taiwan University.
Solution: “I was graduated from…”不是不能用,只是習慣用法是主動,被動用法有時也帶著一種好不容易學校才讓我畢業的語氣。
*我不知道我能/應該做什麼。
(X) I don't know what can/should I do.
(O) I don't know what I can/should do.
Solution: What can I do? 是問句的倒裝,The thing I can do才是一般的句型,所以I don’t know what (=the thing which) I can do. 理清楚就能應用所有類似句型。
*我們應該要更嚴謹。
(X) We should be more strict about the things.
(O) We should be stricter about the things.
Solution: 通常形容詞有三個以上的音節,比較級才會用more,例如:beautiful=>more beautiful。
英語島51張方法卡裡,有一張就叫做「Debug」。上方法卡網站,找出更多bug,還有配套練習!
Debug蟲蟲危機
51個創意英語學習法+發現世界的12條經典路線,讓你的耳朵聽見全世界的心跳,眼睛看見世界崛起,嘴巴說出世界感動,手底寫下隱藏的世界。
51個創意英語學習法+發現世界的12條經典路線,讓你的耳朵聽見全世界的心跳,眼睛看見世界崛起,嘴巴說出世界感動,手底寫下隱藏的世界。