| 動詞時態的一貫性 記住：如果你是以現在式寫文章，千萬別變換到過去式
(反之亦然) --
除非你有很好的理由這麼做。例如，在下面的句子中，我們沒有理由從現在式變換到其他時式。在撰寫有關文學的論文或相關文章時，尤其必須遵守這原則：盡可能維持現在式。
| 丈二金剛 |
In Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, the
narrator is one of the few truly successful characters in terms of moral
development. However, she was also seriously flawed in some ways.
|
| 修路工人 |
In Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, the
narrator is one of the few truly successful characters in terms of moral
development. However, she is also seriously flawed in some ways.
|
| 丈二金剛 |
She intended to play for the team during
the upcoming season, but then she blows out her knee. [雖然在平常說話時我們經常像這樣從過去式變換到現在式，但在寫作時則不可以這樣。]
|
| 修路工人 |
She intended to play for the team during
the upcoming season, but then she blew out her knee. |
代名詞參照的一貫性
記住：如果你是指 you，或 we，或 I，或 one，那麼在句子中前後都要維持相同的格。(請參考名詞與代名詞的格。)
One You should observe this
carefully whenever you write.
| 丈二金剛 |
In Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, we find the
narrator to be one of the few successful characters in terms of moral development.
However, even the narrator, you soon realize, is seriously flawed. [我們已從第三人稱複數的
"we" (在寫與文學有關的文章時，這相當常見)
變換到第二人稱單數的 "you"。]
|
| 修路工人 |
In Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, we find the
narrator to be one of the few successful characters in terms of moral development.
However, even the narrator, we soon realize, is seriously flawed.
|
| 丈二金剛 |
People enjoy themselves immensely at UConn women's
basketball games. You don't have to be an expert in basketball to get caught up in
the crowd's enthusiasm. [在這些句子中，我們已從第三人稱的複數參照
"People" 變換到第二人稱的 "you"。]
|
| 修路工人甲 |
[我們可以改寫成：] People enjoy themselves
immensely at UConn women's basketball games. One doesn't have to be an expert in
basketball to get caught up in the crowd's enthusiasm. [然而，過不了多久"one"
就會讓人覺得過於正式和拘謹。]
|
| 修路工人乙 |
[大多數寫作者可能會比較喜歡這樣改：] People
enjoy themselves immensely at UConn women's basketball games. It isn't necessary to be an
expert in basketball to get caught up in the crowd's enthusiasm. |
請參考代名詞的性別以避免在代名詞參照時發生性別問題。 |