总的来说，汉英的语序基本一致。
正是因为这种语序是基本一致的，在汉英翻译时不一致的地方就容易出差错。
由于两种语言文化的表达、表述的习惯不同，形成一些固定说法的格式不同，如下面的例子，翻译时只有死记硬背。
这种死记硬背非常重要，是翻译的重要基本功之一。
在过去的翻译书中技巧讲得很多，但也应该重视固定说法的背诵功底。
1、英汉词序错位水火fire and water 贫富rich and poor 新旧old and new长短short and long 细长long and thin 男婴baby boy女婴baby girl冷热hot and cool凉爽nice and cool 前后back and forth 左右right and left软硬hard and soft 轻重heavy and light 晴雨rain or shine增损loss and gain 水陆land and water 饮食food and drink 钢铁iron and steel 死活life and death手臂arms and hands河流湖泊lakes and rivers山水waters and mountains科学技术art and science中小型small and medium文艺art and literature衣食food and clothing唯一的one and the only同一的one and the same血肉flesh and blood此时此地here and now文武military and civilian三三两两in twos and threes敌我ourselves and the enemy物理化学chemistry and physics工农业agriculture and industry年月month and year，time and tide田径(运动)track and field (events)迟早sooner or later，first and last水土流失soil erosion and water loss新郎新娘the bride and the bridegroom手疾眼快quick of eye and deft of hand喜怒哀乐anger, grief, joy and happiness水乳交融as well blended as milk and water2、有一些情况汉英说法顺序差不多如：上下up and down高低high and low老幼old and young父母father and mother夫妇man and wife黑白black and white(生活)沉浮ups and downs彻头彻尾from head to foot来龙去脉from beginning to end来来往往come and go, back and forth 3、汉语习语中常有同义重复表达。
如“徘徊”、“回环”、“温暖”、“思想”、“道路”等，英语中也有这种结构如：time and tide岁月wear and tear磨损near and dear亲近lord and master主人wants and likes喜好the rank and file百姓(or，rank-and-filer)选修课英汉翻译8：词序调整法翻译下列句子，注意调整词序：1). To design means to make the drawing of something new according to a plan. 设计就是按计划画出某个新东西的图样。
2). This is the only reference book available here on the subject. 这是这里唯一能找到的有关该问题的参考书。
3). Can you tell me something about the economic system there? 你能不能和我谈一谈那里的经济体制。
4). According to the new school of scientists, technology is an overlooked force in expandin g t he horizons of scientific knowledge. 根据新学派科学家的观点，技术是开拓科学知识领域的一种被忽视的力量。
5). What is called “modern civilization” is not the result of a balanced development of all man’s nature, but of accumulated knowledge applied to practical life. 所谓“现代文明”并非是人的全部天性均衡发展的结果，而是用实际生活的积累起来的知识的产物。
6). With the baby boom, the focus of educators and of laymen interested in education inevitably turned toward the lower grades and to basic academic skills and disciplines. 因为生育高峰的来临，教育工作者和对教育感兴趣的圈外人士关注的焦点不可避免地转向了较低的年级以及基本的学习技能和基础学科。
[interested in education 是后置定语修饰laymen，应译成“对教育感兴趣的圈外人士”。
同时要注意interested in education不是修饰educators和laymen两种人的。
]7). This is a grand conception that excites and provokes. 这是一个令人激动、给人动力的观念。
8). It is said the trees in that area are mostly over thirty feet tall. 据说那一带的树多数都三丈多高。
9). We are responsible for actions performed in response to circumstances for which we are not responsible. 如何对环境作出反应是我们的责任，尽管我们对环境本身无能为力。
(不可译作“我们对那些对我们不负责任的环境作出的反应负有责任。
”)10). Yesterday I met a man with a white beard. 昨天我遇到一位白胡子老头。
11). We prepare our lessons carefully in the reading room every evening. 我们每天在阅览室仔细地准备功课。
12). The branch of science, artificial intelligence, is developing rapidly. 人工智能这门科学正在迅速地发展。
13). I remember having seen him somewhere. 我记得在哪见过他。
14). She didn’t do it intentionally. 她不是有意这样做的。
15). Students are playing ping-pong in high spirits at the cub now. 学生们现在正在俱乐部兴致勃勃地打乒乓球。
16). Mr. Albert suddenly died in New York at twenty past two p.m. on October 16, 1990. 艾伯特先生于1990年10月16日在纽约突然逝世。
17). We walked across the garden in the gray light of the dawn with a bag of toys and books. 我们提着一口袋玩具和书籍，在晨曦中穿过花园。
18). The law operates universally, whether in the natural world, in human society, or in man’s thinking. 这个规律无论在自然界、人类社会还是人类思维中，都普遍地起着作用。
19). I was born in Burdine, Kentucky, in the heart of Appalachian coal-mining country. 我出生于阿巴拉契山脉煤矿区中心的肯塔基州柏定市。
20). His success resulted in part from his ability to sell the product. 他的成功部分源于他销售产品的能力。
21). Such has not been the case, at least not for the last 150 years. 至少在近150年以来，情况并非如此。
22). To the surprise of everyone, his plan succeeded. 他的计划出人意料地成功了。
[解析：习惯表达法to one’s surprise在英语中通常放句首。
翻译时似乎也已形成了固定模式----“让某某惊奇的是”。
实际上调整一下语序就可以摆脱这种呆板的译法。
]23). Horrified I reeled into my parents’ room.我吓坏了，跌跌撞撞跑进爸妈的房里。
[此句不能译成“吓坏了，我……”。
英语中分词作状语可以放在主语之前，尤其当分词词组较短时，一般将它移置主语之后。
]24). Staring at the ceiling, I spent another sleepless night. 我盯着天花板，又一夜未眠。
25). Early breeding is advantageous for the young birds because it gives them more time to gain weight and foraging experience before the onset of winter. 提早孵育对幼鸟有益，因为在冬天来临之前它们将有更多的时间增长体重、积累觅食的经验。
[这句话中一处较明显的语序调整是将时间状语before the onset of winter前提。