1 第四节
英文写作中过渡词的运用
无论是英语还是汉语，段落不仅讲究内容的统一性，也讲究段落的连贯性。讲究段落内几层意思的彼此相互关联，句与句之间的语义衔接自然，这样读者能自然地由上文过渡到下文。我们用形象的比喻，可把段落连贯看成是一个语义链。段落内的句子是其中的一节链，一节必须扣住一节。而要做到这一点，每一个句子都要包含一些和上一句相似或有关的东西，才能借此扣住连接起来。而如果两句内根本没有相同的东西，就如同两节链因没有可以互相扣住的地方而断开了。用图来表示语义链就是：
AB—BC—CD—DE—EF—FG—GH—H。
只有形成这样的语义链，才能达到段落的连贯。
英文写作中应特别注意的问题就是一个段落应围绕一个主题展开，一个段落处理一个中心思想，即保持文章内容的连贯性。汉语的连贯属“意合”，英语的连贯属“形合”，而借助过渡词取得语篇的连贯是形合法最突出的特点。所以在英语文章内，过渡词使用的特别多。它们的运用表明了文章中词语之间、段落之间的逻辑关系，决定文章思路的走向，使文章显得更加连贯。没有巧妙的过渡手段，文章的连贯性将会大受影响，文字内容会变成堆砌起来的思想片段。由于受汉语“意合”的影响，中国学生在英文写作中常常忽略过渡词的运用。
我们分析一下下面这段文章，便可知道衔接手段在英文写作中的重要性：
Grades are important thing for most of college students. This competition is
always hard to be a winner and easy to be a loser. I have been participating in this
competition when I was five years old. I have never been satisfied with my grades.
I came to study in this university and I have lost good grades. Last semester was
my first experience of taking regular courses in this university. I had not expected
to succeed. Professors speaks fast. I feel like a dumb elementary school kid in the
lectures. I studied harder than other students. I could not understand and answer the
questions in the class. I dropped one course and failed English composition. I only
got a 2.5 grade point average. I believe that grading system is good for a school,
but they are not everything for a person’s ability.
这段文章的问题一是句子与句子之间的关系不清楚，没有适当的过渡手段把作者的思想表达的合乎逻辑；二是句式过于单一（英文写作时应特别注意这 2 一点，句式应有所变化）。如果加上适当的衔接手段并使句式多样化，该段文章便会大大改观：
Grades are extremely important for most college students. The competition for
good grades is always very intense, and it is hard to be a winner. Since I was five
years old I have been participating in this competition. However, I have never been
satisfied with my grades. After entering this university, I have not expected that I
would succeed in my studies: professors spoke so fast that I could hardly
understand what they said. Therefore I usually could not answer the questions put
to me correctly. In the class I felt like a dumb elementary school kid. Though I
studied harder than other students, I still dropped one course and failed English
composition. Finally I got a 2.5 grade point average. In my view, grading system is
good for a school, but it is not the only measure of a person’s ability.
所以在进行英文写作中对过渡词的使用必须给予足够的重视。
按过渡词所表达的逻辑关系，我们将过渡词做一下分类。
分类方式一：
1．表示时间和顺序关系
after, before, later, in the past, at present, since, meanwhile, at the same
time, until,
for one thing,…for another,… （首先……其次……）
in the first place,…in the second place
on the one hand,…on the other hand （一方面……另一方面）
lately, to begin with (首先，第一)， in the beginning, first of all,
first, second, finally, from now on （从现在起），afterwards （此后）
2．表示附加，补充和递增关系
furthermore, besides, in addition, moreover, what is more（而且，此外）,
to make things worse/and what is worse（更糟糕的是）, in other words（换句话说），that is to say（也就是说）
3．表示转折、对立、让步与异同关系：
however, nevertheless, but, although, despite(in spite of), while（而）, on
the contrary（相反地），otherwise, instead, after all（毕竟）
4．表示强调
in particular （尤其，特别），particularly, most important (of all), above all 3 5．表示结果（因果关系）
since, because(because of), as, result in/from, due to, owing to, for this
reason, consequently（因而，所以），accordingly (因此，从而)，as a result,
thus（因而，从而）
Examples:
--The weather has changed suddenly, and we must alter our plans
accordingly.
天气突然变了，因而我们必须改变计划。
--The bus was held up by the snowstorm, thus causing the delay.
--We have failed. Thus we have to take the consequence.
我们失败了。因此我们只得承担后果。
6．表示举例说明（列举）
for example, for instance, such as, take...for example, ...is a case in point,
...is a striking example
7．表示概括、总结
to sum up, to summarize(总而言之)， in conclusion(总之), in short（总之）, in a word, in brief(总之，简言之，以简单扼要的形式), on the whole,
by and large（大体上，基本上）
Examples:
--In short, I’m going to go there alone.
总之，我要单独去那里。
--Sometimes his lectures are boring, but by and large I find them helpful
and interesting.
--By and large, your suggestion is a good one.
8．表明个人观点
in my view, in my opinion, as far as I’m concerned（就我个人而言）
from my viewpoint (=point of view)
for my part
分类方式二：
1．用于引导主题句或主题句后第一个扩展句的过渡词成为“启”。与“启”有关的常用词语有：
first (firstly) 第一，首先 4 first of all 首先，第一
in the first place 首先，第一
on the one hand (on the other hand) 一方面（另一方面）
for one thing (for another) 首先（其次）
at first 首先
in the beginning 首先
to begin with 首先，第一点
at present 现在
currently 目前
lately 最近
in general 一般说来
generally speaking一般说来，通常地
by and large 一般说来
下面是“启”的用法事例：
1) For one thing, physical exercises can increase the circulation of the
blood, and thus more oxygen is taken into and more waste matter is
expelled from the body.
2) At present/Currently/lately some people believe that intelligence is
given at birth.
3) At first/ First of all/ In the beginning/ In the first place/ Firstly the
government plays an important role in solving the problem of water
shortage.
2．用于承接第一个或第二个扩展句的过渡词称为“承”。与“承”有关的常用词语有：
second (secondly) 第二，第二点
third(thirdly) 第三，第三点
in the second place
for another
in other words 换句话说
also 又，并且
in addition 另外，此外
besides 此外
moreover 再者，而且，此外