Q: How can I improve my writing if I cannot write complete sentences?

A: Wring is to express your thought through language. Here we have to key elements: language and thought. For a successful writing activity to happen, both are necessary. When writing in our mother tongue, we spend almost no time in considering language, so our attention is mainly on contents. But when writing in a foreign language, we have to pay attention to both language and thought. If we cannot deal with these two, we might never learn to write in a foreign language well.

Generally speaking, learning to write in a foreign language demands you to go through three steps, although there is not clear distinction between them. First, learning the basic vocabulary and grammar of this language. At this time, learners have not grasped the basic usage, therefore are still in the basic stage of language learning. Writing exercise usually does not exit in this period; even if it does, it mainly serves a kind of vocabulary or grammar exercise. This kind of writing practice presents very simple contents, but requires that learners should use both vocabulary and grammar correctly.

Second, learning both language and thought expression. At this time, learners have already got familiar with the basic vocabulary and grammar, and can express simple ideas in this language. Writing exercises at this stage can work for two purposes. Firstly, they can help learners further their understanding of this language. Secondly, they can help learners express certain ideas in foreign language. In the learning practice, these two aspects are actually inseparable. Many students start to keep diary in English from Junior Three; they are in fact progressing in this second stage.

Third, learning to focus on thought. When learners can deal with the vocabulary and grammar of a foreign satisfactorily, and can use the language to express rather complicated ideas, they start to enter the third stage. Here language is no longer the biggest problem; instead, how to present good contents gains top priority. What learners pay attention to is how to choose their materials well, how to organize the ideas well, etc. Some people hold that only this third stage is really writing. This may be too biased. Writers, however, have to reach the third stage in order to be successful.

If you find it difficult to write complete sentences, you are still in the first stage. At this stage, you do not have to rush to long articles, although you may have some precious profound ideas in your mind. You should make efforts in language accumulation, paying special attention to usages of common words and sentence patterns. Besides, doing translation exercise may also help you improve your ability in using the language, thus making preparation for improving your writing ability. Many exercises in our translation column are also helpful in improving your ability in writing. What's more, doing more reading exercises can also help sharpen your sensitivity towards the language.

To sum up, you may try to make efforts in these three aspects: accumulate language materials, try some translation exercises, and take up some reading exercises. As your language proficiency gradually improves, you will also gradually move into the second stage. Then you will have no trouble in producing complete sentences.

問題： 我發(fā)覺寫不出完整的句子，該怎樣做才能提高我的寫作水平？

回答：寫作就是通過語言表達(dá)你自己的思想。這里面有兩個(gè)要素：語言和思想。對(duì)于一個(gè)成功的寫作行為來說，這兩點(diǎn)缺一不可。在運(yùn)用母語寫作時(shí)，我們基本上不用花很多時(shí)間和精力去考慮語言，因而我們的重點(diǎn)是放在內(nèi)容上。但是在學(xué)習(xí)用外語寫作時(shí)，語言和內(nèi)容就都需要注意。如果處理不好這兩者之間的關(guān)系，我們可能就永遠(yuǎn)也學(xué)不好外語寫作。

一般說來，學(xué)習(xí)外語寫作有三個(gè)步驟，雖然這三個(gè)步驟是不能截然分開的。

第一， 學(xué)習(xí)這門語言的基本的詞匯和語法。此時(shí)的學(xué)習(xí)者對(duì)這門外語的基本用法還未掌握，因此尚處于學(xué)習(xí)語言的基礎(chǔ)階段。這時(shí)寫作訓(xùn)練一般沒有，即使有也只是為練習(xí)詞匯和語法服務(wù)。這種練習(xí)一般說來內(nèi)容都非常簡(jiǎn)單，強(qiáng)調(diào)的是學(xué)習(xí)者所使用的詞匯和語法必須正確。

第二， 語言和內(nèi)容并舉。此時(shí)的學(xué)習(xí)者已經(jīng)掌握了該語言的一些基本的詞匯和語法，可以用該語言表達(dá)自己的簡(jiǎn)單的思想。這時(shí)的寫作練習(xí)可以達(dá)到兩個(gè)目的：（1）繼續(xù)增強(qiáng)對(duì)語言的掌握；（2）用外語表達(dá)一定的思想。在具體的學(xué)習(xí)實(shí)踐中，這兩者實(shí)際上是不可分的。有許多初三的學(xué)生開始用英語記日記，其實(shí)他們就正處于這一階段。

第三， 主要強(qiáng)調(diào)內(nèi)容。當(dāng)學(xué)習(xí)者對(duì)一門外語的詞匯和語法有了一定的掌握，可以用它來表達(dá)相對(duì)復(fù)雜的思想時(shí)，就基本進(jìn)入了第三階段。此時(shí)的語言已經(jīng)不是最大的障礙，如何寫出好的內(nèi)容成了頭等大事。這一階段的學(xué)習(xí)者所注重的是如何選材、如何組織文章之類的問題。有人說只有這第三階段的寫作才是真正的寫作。這一說法可能失之偏頗，但成功的寫作是必須達(dá)到這第三階段的。

如果你發(fā)覺寫出完整的句子尚有困難，這說明你還處于第一階段。此時(shí)你不要急于寫出長(zhǎng)篇大論，即使你有些想法可能非常深刻。這時(shí)你應(yīng)該做的是注意語言的積累，留意常用詞和句型的用法。另外，適當(dāng)做一些翻譯練習(xí)也可以幫助你提高運(yùn)用語言的能力，從而為提高寫作能力做好準(zhǔn)備。我們的翻譯板塊中有許多練習(xí)實(shí)際上對(duì)你們的寫作能力的提高也是大有裨益的。除此之外，多做一些閱讀，培養(yǎng)對(duì)語言的感覺也能為提高寫作能力做一些準(zhǔn)備。

因此，你在現(xiàn)階段可以從以下三個(gè)方面著手：積累語言素材、多做翻譯練習(xí)、多做閱讀練習(xí)。隨著你的語言能力的提高，你會(huì)逐步進(jìn)入第二階段，到那時(shí)你就不愁寫不出句子了。

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