纵观多年来国家四、六级英语(论坛)作文考试，考生作文成绩欠佳的主要原因除了准确性和连贯性差之外，语句软弱无力也是不容忽略的一个方面。因此在英语写作教学中，如何增强语句表现力的问题必须引起我们足够的重视，以提高学生写作的表达质量。为此，笔者结合自己的写作教学实践，针对该项技能的训练提出了一些切实可行的有效做法，供广大同仁和英语学习者参考借鉴。

一、避免使用语意弱的“be”动词。

1、把句中的表语转换为不同的修饰语。例如：

weak: the trees are bare. the grass is brown. the landscape seems drab. revision:the brown grass and bare trees form a drab landscape. (转换为前置定语)

or: the landscape, bare and brown, begged for spring green. (转换为并列结构作后置定语)

2、将作表语用的形容词或名词变为行为动词。例如：

1) weak: the team members are good players.

revision: the team members play well.

2) weak: one worker’s plan is the elimination of tardiness.

revision: one worker’s plan eliminates tardiness.

3、在以“here”或“there”开头的句子中，把“be”动词后的名词代词变成改写句的主语。例如：

1) weak: there is no opportunity for promotion.

revision: no opportunity for promotion exists.

2) weak: here are the books you ordered.

revision: the books you ordered have arrived.

二、多用语意具体的动词，保持句意简洁明了。例如：

1、poor: my supervisor went past my desk.

better: my supervisor sauntered (=walked slowly) past my desk.

2、poor: she is a careful shopper.

better: she compares prices and quality.

三、尽量运用主动语态。例如：

1、weak: the organization has been supported by charity.

better: charity has supported the organization.

2、weak: the biscuits were stacked on a plate.

better: mother stacked the biscuits on a plate.

四、防止使用语意冗长累赘的词语。例如：

1、wordy: my little sister has a preference for chocolate milk.

improved: my little sister prefers chocolate milk.

2、wordy: we are in receipt of your letter and intend to follow your recommendations.

improved: we have received your letter and intended to follow your recommendation.

3、redundant: we had a serious crisis at school yesterday when our chemistry laboratory caught fire.

improved: we had a crisis at school yesterday when our chemistry laboratory caught fire.

4、redundant: my sister and i bought the same, identical dress in different stores.

improved: my sister and i bought the same dress in different stores.

五、杜绝滥用陈旧词语或难懂的专业术语。例如：

1、weak: they will not agree to his proposals in any shape or form.

improved: they will not agree to any of his proposals.

2、weak: i need her financial input before i can guesstimate our expenditures next fall.

improved: i need her financial figures before i can estimate our expenditures next fall.