以前,英语作文评分的依据是根据要点和语言准确度而定。但是从2001年起实行的高考评分标准强调了内容要点,语言的多样性、连贯性和得体性, 鼓励学生尝试语言表达的多样化和复杂化。因此要写成一篇较有水准的英语作文,除了要点和语言准确度以外,还必须在语用、语法结构以及表达的多样性和灵活性上有所表现。句子单一、缺乏生气的文章,哪怕没有任何错误也不可能得高分,相反,"有些许错误,但是为了使用较复杂结构或较高级词汇所致",给分档次仍在最高档(21-25分)。

　　 那么,英语作文如何才能得高分呢?以下几种手段是增加句子复杂性的常见方法,也是得高分的"亮点"。

　　1. 改变句子的开头方式,不是一味地都是主语开头,接着是谓语、宾语,最后再加一个状语。可以把状语置于句首,或用分词作状语等。试比较:

　　(原文) My brother and I went to the cinema by bicycle the other day.

　　(修正) The other day my brother and I went to the cinema by bicycle.

　　(原文) The young man couldn't help crying when he heard the bad news.

　　(修正) Hearing the bad news, the young man couldn't help crying.

　　2. 在整篇文章中,避免只使用一两个句式,要灵活运用诸如强调句、主从复合句、分词短语、倒装句、省略句等。例如:

　　(1)强调句

　　(原文) The dog has saved my little sister bravely.

　　(修正) It is the dog that has saved my little sister bravely.

　　(2)主从复合句

　　(原文) We had to stand there to catch the offender.

　　(修正) What we had to do was to stand there, trying to catch the offender.

　　(3)分词短语、由with或without引导的短语

　　(原文) The driver escaped and didn't stop, he left the old man lying on the road.

　　(修正) The driver escaped without stopping, leaving the old man lying on the road.

　　(4)倒装句

　　(原文) I went to bed at 11:30.

　　(修正) Not until 11:30 did I go to bed.

　　(5)省略句

　　(原文) While you are crossing the street, you should be careful.

　　(修正) While crossing the street, you should be careful.