中英文標點符號的差異

漢語目前使用的標點符號是參考借鑒西文標點體系而制定，它既保留了西文標點的主體特征，又帶有與漢語語言特點相適應的特色。因而，中英文標點符號之間存在著一定的差異。

1. 漢語中某些標點符號英語沒有。

（1）頓號（、）：頓號在漢語中起分割句子中的并列成分的作用；英語中沒有頓號，分割句中的并列成分多用逗號。如：
She slowly, carefully, deliberately moved the box.
（2）書名號（《》）：英文沒有書名號，書名、報刊名用斜體或者下劃線表示。如：
Hamlet / Hamlet 《哈姆雷特》
Winter's Tale / Winter's Tale 《冬天的童話》
The New York Times / The New York Times 《紐約時報》
（3）間隔號（•）：漢語有間隔號，用在月份和日期、音譯的名和姓等需要隔開的詞語的正中間，如“一二•九”、“奧黛麗•赫本（人名）”等。英語中沒有漢語的間隔號，如：William Wordsworth。

2. 英語中某些標點符號漢語沒有。

（1）撇號—Apostrophe（'）
（2）連字號—Hyphen（-）
（3）斜線號—Virgule or Slash（/）：
該符號主要起分割作用，如It could be for staff and / or students. 也常用于標音，如bed /bed/。

3. 某些符號在漢英兩種語言中的形式不同。

（1）中文的句號是空心圈（。），英文的句號是實心點（.）。
（2）英文的省略號是三個點（...），位置在行底；中文的為六個點（......），居于行中。
（3）英文的破折號是（-）；中文的是（—）

中國學生常見標點符號錯誤

(1) 頓號、書名號、句號、省略號錯誤。比較中英文標點符號可見，英文標點中沒有中文形式的頓號、書名號、句號和省略號。而這四種標點符號成了大學英語寫作中“借鑒頻率較高的符號。如:
（錯誤）1. While she is reading《Gone With the Wind》, I am cooking。
（錯誤）2. My sister bought a lot of fruits for me, such as banana、orange、apple and pear.
英文中的印刷體用斜體字表示書籍、報刊、戲劇、電影、繪畫作品等的名稱，在書寫體或打字機打的文本中用字下線表示斜體字；英文常用逗號來代替冒號：而句號是用實心小黑點表示。
故以上兩句應改為:
（修改）1. While she is reading Gone With the Wind , I am cooking. （印刷體）
（修改）2. My sister bought a lot of fruits for me, such as banana, orange , apple and pear.
(2) 冒號錯誤。冒號是中英文兼有的標點符號。在漢語中，冒號是表示提示性話語之后的停頓，常用在“說、道、講、問、唱、回答、喊、吼”等動詞的后邊，以標明下面的話是誰說的。在英文表達中，“for example”（例如） 一類的詞后常用逗點代替冒號。此用法影響下列英文句子標點：
（錯誤）3. I thought to myself: "What kind of trap is she laying?"
（錯誤）4. He asked: "Where are you from?"
（錯誤）5. Good manners can be seen in everyday life. For example: a person with good manners is kind and helpful to others.
（修改）3. I thought to myself, "What kind of trap is she laying?"
（修改）4. He asked, "Where are you from?"
（修改）5. Good manners can be seen in everyday life. For example, a person with good manners is kind and helpful to others.
（3）破折號錯誤。漢語中的破折號標明行文中解釋說明的部分，而英文同位語也具有同等說明的功能，故英文寫作中用破折號連接同位語成份的錯誤也屢見不鮮。如:
（錯誤）6. We are studying and living at the famous university—Beijing University.
（修改）6. We are studying and living at the famous university, Beijing University.

在大學英語寫作中，與語法有關的標點錯誤

(1) 把非限制性定語從句 (non-restrictive attributive clause) 理解成限制性定語從句(restrictive attributive clause) 而忽略用逗點。如：
（錯誤）7. We were led into a nearest fabric shop that was divided into two parts.
從句意來看，上句是一個非限制性定語從句，故應在shop 后加逗點，把that 相應改成which
（修改）7. We were led into a nearest fabric shop, which was divided into two parts.
(2) 不論狀語從句在整個句子中處于何種位置，一概以逗點隔開。
（錯誤）8. We will go there, if it is fine tomorrow.
狀語從句可置于句首或句末。置于句首時，一般要用標點隔開；而置于句末時，則無需與主句隔開，故以上句子應改為：
（修改）8. If it is fine tomorrow , we will go there. 或We will go there if it is fine tomorrow.
(3) 誤把however, therefore, because, thus 等起聯系作用的副詞當成并列連詞，導致寫作中的逗號粘連 (comma splice) 錯誤。
（錯誤）10. She thought what the teacher pointed out was right, however, she didn't care for that.
兩個完整的句子或兩個并列句之間不能一概用逗點點開，可用句號、分號或在逗點后加并列連詞 (and, but, or, for, so, nor, yet) 等方法修改。
故上例可改為：
（修改）10. She thought what the teacher pointed out was right. However, she didn't care for that.
或 She thought what the teacher pointed out was right; however, she didn't care for that.
或She thought what the teacher pointed out was right, but she didn't care for that.
(4) 兩個并列的形容詞間以and 代替逗點。
（錯誤）12. Through the window, in front of me were large green fields which reminded me of the small clearing where I spent my lonely, hard childhood
現代英語表達一般在兩個形容詞中間不使用and，而是用逗點分隔。
（修改）12. Through the window, in front of me were large green fields which reminded me of the small clearing where I spent my lonely and hard childhood.

其他錯誤

引號錯誤。

As the saying goes, "No pain, no gain."
英文中短小的引語與作者提示“某某說之類的詞語之間用逗點隔開，置于引號內。不能省略提示語“某某說之類而直接引用。
（錯誤）14. Glancing through the essay entitled "Why Not More?", Dr. Jefferson frowned thoughtfully.
（修改）14. Glancing through the essay entitled "Why Not More?," Dr. Jefferson frowned thoughtfully.