词是构成语言的基石。词的海洋辽阔无比，每个词都代表着不同事物的概念和状貌，反映着不同的景象和感情色彩。从纷繁富丽的词海里，选取那些唯一的、完善的词语去准确地叙事、状物、表情、达意，是一项十分艰苦的劳动。尤其在用英语进行写作时，我们不能随意挑选我们最先想到的单词来组句成篇，而应该遵循一定的原则，使文章内容精练，吸引读者。
1．准确性
在英语中有时表达某种意义有多种词汇可以选用，但它们之间却具有细微的差别。我们选词时一定要弄清这种差别，从中选出最佳的词汇来准确地表达出自己的思想。
［误］They lost no time in escaping the burning hotel．
［正］They lost no time in fleeing the burning hotel．
［分析］escape和flee这两个词均表示“逃”或“逃脱”的意思，前者指有意地或偶然地“避开”，从某种危险或限制中脱身，着重结果。但后者更强调在紧急情况下仓促逃跑的动作。
［误］We should use our natural resources in an economic way．
［正］We should use our natural resources in an economical way．
［分析］economic所表示的“经济”指的是“经济领域”，和political相对而言。而该句要求的“经济”则指的是“节约”、“不浪费的”，因此只有用economical才准确。
2．具体性
根据德国学者J．Trier提出的语言词汇结构的语义场理论，词可以在一个共同概念的支配下结合在一起形成一个语义场，这个共同概念可由总括词来表示，语义场由细目词组成。例如：
color：blue，red，yellow，black，white ．．．
sports：basketball，football，volleyball，base- ball，tennis，swimming，skating，track and field．．．
kinship：mother，father，brother，sister，cousin．．．
scientist：physicist，biologist，chemist，astronomer．．．
good：kind，friendly，generous，skillful．．．
recreation：seeing movies，chatting，walk- ing，playing chess．．．
在英语作文里巧妙地使用总括词可以使文章简洁明快，言简意赅。但是，只能在适当的时候选用且不可多用，因为它们往往给人以空泛的感觉。大多数时候都应选用细目词，这才富于表达力，给人以确切的概念，从而体现出具体性。如：你从商店购物回来，别人问你：“What have you bought？”如果你回答说：“I've bought some household appliances．”当问话人听到你的回答后还得接着问：“What household appliances have you bought？”这时你只好回答：“I've bought a TV set and a refrigerator．”如果在回答第一个问题时用的是第二个问题的答案，那么在交流中便可以节约第一个问题的答案和第二个问题。我们用英语写作也是一样，应遵循具体性的原则以便让读者一目了然。试比较：
General：I was born in a city．
Specific：I was born in Beijing．
General：The food is very good．
Specific：The food is delicious．
General：Mrs．Morrison attacked her husband with a deadly weapon．
Specific：Mrs．Morrison attacked her husband with a pistol．
3．得当性
所谓得当性指的是充分利用英语单词在感情色彩和语体色彩上的差异，对其进行恰当地使用。
从感情色彩上讲，英语中的同义词有褒贬之分。如：politician和statesman都指政治家，但前者主要指勾心斗角、图谋私利的“政客”，含贬义；后者指正派、有远见的“政治
家”，含褒义。再如：thin，slim和skinny均有“瘦”的意思，但thin是中性词；slim形容人，尤其形容女性时具有褒义；而skinny形容人时则具有贬义。在用英语写作时，对此类词的选用应根据具体情况进行恰当的运用以表达出自己要表达的思想感情色彩。
从语体色彩上看，主要有常用文体和正式文体两大类，现举例说明如下：
I have often wondered whether some people，who had no intention of making a purchase， would take advantage of this privilege．我常纳闷是否有些不想购买的人会利用这一特权。
“Loitering with intent to commit an arrestable offence，”he said．“到处游荡，企图作案。”他说。
例一选自THE SAM PLER（品尝家）一文，是作者对圣诞节购买布丁可免费品尝一事进行思考，因而属于一般性的文体，故选用了常用词intention表示“意图”之意。例二选自A BRUSH WITH THE LAW（一场小官司）一文，说话人是警察，因而选用了正式的法律文体用词intent来表示“意图”之意。
4．形象性
所谓形象性指的是用一定的修辞手段来提高语言的表达效果，使得文章生动、形象，从而吸引读者。常用的有下列修辞手段：
（1）明喻（simile）
明喻是非常明显的比喻，本体和喻体都出现，二者之间常用“as”或“like”之类的喻词联结起来。例如：
The flames，like a form of wildlife，crept as a lion creeps on its belly toward its prey．
（2）暗喻（metaphor）
暗喻是一种不太明显的比喻，本体和喻体都出现，但是没有“as”或“like”之类的喻词来进行联结。例如：
From the burning look in his eyes，I knew he was angry with me．
（3）拟人（personification）
拟人是把一般生物或无生命的东西、抽象事物当人来写，赋予它以人的动作行为或思想感情。例如：
“Help，let me in，please let me in”But the house was cold，closed，unfriendly．．．
（4）借代（metonymy）
借代指的是不直接说出某人或某物的本名，而用和这个人或这种事物有不可分割关系的名称来代替。例如：
When the war was over，he laid down the sword and took up the pen．
（5）夸张（hyperbole）
夸张指的是根据表达的需要，对客观事物的某些方面故意铺张，“言过其实”，加以适当的扩大。例如：
On hearing that he had been admitted to that famous university，he whispered to himself，“I'm the luckiest man in the world”
（6）转类修饰语（transferred epithet）
转类修饰语指的是将本应该用来修饰某一类名词的修饰语用来修饰另一类名词。例如：
She was so worried about her son that she spent several sleepless nights．
5．多样性
在同一句话、同一段话或者在同一篇文章中需要同义词的反复使用，如果我们总选同一个单词，那么会令读者读来毫无新鲜感，十分乏味。为了避免这一点，应恰当地选用同义词来获得一种变化，让读者产生兴趣。例如：
Animals have different ways to care for their young．Some push their off springs out of the nest early．Others keep their babies beside them in the herd for many years．
According to child psychologists，depriving infants of artistic stimulation can cause brain damage．
Exercises：
I．Decide what figure of speech is used in each of the following sentences．
1．His unfriendly tongue surprised her．
2．The old man's hair is as white as snow．
3．All his former joy was drowned in the embarrassment and confusion he was feeling at that moment．
4．Youth is hot and bold， Age is weak and cold， Youth is wild，and age is tame．
II．Make the following sentences more concise．
1．He was surprised to find that the classroom was very large in size．
2．As far as the plan is concerned，there is no question that it will be a success．
3．As far as I'm concerned，I believe that a person's happiness exists in love and success．
4．It is also true that happiness can be found in success．
5．What I would like to say is that I like TV news programs best．
III．Make the following sentences more specific．
1．M y uncle brought me some food．
2．This machine's power output is 60 HP．
3．Their proposal covers all important aspects of the problem．
参考答案:
I．1．transferred epithet 2．simile 3．metaphor 4．personification
II．1．He was surprised to find that the classroom was very large．
2．The plan will succeed．
3．To my mind，happiness exists in love and success．
4．Happiness also comes out of success．
5．I like TV news programs best．
III．1．M y uncle brought me some chocolate．
2．This engine's power output is 60HP．
3．Their proposal covers cost，materials， methodology，and personnel．
