中式英语之鉴

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Summary of the content:
In chapter 11, the author focuses on discussing the significance and correct application of parallel structures in English writing, especially in the context of avoiding Chinglish.
Parallel structure refers to the use of the same word pattern to indicate that two or more ideas have the same importance. In Chinese-English translation, due to the differences in language habits, the misuse of parallel structures often occurs in Chinese and English. For instance, in Chinese, we might say, "我们要努力学习，提高能力，为社会做贡献。" If translated directly without considering parallelism, it might lead to the non-parallel form of "We should study hard, improve our abilities and contribute to society."
This book provides many practical examples to illustrate common mistakes in parallel structures, such as using different verb forms or inconsistent grammatical structures in a list. For example, change the above sentence to "We should study hard, improve our abilities and contribute to society" to maintain parallelism. The exercises at the end of this chapter are helpful for readers to practice and consolidate their understanding of parallel structures.

Evaluation:
Through a large number of relevant examples, the author makes the rather abstract concept of parallel structure easy to understand. Parallel structure is a fundamental aspect of good English writing and translation, but it is often overlooked or misused by Chinese learners.
The author's method is both practical and systematic. They first define concepts, then introduce various types of errors, and finally provide effective solutions. This step-by-step approach enables readers to gradually master the correct usage of parallel structures. The basic idea is to emphasize the importance of abiding by the norms of the English language, which is crucial for accurate and natural communication. At the same time, it also emphasizes the necessity of paying attention to the differences in syntactic structures between English and Chinese during the translation process.