Day 7 别了，“中式英语”——120 急救短语
The Writing Phrase Bank
Focus on real content rather than big words.
—pat
高分雅思作文的语言真相
从掌握词汇的方式来看，中国考生可以分为词汇型学习者和短语型学习者。喜欢背单词（individual words）的英语学习者您身边肯定有，而且也许您自己就是一位。但是在IELTS的高分考生群体里，却更多地出现了短语型学习者们（phrase learners）的身影。而且，去年在墨尔本的IDP答疑会上，IDP的senior examiner也同样谈到了使用good phrases对于IELTS写作高分的重要性。
最有说服力的，永远是实证（empirical evidence），也就是Cambridge English Language Assessment真正认可的高分范文。我们一起来看《剑9》p.165剑桥官方8分范文里的这个主体段：
Life skills are very important and by doing voluntary work, students learn not only how to communicate with others but also how to manage their time and improve their organisational skills. Unfortunately, teenagers today do not have many after-school activities. After-school clubs are no longer popular and students mostly go home and sit in front of the TV, browse the Internet or play video games.
《剑9》p.165
如果您觉得蓝色字看起来很“酷”，不用急，这名8分考生用的其实全都是IELTS写作里的高频短语，没有任何一个是“冷门儿”。而且，这些短语还有以下两个特点：
（1）都是由2~4个单词构成的（如果太长就容易提笔忘词，考场里的实战价值不高）；
（2）都是符合地道英文表达习惯的短语，考生没有自己“杜撰”短语。
我们再来看看这位得到写作8分的同学除了这些高频短语之外还写了什么（括号是使用了短语的位置）：
（ ） are very important and by（ ）, students learn not only how to（ ） but also how to（ ） and（ ）. Unfortunately, teenagers today do not have many（ ）.（ ） are no longer popular and students mostly go home and sit in front of the TV,（ ） or（ ）.
我们再来看《剑12》7.5分范文里的这个主体段：
Safety is the main concern for people who travel to work or school on a regular basis. If they drive their cars, they have to concentrate on the road not only to avoid accidents but also to prevent other drivers from causing a problem on the road. High-speed rail would allow them to leave the driving to the professional who controls the train, allowing them to get some work done while getting to work safely.
这名7.5分考生和前面那位8分考生的共同点是：在作文里使用的“好词”都是以good phrases的形式出现的，这样的语言效果远比一知半解地使用个别“大词”的效果更自然。
《剑14》里面的7.5分范文指向了同一个方向：
Taking the responsibilities of an accountant, public relations manager or human resources manager at the same time can be a burden. If they hire other people to perform these tasks, they must pay more tax and provide their employees with decent working conditions. At the same time, business is usually a risky matter and in reality many businesses go bankrupt. Finally, seIf-employed people are the only people who are responsible for their own vacations and sick leaves.
地道的短语同样成了这名考生夺取写作7.5分的主力军。
从以上的7.5分和8分的官方实例清晰可见：简洁、地道的短语（natural phrases）比“大词”对于提升IELTS作文的语言质量具有更举足轻重的意义，而且也能比一个一个地“码词”更少犯错误。