规则18 避免一连串的松散句[rule-18]

这条规则尤其指某一特定类型的松散句：由两个子句组成、第二个子句由连词或关系词引出的句子。写作者也可能犯错，把句子写得过于紧凑、过于圆周。偶尔用一个松散句，可以防止文体变得过于正式，也让读者得到某种舒缓。因此，松散句在轻松、不经雕琢的写作中很常见。危险在于这类句子可能太多。

不熟练的写作者有时会用这类句子构成整整一个段落，用and、but作连接词，较少用who、which、when、where和while，后几个用于非限制性意义。（见规则3。）

The third concert of the subscription series was given last evening, and a large audience was in attendance. Mr. Edward Appleton was the soloist, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra furnished the instrumental music. The former showed himself to be an artist of the first rank, while the latter proved itself fully deserving of its high reputation. The interest aroused by the series has been very gratifying to the Committee, and it is planned to give a similar series annually hereafter. The fourth concert will be given on Tuesday, May 10, when an equally attractive program will be presented.

除了陈腐和空洞之外，上面这个段落之所以糟糕，还在于其句子的结构：机械的对称，单调的吟唱。比较下面这些句子，出自E. M. 福斯特《为民主欢呼两声》中的“我相信什么”一章：

I believe in aristocracy, though—if that is the right word, and if a democrat may use it. Not an aristocracy of power, based upon rank and influence, but an aristocracy of the sensitive, the considerate and the plucky. Its members are to be found in all nations and classes, and all through the ages, and there is a secret understanding between them when they meet. They represent the true human tradition, the one permanent victory of our queer race over cruelty and chaos. Thousands of them perish in obscurity, a few are great names. They are sensitive for others as well as for themselves, they are considerate without being fussy, their pluck is not swankiness but the power to endure, and they can take a joke.

摘自《为民主欢呼两声》中的“我相信什么”，版权1939年归E. M. 福斯特所有，1967年续展，经Harcourt, Inc.许可转载。另经剑桥大学国王学院教务长与学者，以及作为E. M. 福斯特文学遗产代理人的作家协会许可。

写了—连串松散句的写作者，应当改写足够多的句子以消除单调，代之以简单句、用分号连接的两个子句的句子、两个子句的圆周句，或三个子句的句子（松散句或圆周句）——以最能体现思想真实关系的那种为准。