Breaking the Formula: How to Avoid Formulaic English Writing | 打破公式：英语写作如何摆脱公式化表达

📚 Breaking the Formula: How to Avoid Formulaic English Writing | 打破公式：英语写作如何摆脱公式化表达

Every year, thousands of examiners across A-Level, IGCSE, and IELTS mark papers that sound strangely identical. Sentences begin with “In my opinion,” arguments pivot on “On the other hand,” and conclusions dutifully announce “In conclusion, I believe that…” While these phrases are not grammatically wrong, they signal a deeper problem: the writer is following a template instead of thinking. This article explores how to break free from formulaic English writing and develop a voice that is both authentic and academically rigorous.

每年，成千上万的 A-Level、IGCSE 和雅思考官都会改到听起来惊人相似的试卷。句子以 “In my opinion” 开头，论点靠 “On the other hand” 转折，结论则例行公事般宣布 “In conclusion, I believe that…”。这些短语虽然在语法上无懈可击，但暴露了更深层的问题：写作者在套用模板，而非真正思考。本文将深入探讨如何打破公式化的英语写作，培养既真实又严谨的学术表达。

1. What Is Formulaic Writing? | 什么是公式化写作？

Formulaic writing refers to prose that relies on pre-packaged sentence frames, stock transitions, and recycled opinions. It is the linguistic equivalent of fast food: convenient, familiar, and ultimately nutritionally poor. In examination contexts, formulaic writing often emerges from well-intentioned teachers who provide templates to help students structure essays under time pressure.

公式化写作是指依赖预制句型框架、老套过渡语和陈旧观点的文章。在语言层面，它相当于快餐：方便、熟悉，但营养价值极低。在考试情境中，公式化写作往往源自善意的教师——他们为了帮助学生在时间压力下组织文章，提供了模板。

The problem is not the existence of structure. Every well-written essay has a skeleton. The problem arises when the skeleton becomes visible through the skin — when the reader can predict every next sentence before reading it. For example, consider how often you have read: “Nowadays, people are increasingly concerned about…” This opener tells the reader nothing specific and demonstrates no original thought.

问题不在于结构本身。每一篇好文章都有自己的骨架。问题在于骨架过于明显——读者还没读到下一句，就已经能猜到。比如，你有多经常读到这样的开头：”Nowadays, people are increasingly concerned about…”？这样的开头没有传达任何具体信息，也没有展示任何原创思考。

To avoid formulaic writing, you must first understand that the examiner rewards control, not compliance. A template shows you can follow instructions; original writing shows you can think. The strategies below will help you shift from the former to the latter.

要避免公式化写作，你首先要明白：考官奖励的是掌控力，而非服从力。模板证明你会遵循指示；原创写作证明你会思考。以下策略将帮助你从前一种状态过渡到后一种。

2. Recognize the Common Culprits | 识别常见的”元凶”句式

The first step in eliminating formulaic writing is recognising the offenders. Below is a table of frequently overused expressions and the problems they create. Each phrase below has become a crutch that prevents genuine communication.

消除公式化写作的第一步，是识别那些”惯犯”。下表列出了一些被滥用的表达及其造成的问题。下面的每个短语都已经成为阻碍真实交流的”拐杖”。

Table 1: Common Formulaic Phrases | 表 1：常见公式化短语

Formulaic Phrase \| 公式化短语	Problem \| 问题所在
“In today’s society…”	Vague; says nothing about which society or what aspect.
“Last but not least…”	Empty filler; the reader does not care about ordering.
“It is worth mentioning that…”	Redundant; if it is worth mentioning, just mention it.
“In a nutshell / All in all…”	Colloquial; undermines academic tone.
“With the development of technology…”	Over-generalisation; avoids specifying which technology and what effects.

Once you can spot these phrases in your own drafts, you can begin the more important work of replacing them with substantive prose. A good test is simple: cross out the phrase and see if the sentence still makes sense. If it does, the phrase was filler. If it does not, you need to rewrite the sentence so that the missing meaning is expressed through your own words.

一旦你能在自己的草稿中发现这些短语，就可以开始更重要的工作：用有实质内容的文字替换它们。一个简单的检验方法是：划掉这个短语，看句子是否仍然成立。如果成立，说明该短语是填空词；如果不成立，你需要改写句子，用自己的话语表达缺失的意义。

3. Build a Dynamic Vocabulary through Targeted Substitution | 通过精准替换构建动态词汇

Formulaic writing is often a symptom of a limited active vocabulary. You may recognise thousands of words when reading, yet produce the same fifty when writing. The solution is not to learn longer words, but to learn the right words for precise meaning. Consider the verb “show” — one of the most overused words in student essays.

公式化写作往往是主动词汇量有限的症状。你可能在阅读时能认出数千个单词，但写作时只产出同样的五十个。解决办法不是学习更长的词，而是学习表达精确含义的词。以动词 “show” 为例——它是学生作文中被滥用最严重的词之一。

Compare these two sentences:
Version A: “The statistics show that pollution is increasing.”
Version B: “The statistics reveal a persistent upward trend in pollution levels, with particulate matter concentrations doubling over the past decade.”

比较下面两个句子：
版本 A：“统计数据表明污染正在加剧。”
版本 B：“统计数据揭示了一个持续的污染上升趋势，颗粒物浓度在过去十年间翻了一番。”

Version B succeeds not because it uses rare words, but because it uses precise ones. “Reveal” suggests something was hidden; “persistent upward trend” is more informative than “increasing”; and the specific figure doubles the evidence. When revising, keep a mental list of overused verbs — show, say, think, get, make, do — and ask yourself what more specific verb captures your intended meaning.

版本 B 的成功不是因为用了生僻词，而是因为用词精确。”Reveal” 暗示某些信息曾被隐藏；”persistent upward trend” 比 “increasing” 信息更丰富；而具体数字使证据的力度翻倍。修改时，在脑海中维护一张高频动词清单——show、say、think、get、make、do——然后问自己：哪个更具体的动词能够准确传达我的意思？

4. Vary Your Sentence Architecture | 变化你的句式结构

Formulaic essays are also rhythmically monotonous. If every sentence follows a subject–verb–object pattern and begins with a noun, the prose becomes tedious regardless of the content. Sentence variety is not decoration; it is a rhetorical tool that controls emphasis and pace.

公式化文章在节奏上同样单调。如果每个句子都遵循”主-谓-宾”模式并以名词开头，那么无论内容如何，文章都会显得冗长乏味。句式变化不是装饰，而是控制强调与节奏的修辞工具。

Consider these four sentence patterns you can deploy deliberately:

请考虑以下四种可有意识地运用的句式：

Opening with an adverb: “Remarkably, the policy produced the opposite effect to that intended.” Adverb openers create immediate emphasis.
以副词开头：“Remarkably，这项政策产生了与预期相反的效果。” 副词开头能立即营造强调。
Opening with a prepositional phrase: “In the wake of the crisis, governments rushed to revise regulations.” This links the sentence to what came before.
以介词短语开头：“在危机之后，各国政府争相修订法规。” 这样将句子与上文衔接。
Using an appositive: “London, the financial capital of Europe, remains a magnet for investment.” Appositives provide compact information without a new clause.
使用同位语：“伦敦，欧洲的金融之都，仍然是投资的磁石。” 同位语在不增加新从句的情况下提供紧凑信息。
Inverting for effect: “Only after the election did the true scale of the problem emerge.” Inversion adds dramatic weight.
倒装以增强效果：“直到大选结束，问题的真实规模才浮出水面。” 倒装增添了戏剧性分量。

The most effective writing alternates these patterns with standard structures, creating a rhythm that keeps the reader engaged. But be careful: variety for its own sake can become its own formula. The goal is to match sentence structure to meaning — a short sentence for a punchline, a long one for complex reasoning.

最有效的写作是将这些模式与标准结构交替使用，创造出保持读者注意力的节奏。但要注意：为变化而变化会变成另一种公式。目标是让句式服务于意义——短句用于点睛之笔，长句用于复杂推理。

5. Replace Empty Phrases with Concrete Evidence | 用具体证据替换空洞短语

Formulaic writing thrives on abstraction. “Many people think that education is important” tells the reader nothing about who these people are, why they think this, or what “important” means in practical terms. Generality feels safe, but it is the enemy of persuasive writing.

公式化写作依赖抽象。 “Many people think that education is important” 没有告诉读者这些人是谁、为何这样认为、”重要”在实际中意味着什么。笼统听起来安全，但却是说服力的敌人。

Adopt the habit of asking three questions after every claim:

养成对每个论点追问三个问题的习惯：

Who? Who does this affect? Name a specific group: young women in rural areas, retirees in post-industrial cities, small business owners.
谁？这影响了谁？说出具体群体：农村地区的年轻女性、后工业城市的退休人员、小企业主。
How much? Can you attach a number, percentage, or frequency? “Unemployment rose to 7.4%” is far more informative than “unemployment increased.”
多少？能否附上数字、百分比或频率？”失业率升至 7.4%” 远比 “失业率上升了” 更有信息量。
When and where? Anchoring your claims in a specific time and place prevents them from floating in abstraction. “In Singapore after the 2003 SARS outbreak…” is far more credible than “In today’s society…”
何时何地？将论点锚定于具体时空，可防止其漂浮在抽象之中。”在 2003 年 SARS 疫情之后的新加坡……” 远比 “在当今社会……” 更有可信度。

By replacing vague references with concrete evidence, you automatically eliminate many formulaic phrases. The sentence “With the development of technology, people’s lives have changed greatly” becomes “The proliferation of smartphones between 2010 and 2020 reshaped how Chinese families communicate, with WeChat messages replacing face-to-face conversations during evening meals.” One sentence is a cliché; the other is an argument.

通过用具体证据替换模糊指代，你便能自动消除许多公式化短语。”With the development of technology, people’s lives have changed greatly” 可以改写为 “The proliferation of smartphones between 2010 and 2020 reshaped how Chinese families communicate, with WeChat messages replacing face-to-face conversations during evening meals.” 一句是陈词滥调，另一句是真正的论证。

6. Rethink Your Transition Strategy | 重新思考过渡策略

Textbooks often teach transitions as a list: “However,” “Moreover,” “Furthermore,” “On the other hand,” “Therefore.” The result is writing that announces its logic instead of embodying it. Every “However” is a small signpost that says: “I am about to contradict what I just said.” But good writing does not need to announce its contradictions — it demonstrates them through content.

教科书通常将过渡语教成一个清单：”However”、”Moreover”、”Furthermore”、”On the other hand”、”Therefore”。结果是写作不断宣布自己的逻辑，而不是体现逻辑。每个 “However” 都是一块小标牌，写着：”我即将反驳刚才说的话。” 但好的写作不需要宣布矛盾——它通过内容来展示矛盾。

Consider replacing explicit transition words with other cohesion devices:

尝试用其他衔接手段替代显性过渡词：

Use pronouns and determiners: “The proposal has several flaws. This is not to say the idea should be abandoned…” instead of “However, the proposal has flaws.”
使用代词和限定词：“该提案存在若干缺陷。这并非说这个想法应被放弃……” 而非 “然而，该提案有缺陷。”
Repeat a key word: “Economic growth does not guarantee social equality. Growth without redistribution, in fact, widens the gap.” Repetition of a key noun creates cohesion without a transition marker.
重复关键词：“经济增长并不保证社会平等。没有再分配的增长，实际上扩大了差距。” 重复关键词无需过渡标记即可形成衔接。
Use parallel structure: “Neither higher salaries nor shorter hours attracted workers. Only flexible schedules did.” Parallelism itself signals logical connection.
使用平行结构：“更高的薪水也好，更短的工时也罢，都没能吸引工人。只有弹性时间做到了。” 平行结构本身就能暗示逻辑联系。

This is not to say you should never use “However” or “Therefore.” Used sparingly and deliberately, they are effective. The problem is automation — pulling the same connector from the toolbox for every shift in logic. When you revise, circle every transition word you used. If more than one in ten sentences contains an explicit connector, you are over-relying on them.

这并不是说你不应该使用 “However” 或 “Therefore”。只要用得少而精，它们是有效的。问题在于自动化——每次逻辑转折时都从工具箱里拿出同一个连接词。修改时，圈出你使用的每个过渡词。如果每十句话中超过一句含有显性连接词，你就过度依赖它们了。

7. Cultivate Critical Thinking: Claim, Reason, Counterclaim | 培养批判性思维：主张、理由、反方主张

Formulaic writing is rarely just a style problem. Beneath the clichés often lies a lack of engagement with the complexity of the topic. If you believe that social media is “harmful” or “beneficial,” and you marshal three reasons for one side, you are performing an essay, not thinking.

公式化写作很少仅仅是风格问题。在陈词滥调之下，往往是对话题复杂性缺乏参与。如果你认为社交媒体是”有害的”或”有益的”，并为某一方列举三个理由，你只是在表演一篇论文，而不是在思考。

To push against this, adopt a structured thinking routine before you write:

为了克服这一点，写作前请采用一个结构化的思考程序：

State your claim in one sentence. Then ask: What would someone intelligent who disagrees say? Write that objection down.
用一句话陈述你的主张。然后问：一个持反对意见的聪明人会怎么说？把反驳写下来。
Respond to the counterclaim. Do not simply dismiss it. Acknowledge its strength, then explain why your position still holds. “While it is true that social media facilitates activism, the same platform’s algorithm encourages performative outrage at the expense of sustained engagement.”
回应反方主张。不要简单地驳斥。承认其合理性，然后解释为什么你的立场依然成立。”虽然社交媒体确实促进了社会运动，但同一平台的算法鼓励表演性愤怒，牺牲了持续参与。”
Consider the middle ground. Is the binary “for/against” even the right frame? Some of the best essays reframe the question entirely.
考虑中间地带。“支持/反对”的二元框架本身是否恰当？最好的文章有时会彻底重新定义问题。

This thinking process naturally produces sentences that are non-formulaic because they emerge from genuine intellectual engagement. You cannot express a nuanced concession in a template; templates are blunt instruments designed for simple positions.

这种思考过程自然会产出非公式化的句子，因为它们源于真诚的智识参与。你无法在模板中表达细腻的让步；模板是粗钝的工具，只适合简单的立场。

8. Master Concision: Say More with Less | 掌握精炼：以少言多

One subtle form of formulaic writing is inflation — padding sentences with redundant words to reach a word count. “The reason why” can be simply “why.” “In the event that” can be “if.” “Due to the fact that” can be “because.” These inflated constructions are not elegant; they are nervous habits.

公式化写作还有一种隐秘形式：注水——用冗余词汇凑字数。”The reason why” 可以简化为 “why”。”In the event that” 可以写成 “if”。”Due to the fact that” 可以写成 “because”。这些膨胀结构并不优雅，而是焦虑的习惯。

Here is a practical revision exercise. Take any paragraph from a past essay and attempt to cut 25% of its words without losing any meaning. This forces you to identify what is load-bearing and what is decoration.

这里有一个实用的修改练习。从过去的一篇文章中取一段文字，尝试在不损失任何意义的前提下删去 25% 的词语。这会迫使你分辨哪部分是承重的，哪部分只是装饰。

Consider this typical student sentence:
Original: “In my opinion, I think that the government should take some measures to deal with the problem of pollution.”
Revised: “The government must regulate industrial emissions.”
The revised version is shorter, stronger, and free of both the opinion frame (“In my opinion, I think”) and the vague action (“take some measures”).

请看这个典型的学生句子：
原文：“In my opinion, I think that the government should take some measures to deal with the problem of pollution.”
修改后：“The government must regulate industrial emissions.”
修改后的版本更短、更有力，同时去掉了观点框架（”In my opinion, I think”）和模糊行为（”take some measures”）。

Concision is not the same as brevity. A concise writer can write a long sentence, so long as every clause earns its place. The principle is simple: if a word or phrase is not adding meaning, remove it.

精炼不等于简短。精炼的作者可以写长句，只要每个从句都配得上它的位置。原则很简单：如果一个词或短语没有增加意义，就删掉它。

9. Revise with a Writer’s Eye, Not a Student’s Checklist | 以作者的眼光去修改，而非学生的清单

Most students revise by proofreading — fixing spelling, punctuation, and grammar. These are necessary but insufficient. To eliminate formulaic writing, you must also revise at the level of style and argument. The following checklist can guide this deeper revision.

大多数学生通过校对来修改——修正拼写、标点和语法。这些必要但不够。要消除公式化写作，你还必须在风格与论证层面进行修改。以下清单可以指导这种更深的修改。

Table 2: Deeper Revision Checklist | 表 2：深度修改清单

Question to Ask \| 要问的问题	Action if the Answer Is Yes \| 如果答案为是，采取的行动
Are any sentences perfectly predictable?	Rewrite the opener of that sentence; change its structure.
Did I use any transition word more than twice?	Delete or replace with pronoun cohesion.
Is every “very” or “really” necessary?	Cut them, or replace the adjective with a stronger one.
Does my conclusion merely restate my introduction?	Add a new insight, a wider implication, or a fresh example.

A useful technique is to read your essay aloud. The ear detects repetition and awkward rhythm far more quickly than the eye. If a sentence makes you wince when spoken, rewrite it even if the grammar is correct. Your audience in an examination will not hear your voice, but they will read its unnatural cadence.

一个有用的技巧是大声朗读你的文章。耳朵察觉重复和拗口节奏的速度远快于眼睛。如果一句话读起来让你的眉头皱起，即使语法正确也要改。考场上的读者不会听到你的声音，但他们能从字里行间感受到不自然的节奏。

10. Learn from Model Essays — Absorb, Don’t Copy | 从范文中学习——吸收，而非复制

Reading model essays is an essential part of becoming a better writer, but only if you read them the right way. If you skim a model to extract topic sentences and transition words, you are mining for formulaic components. If you instead study why the model works — how its paragraphs develop, how its evidence connects to its claims — you absorb the underlying logic rather than the surface pattern.

阅读范文是成为更好写作者的重要途径，但前提是你用正确的方式阅读。如果你略读范文只是为了提取主题句和过渡词，那你是在开采公式化部件。反之，如果你研究范文为何有效——段落如何发展、证据如何与论点相连——你吸收的是底层逻辑，而非表层模式。

When reading a strong essay, ask four “why” questions:

阅读优秀文章时，问四个”为什么”：

Why did the author open with this specific example? Move beyond “to hook the reader” and think about how the example introduces the central tension of the essay.
为什么作者用这个具体例子开头？不要停留在”为了吸引读者”，要思考这个例子如何引入了全文的核心张力。
Why does this paragraph end in a short sentence? Notice the rhythm: a long analytical sentence followed by a sharp summary. That contrast is deliberate.
为什么这一段以短句结尾？注意节奏：一个长的分析句紧跟着一个锋利的总结。这种对比是刻意的。
Why does this transition feel natural? Often it is not a transition word but a re-quotation of the previous paragraph’s key term.
为什么这个过渡显得自然？通常不是因为过渡词，而是因为重复了上一段的关键术语。
Why did the author put the counterargument here, not before? Placement is strategy. Counterarguments placed near the end show confidence; placed early, they set up a path of reasoning.
为什么作者把反方论点放在这里，而不是前面？位置就是策略。反方论点放在末尾显示自信；放在开头则铺陈一条推理路径。

When you read this way, you internalise a repertoire of strategies, not a list of phrases. The difference matters: strategies are generative — they allow you to produce infinite new sentences; phrases are fixed — they produce the same sentence with different nouns inserted.

当你以这种方式阅读时，你内化的是一套策略库，而不是一份短语清单。这个区别至关重要：策略具有生成性——它们能让你产出无穷的新句子；短语则是固定的——它们只是用不同名词填充的同一句话。

11. Practical Drills for the Final Weeks | 考前最后几周的实用训练

If your exam is approaching, you may worry that breaking old habits takes too long. The truth is, focused practice can shift your writing style within three weeks if you follow a deliberate schedule. Below are five drills, each designed for a 20-minute session.

如果你的考试临近了，你可能会担心改掉旧习惯要花太长时间。事实上，只要遵循一个有计划的日程，集中训练能在三周内改变你的写作风格。下面是五个练习，每个设计为 20 分钟。

Drill 1: The Ban List. Choose one formulaic phrase (e.g., “In today’s society”) and write a paragraph that intentionally avoids it. Then choose another. Continue until you have covered your top five offenders.
练习一：禁用清单。选一个公式化短语（如 “In today’s society”），写一段刻意避开它的文字。然后再选一个。直到你覆盖了自己最常用的五个”元凶”。
Drill 2: Sentence Unpacking. Take a model essay and rewrite five of its sentences using a different structure. “The committee rejected the proposal” can become “Rejecting the proposal, the committee…” or “It was with little hesitation that the committee rejected the proposal.” Compare which rewrite improves the rhythm.
练习二：句子拆解。取一篇范文，用不同结构改写其中五个句子。”The committee rejected the proposal” 可以变成 “Rejecting the proposal, the committee…” 或 “It was with little hesitation that the committee rejected the proposal.” 比较哪个改写优化了节奏。
Drill 3: Evidence in 60 Seconds. For any abstract claim you plan to make (“Education is vital for development”), set a 60-second timer and write down the most specific evidence you can recall — a statistic, a historical example, a named person. If you cannot find evidence, the claim needs to be refined.
练习三：60 秒寻找证据。对于你打算提出的任何抽象主张（”教育对发展至关重要”），设定 60 秒计时器，写下你能回忆起的最具体证据——一个统计数字、一个历史案例、一个有名有姓的人物。如果找不到证据，说明这个主张需要被修正。
Drill 4: Transition-Free Zone. Write one paragraph (about 150 words) in which you are not allowed to use any transition words. You must achieve cohesion using pronouns, repetition, and logical sequence alone.
练习四：禁用过渡词区域。写一段约 150 字的文字，禁止使用任何过渡词。你只能依靠代词、重复和逻辑顺序来实现衔接。
Drill 5: Reopen the Conclusion. Take an old essay. Cross out its final paragraph. Write a new conclusion that does not restate any earlier sentence but instead offers a new insight, implication, or question for the future.
练习五：重写结尾。取一篇旧文。划掉最后一段。写一个新的结尾，不要复述前面的任何句子，而是提供一个新的洞见、影响或对未来的追问。

These drills work because they force you to make choices. In an examination, you will not have time to rewrite five times, but you will have internalised a habit of varying sentence patterns and questioning your first automatic phrasing.

这些练习之所以有效，是因为它们迫使你做出选择。考场上你不会有一稿再稿的时间，但你已经内化了变化句式、质疑第一反应的习惯。

12. Conclusion: Write Like a Human Being | 结语：像一个人一样去写作

Formulaic writing is, at its core, an attempt to disappear — to hide behind safe phrases that cannot be criticised because they say nothing. The examiners do not want that. They want to read the work of a mind that wrestles with ideas, notices complications, and makes precise linguistic choices. The best way to avoid formulaic writing is to treat writing as thinking, not as filling a template.

公式化写作，究其本质，是一种试图”隐身”的行为——躲在安全的套话后面，因为什么都没说，所以不会被批评。考官不想要这个。他们想读到的，是一个与观点搏斗、注意到复杂性、并做出精准语言选择的大脑的作品。避免公式化写作的最佳方式，就是把写作当作思考本身，而不是填写模板。

In practical terms, this means: replace “In my opinion” with the opinion itself. Replace “for example” with the example itself. Replace “in conclusion” with the conclusion itself. When you delete the scaffolding, the building must stand on its own. That is the ultimate test of your writing — and the test that examiners reserve their highest marks for.

在实际操作中，这意味着：用观点本身取代 “In my opinion”；用例子本身取代 “for example”；用结论本身取代 “in conclusion”。当你拆掉脚手架，大楼必须靠自身站立。这是对你写作的终极考验——也是考官将最高分留给它的原因。

Remember that the goal is not to sound clever. It is to sound like yourself — a person with genuine thoughts about a topic, expressed in precise, varied, and honest language. No template can give you that; only practice can. Start now, one sentence at a time.

请记住：目标不是让自己听起来聪明，而是听起来像自己——一个对话题有真实想法的人，用精确、多变、诚实的语言表达出来。任何模板都给不了你这个；只有练习可以。现在就开始，一次一个句子。

Published by TutorHao | English Revision Series | aleveler.com

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Breaking the Formula: How to Avoid Formulaic English Writing | 打破公式：英语写作如何摆脱公式化表达