英、汉相同点：“主语＋谓语＋宾语”（ＳＶＯ）或“施事＋行为＋受事”为基本语序

英、汉相异点：句内的语序的灵活性，以及定语、状语等次要成分位置的差异，汉译英需要调整语序

         句内主要成分位置的调整

沙发上坐着一个人。

A man was sitting on a couch.

马可·波罗的中国之行，给他留下最深刻印象的是杭州西湖之秀美。

The beauty of the West Lake in Hangzhou was what impressed Marco Polo most during his trip to China.

         状语位置的调整

汉语状语的位置一般在主语和谓语之间，呈“主语→状语→谓语→宾语”模式；英语状语一般出现在宾语后的句尾，呈“主语→谓语→宾语→状语”模式。

1)       我们明天上午九时动身。

We are going to start at nine tomorrow morning.

2)       这本书是三天前买的。

The book was bought three days ago.

3)       他每晚都要看电视。

He watches TV every evening.

4)       在机器中很多能量是由于部件之间的摩擦而损失的。

In a machine a great deal of energy is lost because of the friction between its parts.

5)       他们很细心地观察化学变化。

They observed the chemical reaction with great care.

They observed with great care the chemical reaction.

6)       他们肩并肩地以疯狂速度向那座石塔奔去。

They ran side by side at a fantastic speed towards the stone pagoda.

Side by side and at a fantastic speed they ran towards the stone pagoda.

Side by side they ran at a fantastic speed towards the stone pagoda.

         一系列表示时间，地点，方式状语位置的调整

在汉语中通常排列为“时间→地点→方式→动词”的顺序，而在英语中则通常排列为“动词→方式→地点→时间”的顺序。

大会将于①今年九月②在北京③隆重开幕。

The meeting will begin ceremoniously in Beijing the following September.

①他每晚②都在图书馆③用心读书。

He reads hard in the library every evening.

他①一九三五年②八月③二十二日④早晨⑤六点三十分诞生在⑴湖南的⑵一个小县城。

He was born in a small town of Hunan Province at six thirty on the morning of August 22, 1935.

设在位于①纽约市②中心③一座摩天大楼④第四十层楼里的⑤那间办公室，就是他工作的小天地。

The office on the fortieth floor of a skyscraper in the center of New York City is the world he works in.

             定语位置的调整

浩瀚的大海

The vast sea

古老的中原文化

The time-honored Central Plain culture

举世闻名的万里长城

The world-famous Great Wall

一九四九年解放以前，中国人民曾经遭受①世界罕见的②恶性通货膨胀的灾祸。

Before liberation in 1949 the Chinese people suffered from ②some of the worst inflation①the world had ever known.

①中国现存②规模最大③保存最完好的古代建筑群。

③the best-preserved ②magnificent ancient architectural complexes①in China