英语说明文写作一般都有哪些特点呢？以下是小编整理的英语说明文的特点，欢迎参考阅读！
1.时态相对较为统一：多用现在时态
由于说明文往往是对客观事物或事理的一种介绍与解释，而这种客观的介绍与解释一般是不随时间和空间变化而改变的，比如：说明早锻炼的好处，介绍猫的胡子的功能，解释臭氧层对人类生活的影响等等，是不受时间和空间影响的。因此，尽管有时为了特殊表达的要求，会在个别地方采用其他时态，英语说明文的基本时态还是一般现在时。下面这篇由香港学生写的作文充分反映了说明文的这一特点。
The Way to Achieve Success
Many successful people say that they owe much of their success to the cultivation （培养） of certain good habits in early life. In forming good habits， I think we should pay attention to four things， that is， honesty， industry （勤勉）， enthusiasm （热情）， and thrift （节俭）。
“Honesty is the best policy”。 This is a proverb to which we must pay attention. There are so many temptations （诱惑） in society that through a little carelessness we may go astray （走入歧途）。 But when we are honest， people will not be dishonest to us.
Industry gives every man and woman， every boy and girl， proper work to do. To do nothing is to ruin oneself.
Enthusiasm is a great force. One's soul will expand if one devotes （贡献） oneself to a noble cause. The difficulties in our way are tremendous （巨大的）， but what can we not accomplish （取得）， if with enthusiasm？
There are many proverbs which set forth （陈述） the advantages （好处） of thrift. Since we live in a world where money is a very powerful thing， we should always try to save part of our earnings for future use.
These are the four things to which we must pay attention. It is only in this way that we can achieve success.
2.采用客观表述，避免主观色彩
由于在很多情况下，说明文是对客观存在的说明与介绍，因此语言的表述也应该尽可能地给人以客观可信的感觉，比如：
（1）I think that getting up late is not always a bad thing.
（2）It is said that getting up late is not always a bad thing.
相比之下，例（2）的.语言要比例（1）的语言客观一些，容易让人接受一些。如果再作一些表述上的改动：
（3）Getting up late is not always a bad thing， according to Franklin Smith， a well-known psychologist in Stanford University.
引进著名人士作为信息的来源，可以使想要说明的内容更具有说服力。如果我们将例（3）中的always再改为necessarily，就可使整个句子更客观、委婉，便于为读者接受：
（4）Getting up late is not necessarily a bad thing， according to Franklin Smith， a well-known psychologist in Stanford University.
在英语中，采用被动语态，引进权威的信息来源以及选用委婉的词语是使说明文避免主观色彩，增加客观性，从而为读者接受的重要语言手段
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