句子结构
国际经济合同文件及其他法律文件中的英文句子具有结构严谨、句式较长的特点。为了做到准确、严密、清楚、易解，这类英文句子的结构有其自己的一定规则，较典型的特点是状语的位置，主句的状语和从句的状语都有自己一定的位置。只有掌握了这些规则，我们写出的句子才能符合上述要求，否则，写出的句子很可能不准确、不严密、不清楚、不易解，容易引发合同双方的争议。
经贸文件及其他法律文件中的句子具有结构严谨、句式较长的特点。为了做到准确、严密、清楚、易解，句子（简单句）中状语的用法有其自己的一定规则，其位置与基础英语中的频度副词（如：often, sometimes, always, never, seldom）的位置相同，一般应放在shall，may等情态助动词之后，行为动词之前。
如果英语句子为复合句，主句的状语位置与从句的状语位置不同。主句的状语位置应放在shall之后，动词之前。 例1
The securities regulatory authorities under the State Council shall, in accordance with law, implement centralized and unified regulation and supervision of the securities market nationwide. The securities regulatory authorities under the State Council may, where necessary, establish agencies that shall perform the regulatory functions as authorized. 注释：
（1）the securities regulatory authorities under the State Council：国务院证券监督管理机构
（2）implement centralized and unified regulation and supervision of the securities market nationwide：对全国证券市场实行集中统一监督管理
（3）establish agencies that shall perform the regulatory functions as authorized：设立派出机构，按照授权履行监督管理职责 参考译文：
国务院证券监督管理机构依法对全国证券市场实行集中统一监督管理。国务院证券监督管理机构根据需要可以设立派出机构，按照授权履行监督管理职责。 例2
The state audit authorities shall, in accordance with law and through auditing, supervise stock exchanges, securities companies, securities registration and clearing institutions and the securities regulatory authorities. 注释：
（1）the state audit authorities：国家审计机关 （2）stock exchange：证券交易所 （3）securities company：证券公司
（4）securities registration and clearing institutions：证券登记结算机构 （5）the securities regulatory authorities：证券监督管理机构
参考译文：
国家审计机关对证券交易所、证券公司、证券登记结算机构、证券监督管理机构，依法进行审计监督。 例3
Public offers of securities shall meet the conditions prescribed in laws and administrative regulations and shall, in accordance with law, be reported to the securities regulatory authority under the State Council or the department authorized by the State Council for verification or examination and approval. 注释：
（1）public offers of securities：公开发行证券
（2）or the department authorized by the State Council：或者国务院授权的部门 （3）for verification or examination and approval：核准或审批 参考译文：
公开发行证券，必须符合法律、行政法规规定的条件，并依法报经国务院证券监督管理机构或者国务院授权的部门核准或审批。 例4
Securities companies shall, in accordance with the provisions of laws and administrative regulations, underwrite the securities to be issued to the public by issuers. Securities shall be underwritten on an agency basis or on a sole agency basis. 注释：
（1）in accordance with the provisions of laws and administrative regulations：依照法律、行政法规的规定 （2）underwrite the securities：承销证券
（3）on an agency basis or on a sole agency basis：采取代销或者包销方式 参考译文：
证券公司应当依照法律、行政法规的规定承销发行人向社会公开发行的证券。证券承销业务采取代销或者包销方式。 例5
The People’s Republic of China shall, under international treaties or agreements to which the People’s Republic of China is a contracting party or a participating party, grant the other contracting parties or participating parties, or shall, on the principles of mutual reciprocity and equality, grant the other party most-favoured-nation treatment or national treatment within the field of foreign trade. 注释：
（1）international treaties or agreements：国际条约、协定 （2）contracting party：缔约方
（3）on the principles of mutual reciprocity and equality：互惠、对等原则 （4）most-favoured-nation treatment：最惠国待遇 （5）national treatment：国民待遇 参考译文：
中华人民共和国在对外贸易方面所缔结或者参加的国际条约、协定，给予其他缔约方，参加方或者根据互惠、对等原则给予对方最惠国待遇、国民待遇。 例6
A company shall, in conducting its business activities, comply with law and business ethics, strengthen the construction of socialist spiritual civilization and accept the supervision of the government and the public. The legitimate rights and interests of a company shall be protected by law and shall not be infringed. 注释：
（1）in conducting its business activities：从事经营活动 （2）business ethics：职业道德
（3）strengthen the construction of socialist spiritual civilization：加强社会主义精神文明建设 参考译文：
公司从事经营活动，必须遵守法律、遵守职业道德，加强社会主义精神文明建设，接受政府和社会公众的监督。
公司的合法权益受法律保护，不受侵犯。 例7
Shareholders shall, in accordance with the proportions and their capital contribution, exercise voting rights at shareholders’ meetings. 注释：
（1）in accordance with the proportions and their capital contribution：按照出资比例 （2）exercise voting rights：行使表决权 （3）shareholders’ meetings：股东会会议 参考译文：
股东会会议由股东按照出资比例行使表决权。 例8
A listed company shall, pursuant to laws and administrative regulations, make public periodically its financial and operational conditions. The listed company shall, in each fiscal year, publish its financial statements once every six months. 注释：
（1）a listed company：上市公司 （2）make public periodically：定期公开
（3）its financial and operational conditions：财务状况和经营情况
（4）shall, in each fiscal year, publish its financial statements once every six months：在每会计年度内半年公布一次财务会计报告 参考译文：
上市公司必须按照法律、行政法规的规定，定期公开财务状况和经营情况，在每会计年度内半年公布一次财务会计报告。 例9
A foreign company may, pursuant to this law, establish branches within the Territory of China, and may engage in production and operational activities. 注释：
（1）establish branches within the Territory of China：在中国境内设立分支机构 （2）engage in production and operational activities：从事生产经营活动 参考译文：
外国公司依照本法规定可以在中国境内设立分支机构，从事生产经营活动。 例10
If the parties go back on their words after the conclusion of a conciliation agreement and the withdrawal of the arbitration application, an application may, in accordance with the arbitration agreement, be made for arbitration. 注释：
（1）go back on one’s words：反悔
（2）the conclusion of a conciliation agreement：达成和解协议 （3）the withdrawal of the arbitration application：撤回仲裁申请 参考译文：
当事人达成和解协议，撤回仲裁申请后反悔的，可以根据仲裁协议申请仲裁。
廿五 从句中的状语的位置
如果法律文件中的句子是复合句，那么从句中的状语的位置与主句中的状语的位置是不一样的。从句中的状语通常应放在连词if或when等词的后面，从句句子的前面。
如果把从句中状语放在从句句末而从句又在主句之前，那么势必会引起对合同条款理解的差异。如果合同一方理解为是修饰主句的状语，双方就会有争议。因此把从句中的状语放在连词之后，可以避免上述误解，并使意思表达更加明确。 例1
Where, through securities trading at a stock exchange, and investor comes to hold 5 percent of shares issued by a listed company, the investor shall, within three days from the date on which such shareholding becomes a fact, submit a written report to the securities regulatory authorities under the State Council and the stock exchange, notify the listed company and make the fact known to the public. During the period specified above, the investor may not continue to purchase or sell shares of the listed company in question. 注释：
（1）through securities trading at a stock exchange：通过证券交易所的证券交易
（2）to hold 5 percent of shares issued by a listed company：持有一个上市公司已发行的股份的百分之五 （3）notify the listed company and make the fact known to the public：通知该上市公司，并予以公告 （4）the investor may not continue to purchase or sell shares of the listed company in question：不得再行买卖该上市公司的股票 参考译文：
通过证券交易所的证券交易，投资者持有一个上市公司已发行的股份的百分之五，应当在该事实发生之日起三日内，向国务院证券监督管理机构、证券交易所作出局面报告，通知该上市公司，并予以公告。在上述规定的期限内，不得再行买卖该上市公司的股票。 例2
When, through securities trading on a stock exchange, an investor comes to hold 30 percent of the shares issued by a listed company, and continues to buy the shares of the listed company, the investor shall, in accordance with law, issue a takeover offer to all shareholders of the listed company in question, unless the investor is exempted by the securities regulatory authorities under the State Council from issuing such an offer. 注释：
（1）issue a takeover offer to all shareholders of the listed company in question：向该上市公司所有股东发出收购要约
（2）unless the investor is exempted by the securities regulatory authorities under the State Council from issuing such an offer：但经国务院证券监督管理机构免除发出要约的除外 参考译文：
通过证券交易所的证券交易，投资者持有一个上市公司已发行的股份的30%时，继续进行收购的，应当依法向该上市公司所有股东发出收购要约。但经国务院证券监督管理机构免除发出要约的除外。 例3
If, during the effective term of a takeover offer, the purchaser needs to alter any items in the takeover offer, the purchaser shall submit a report to the securities regulatory authority under the State Council and the stock exchange in advance. The purchaser shall, after approval of the report, make the fact in question known to the public. 注释：
（1）the purchaser needs to alter any items in the takeover offer：收购人需要变更收购要约中事项的