Task 2 寫到「這個問題源於……」、「這種態度來自……」時，考生反覆寫 come from——文法對，但太口語。學術升級：stem from。

字義

Stem from (phrasal v.) — to be caused by or originate from a particular source, especially an underlying reason, condition, or background.

字面是「從莖（stem）長出來」——強調根源、底層原因。比 come from 多一層因果深度。

5 個 Band 7+ 例句

  1. Many of these tensions stem from a long history of unequal access to land.
  2. Concerns about screen time often stem from broader anxieties about parenting.
  3. The differences in test results may stem from the schools' funding gaps.
  4. His reluctance to delegate stems from a lack of trust in junior staff.
  5. Most workplace conflicts stem from poor communication rather than genuine disagreement.

常見錯誤

搭配對象：stem from 接的主詞通常是抽象問題、態度、現象（problems, concerns, differences, attitudes, tensions）——不接具體實物。別寫 The book stems from the library——要寫 come from。

Register 偏書面：Speaking Part 1 隨口聊家鄉時 I come from Taipei 自然；Part 3 與 Task 2 寫議題根源——stem from 才上場。

時態靈活：stem from 多用現在式（描述持續的因果關係）；過去式 stemmed from 也合法但較少見。

同等級替換（Band 7+）

  • Originate from — The tradition originates from a 14th-century festival.（強調起源點）
  • Arise from — Many disputes arise from misinterpretation of contracts.（強調事件「冒出來」）

試試看

下次 Task 2 因果段，把 This problem comes from... 換成 This problem stems from...——一秒把因果論述升一級。

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