A Statistical Analysis of the Frequently Used Phrase Modal "Double A +Double V" in the Reports on the Work of Government from 1954 to 2009

The reports on the work of government by the State Council of China have been regarded as a good example of"formal written Chinese".The phrase modal of"double A +double V" such as "大力发展"(to strive to develop),"切实加强"(to take concrete step to advance),"逐步改进"(to improve gradually)is frequently used in them to show the formality and written style.The modifiers and the words they modify in these phrases are precise and exact.Some of them in fact have become "programmed language"because of the frequent use.Thus a statistical analysis of these phrases is necessary to be made.The statistics on "double A"and "double V"as the two knots respectively shows that this phrase modal is accurate,standard,rigorous and scientific so it is suitable to the written style of official documents.