从形态学的角度来看，现代英语属于“合成型”，而汉语则属于“分解型”语言。

从句法学的角度来看，英语的造句形式属于“型合型”，而汉语则属于“意合型”。

如：

黔无驴。有好事者船载以入。至则无可用，放之山下。虎见之，庞然大物也。以为神，蔽林间窥之。稍出近之，慭慭然，莫相知。他日，驴一鸣，虎大骇，远遁；以为且噬己也，甚恐。然往来视之，觉无异能者；益习其声，又近出前后，终不敢搏。稍近，益狎，荡倚冲冒。驴不胜怒，蹄之。虎因喜，计之曰，“技止此耳！”因跳踉大阚，断其喉，尽其肉，乃去。

(柳宗元：《黔之驴》)

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

And the earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face to the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

And God said, let there be light: and there was light.

And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.

And the evening and the morning were the first day.

(The Holy Bible, King James Version, 1970)