A method for preparing a polyoxymethylene dimethyl ether carbonyl compound and/or methyl methoxyacetate as intermediates for producing ethylene glycol, which comprises passing a raw material: polyoxymethylene dimethyl ether or methylal together with carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas through a reactor carrying an acidic molecular sieve catalyst, and performing a reaction to prepare a corresponding product under an appropriate condition where no other solvent is added, in which the process of the reaction is a gas-liquid-solid three-phase reaction, the raw material of polyoxymethylene dimethyl ether or methylal has a high conversion rate, each product has a high selectivity, the catalyst has a long service life, additional solvents are not required to be used, and reaction conditions are relatively mild.