第三章虚拟语气
虚拟语气(the
subjunctive mood),又称假设语气,是谓语动词的一种形式,表示说话人叙述的内容与事实相反,在现实中并不存在,或实现的可能性很小。
一、动词的语气
语气用来区别讲话人对某一行为或事情的看法和态度。英语中的语气(mood)有三种,分别是陈述语气、祈使语气和虚拟语气。
1.陈述语气
陈述语气一般用来叙述事实或就事实提出询问,主要用于陈述句、疑问句和某些感叹句。
Where
there is a will, there's a way.有志者事竟成。
Can you
help me carry the box upstairs你能帮我把箱子搬到楼上吗?
How I
missed the life in the countryside!我多么想念乡村的生活啊!
2.祈使语气
祈使语气表示说话人向对方提出请求或下达命令。
Come
this way, please!请这边走。
Don't
make any noise, will you别吵,行吗?
Do be
careful when crossing the street.过马路时一定要小心。
3.虚拟语气
虚拟语气表示动作或状态不是客观存在的事实,而是说话人的主观愿望、假设或推测等。
If I
were a bird, I could fly in the air.如果我是一只小鸟,我就能在空中飞行。
I wish
it were spring all the year round.但愿四季如春。
May good
luck be yours!祝你好运!
二、条件句中的虚拟语气
英语中条件从句有两类,一类是真实条件句,另一类是非真实条件句。如果假设的情况可能发生,是真实条件句;如果假设的情况是不存在的或不大可能发生的,则是虚拟条件句。
A.真实条件句
真实条件句表示的假设是可能发生或实现的,主句和从句的谓语动词都要用陈述语气。
If he
doesn't come at 8, we won't wait for him.如果他八点不来,我们就不等他了。
If a
flood happened in the past, there was usually a great loss of life and
property. 过去发生洪水的话,常有很大的生命和财产损失。
We shall
go there unless it rains tomorrow.如果明天不下雨,我们将去那里。
I'll let
you use my bike on condition that you keep it clean.如果你能保持车子干净,我就让你用我的自行车。
B.非真实条件句
在含有非真实条件句的复合句中,主句和从句的谓语动词都要用虚拟语气,其构成有三种形式:
与现在事实相反 if条件句的谓语:were did
主句的谓:would
(couldshouldmight) + do
与过去事实相反 if条件句的谓语:had
done
主句的谓:would(couldshouldmight)
+ have done
与将来事实相反 if条件句的谓语:didwere
主句的谓:should
do would (couldshouldmight) + do were to do
1.表示与现在事实相反的条件
条件从句用动词的过去式(be动词用were),主句用should(第一人称)或would(全部人称)+动词原形。可用情态动词could,
might代替should, would表示情态。
If it
were Sunday tomorrow, I would go and see my friends.明天要是星期天的话,我就去看望我的朋友。
If I
were you, I should go and try.我要是你,我就去试试。
If
wishes were horses, beggars might ride.
如果幻想能成为马匹,叫花子都有了坐骑
would go if they treated me like a slave.要是他们把我当奴隶对待,我就走。
2.表示与过去事实相反的条件
条件从句用动词的过去完成时,主句用should(第一人称)或would(全部人称)+have
done,也可用could, might代替should,
would。
If I had
known your telephone number yesterday, I would have telephoned you.如果昨天我知道你的电话号码,我就给你打电话了。
If it
had not rained this morning, I should have gone shopping.今天早上要是没下雨,我就去买东西了。
The
flood might have caused great damages to the people if we had not built so many
reservoirs.倘若我们没有修建这么多的水库,洪水就会使人民遭受巨大的损失。
3.表示在将来不太可能实现的条件
表示在将来不太可能实现的条件从句有三种形式:
①weredid
条件从句用动词的过去式(be动词用were),主句用should(第一人称)或would(全部人称)+动词原形。也可用could,
might代替should, would。
If he
were here tomorrow, I would speak to him.明天如果他在这里的话,我就和他谈谈。
If you
dropped the glass, it would break.你要是把杯子掉下来,会打碎的。
If she
had time, she could help me.她要是有时间,就会帮我了。
②should do
条件从句中不管什么人称都用should
do,可表示有偶然实现的可能性。
If it
should rain, the crops could be saved.假如下雨,庄稼可能就有救了。
We would
trust him if he should be honest.如果他真是诚实的,那我们就相信他。
③were to do
条件从句用were
+ to do。这种形式比较正式,常出现在书面语中,其假设成份很大,实现的可能性很小。
If I
were to do the work, I should do it in a different way.要是我做这项工作,我就会以不同的方式去做。
If the
headmaster were to come, what would we say to him假如校长来了,我们对他说什么呢?
对比:
将来不太可能实现的三种非真实条件句中的虚拟语气对比
If it
snowed tomorrow, I would stay at home.如果明天下雪的话,我就留在家里。
(常用形式)
If it
should snow tomorrow, I would stay at home.如果明天下雪的话,我就留在家里。
(可能性较小)
If it
were to snow tomorrow, I would stay at home.如果明天要下雪的话,我就留在家里。(可能性最小)
C.省略if的条件句
在书面语中,非真实条件句中有were,
had, should时,可以省略if,而把were,
had, should放在主语前,用倒装结构。
Were it
necessary, I might go without delay.如果需要的话,我可以立即去。(=
If it were necessary......)
Had you
taken my advice, you wouldn't have failed in the exam.你要是听了我的建议,就不会考试不及格了。(=
If you had taken my advice......)
Should I
have time, I would call on her.要是有时间,我就去看她。(=
If I should have time......)
D.错综条件句
虚拟条件句中的主句和从句涉及的动作发生的时间不一致,这时主句和从句的谓语形式应按照各自动作发生的实际时间来表达。
If you
hadn't watched TV yesterday, you wouldn't be so sleepy now.如果你昨天不看电视,你现在也就不会这么困了。(从句yesterday说明过去,主句now说明现在)
If they
had left home early this morning, they would arrive in half an hour.如果他们今天一早就离开家的话,再过半小时他们就该到了。(从句说明过去,主句说明将来。)
If you
hesitated this moment, you might suffer in the future.如果你此刻犹豫不决,你将来会吃苦头的。(从句说明现在,主句说明将来)
注意:
在很多情况下,我们也可以用was来代替当主语是第一人称或第三人称单数时的were。
If were
here tomorrow...
也可以说成:If
he was here tomorrow...
I wish I
were a bird.
也可以说成:I
sish I was a bird.
但倒装句型中的were不可被was来替换。
Were I
in your position,I would not do it.如果我处在你的位置,我是不会干这件事的。
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