虚拟语气用法总结

Part One: 虚拟语气在非真实条件句中的用法

1. 非真实条件句中谓语动词的形式

注意：美国英语的结果主句，不管什么人称，皆常用 would 。

2. 与现在事实相反的非真实条件句

虚拟语气用在与现在事实相反条件句中时，条件从句的谓语用动词的过去式 （ _be_ 的过去式用 were ），结果主句的谓语用 should (第一人称)或 would (第二、三人称)＋动词原形。如：

• I am sorry I am very busy now. If I had time, I would certainly come to see you.
  很抱歉，我很忙。如果有时间，我一定去看你了。
• If it weren’t for their support, we would _be_ in a difficult situation.
  要不是有他们的支持，我们的处境会很困难。
• if places were alike, there would _be_ little need for geographers.
  如果各个地方都一样，就不需要地理学家了。
• If I were you, I would apply for the job.
  如果我是你，我会申请那份工作的。
• What would you _do_ if you knew who broke the glass.
  要是你知道谁打破了玻璃，你会怎么办？
• Even if I had the money, I would n’t buy it.
  即使我有钱也不会买它。

3. 与过去事实相反的非真实条件句

虚拟语气用在与过去事实相反的条件句中时，条件从句的谓语用 had ＋ 过去分词，结果主句的谓语用 should (第一人称) 或 would （第二、三人称） ＋ have ＋ 过去分词。如：

• If I had taken your advice, I would n’t have made such a mistake.
  如果当时听了你的话，我就不会犯这样的错误了。
• If it had not been for your help, I would n’t have finished the work so easily.
  要不是你的帮助，我的工作不会这么容易完成。
• If we had known the basic principles, we should have controlled the process even better.
  如果我们知道这些基本原理，我们早就能更好地控制这个工序了。
• If facts had been collected one week earlier, we should have had more time to study them.
  假使早一个星期收集事实，我们就有更多的时间研究它们了。
• The conference would n’t have been so successful if we hadn’t made adequate preparation.
  如果我们不做充分的准备，会议是不会开得这么成功的。

4. 与将来事实相反的非真实条件句

4.1 虚拟语气用在与将来事实相反的条件句中时，条件从句的谓语用动词的过去式（ _be_ 的过去式用 were ）， were to或 should ，结果主句用 should (第一人称)或 would （第二、三人称）＋ 动词原形。如：

• If it rained( were to rain/ should rain) tomorrow, I should stay at home.
  如果明天下雨，我会呆在家里。
• If the teacher knew it, he would _be_ angry.
  万一老师知道了这事，他会生气的。
• I would n’t lose courage even if I should fail again.
  即使再次失败我也不会气馁。
• If I made a mistake, I should try to remedy it.
  假如我犯了错误，我就会设法补救。
• If something should go wrong, the control rods would drop.
  万一发生什么事故，控制杆就会下落。

4.2 在与将来事实相反的条件句中，其条件从句的谓语也可用 were to ＋ 动词原形。这种虚拟式比较正式，多用于书面语中，其假想性很强，实现性很小。如：

• If I were to _do_ it, I would _do_ it another way.
  要是我来做这件事，我会用另一种方法。
• If he were to come tomorrow, I would speak to him about it.
  假如明天他来，我会跟他谈这个问题。

5. 情态助动词用于虚拟语气

有不少情态助动词也可用于虚拟语气。如：

• May you live a long and happy life.
  愿你长寿幸福。（may只用于表示愿望）
• If there were no friction, an automobile could not move.
  没有摩擦力，汽车就不能开动。
• But for your help, we could n’t have succeeded.
  要不是你的帮助，我们是不会成功的。
• If computers had not been invited, many problems on space flight could not have been solved.
  如果没有发明计算机的话，宇宙飞行的许多问题就不可能解决。

6. were ， had ， should 等置于主语之前

在书面语中，条件从句可以不用连词if，而将谓语中的过去式 were ， had 或 should 等移至主语之前。如：

• Were you in my position, what would you _do_ ?
  假如你处在我的位置，你会怎么做？
• Were he to leave today, he would get there by Friday.
  如果他今天动身，星期五前会赶到那儿。
• Had some work been done , energy would have been applied.
  如果做了一定量的功，就一定消耗了能量。
• Had they time, they would come to see you.
  如果他们有时间，他们就会来看你。
• should it rained tomorrow, the meeting would _be_ postponed.
  万一明天下雨，会议就会延期。
• should he come, he would _be_ able to examine the trial run of the machine.
  如果他来，他就能检验这台机器的试车情况了。

7. 条件从句与结果主句所表示的时间不一致

7.1 当条件从句与结果主句所表示的时间不一致（如一个是过去发生的，一个是现在发生的）时，虚拟语气的形式应作相应的调整。如：

• If you were in better health, we would have asked you to come.
  如果你身体好一些，我们早就请你来了。
• If we had consulted him on the question yesterday, we should know what to _do_ now.
  假如昨天我们向他请教了这个问题，现在就知道该怎么办了。
• You would _be_ much better now if you had taken my advice. 假如你接受了我的意见，你现在就会好得多。

7.2 如果条件从句用if I were ．．．，结果主句则可用任何时间的虚拟形式。如：

• If I were not busy, I would have come.
  假如我不忙，我就会去的。（ were 表过去）

8. 虚拟语气在含蓄条件句中的用法

8.1 条件暗含在短语中。如：

• We didn’t know his telephone number; otherwise we would have telephoned him.
  我们不知道他的电话号码，否则我们就会给他打电话。（暗含条件是otherwise）
• Without your help, we would n’t have achieved so much.
  没有你的帮助，我们不可能取得这么大的成绩。
  （暗含条件是介词短语without your help）
• But for your help, I would not have succeeded in the experiment.
  如果没有你的帮助，我的实验就不会成功。（暗含条件是but for your help）
• It would cause great trouble not to lubricate the bearing immediately.
  不立即润滑轴承就会引起很大的故障。
  （暗含条件是not to lubricate the bearing immediately）
• Alone, she would have been terrified.

8.2 条件暗含在上下文中。如：

• I would not have done it that way.
  我是不会那么做的。（_可能暗含if I were you_）
• I was busy that day. Otherwise I would have come to help you.
  我那天很忙。否则我会来帮你的。（_可能暗含if I hadn’t been so busy._）
• You might come to join us in the discussion.
  你可以参加我们的讨论。（可能暗含if you wanted to）
• I would have bought the DVD player.
  我是会买下那台影碟机的。（_可能暗含if I had the money_）
• But for the storm, we should have arrived earlier.
  要不是碰到暴雨，我们还会早些到。（_可能暗含if it had not been for the storm_）。

9. 省去结果主句的非真实条件句

非真实条件句若省去结果主句，则常表示一种不可能实现的愿望。这种条件句常用if only来引导。如：

• If I could see him once
  我只要再见到他一次就好了。
• If only he were here.
  如果他在这儿就好了。
• If only I hadn’t done that.
  我要是没做那事就好了
• If only I had more time to think about it.
  我要是有更多的时间考虑这个问题就好了。
• If only you would take my advice.
  你如果听我的意见就好了。
• If only she didn’t drive so fast!
  她要是别开那么快就好了。

10. 不用if引导的条件句

非真实条件句的条件从句除用if引导外，还可用when, unless, lest, as if, for fear, in case, on condition that等词语来引导。如：

• The government prepared to award them when the experiment should _be_ completed.
  政府已准备在实验完成后嘉奖他们。
• Steel parts were usually covered with grease lest they should rust.
  钢部件通常涂有油脂以免生锈。
• Unless I were well, I would n’t _be_ at work.
  除非我好了，否则我不会去上班。
• The electric current flows through a conductor as if it were a fluid.
  电流好像液体般地流过导体。
• He handled the instrument with care for fear (that) it should _be_ damaged.
  他小心地摆弄那仪器，生怕把它弄坏。
• Take some more money with you in case you should need it.
  多带点儿钱以备急用。
• He can use the car on condition that he should return it tomorrow.
  如果明天车能还回来，他就可以把车借去。
• Suppose you were given a chance to get the job, would you accept?
  假如你有机会得到那份工作，你会接受吗？

注意：与if一样，上述词语所引导的条件从句也可用直陈语气，表可能实现或发生的事。

TO BE CONTINUED

来自《薄冰实用英语语法详解》