虚拟语气

虚拟语气

英语中，由于说话人的意图不同，谓语动词需要采用不同的形式，称之为语气。可分为：陈述语气（肯定陈述和否定陈述）、祈使语气和虚拟语气。

1.be 式虚拟语气：建议、命令或请求

此处所讲的be 式虚拟语气统指不带to的动词不定式，用于所有人称和时间。

正式文体中，在表示建议、命令或请求的动词后，that从句的动词常用这种形式，尤其美语中。

常见动词：advise, ask, beg, command, demand, insist, order, plead, propose, recommend, request, require, suggest, urge, decree, direct, pray 等

例3-5为上述词的派生词

1)He asked that they (should) be allowed to leave. 他请求准许他

们离开。

2)I suggested that we meet outside by the fountain. 我建议我们在

外面喷水池旁见面。

3)It is requested that he be told the truth as soon as possible. 要求

尽快把真相告诉他。

4)My proposal is that the meeting be postponed till a later time .

5)Her advice that John wait until next week is quite reasonable.

以下词语表示“必要性”“迫切性”时，that从句用虚拟。Advisable,

desirable, essential, imperative, important, necessary, urgent, vital, obligatory等。

6)It is imperative that he make a quick decision. 他必须尽快作出

决定。

7)It is important that everybody get prepared beforehand.

8)It is necessary that he be sent there right now.

9)注意：当其中的某些词用于别的意思时，that从句就不能用虚

拟。

His question suggested that he doubted my sincerity.

She insisted that she was innocent.

2.用于lest或whether引起的状语从句

1)He ran away lest he (should/might) be seen.

2)I was afraid lest she (should) be offended. 唯恐得罪了她。

3)We worried lest the secret become known. 担心秘密被泄露。

4)She will have my support, whether she be right or wrong. 无论

她对错，我都支持她。

5)All magnets behave the same, be they large or small. 磁铁无论

大小，其性能都一样。

6)Be a man ever so successful, he should not be proud. 一个人的

成就无论多大，也不应该骄傲。

由whether引起的让步状语从句中，动词通常用陈述语气。但是

若主动词是“be”,在正式文体中用其原形be. 也可以省略whether，而将be置于主语之前。

3.were 式虚拟语气：虚拟条件句

这里所讲的were 式统指任何动词的过去时形式。当谈到事实上不存在或不大可能发生的事情时，用虚拟条件句。有三种情况：1）谈论现在或将来的情况，if从句的动词用过去式，主句谓语用would+v原形。

a)I’d hurry up if I were you.

b)If it were/was not raining now, I would go for a walk. （口语中也

可以用was）

c)If I could afford it, I would buy a boat.

d)If war broke out, what would you do?

2) 谈论将来情况时，较正式的用法是if从句用should, 主句用would 或will。另一种是从句用were to, 主句用would.

a) We wouldn’t/ won’t lose courage if we should fail again. 倘若我们再次失败，我们也不会气馁。

b) If I were to do it, I would do it in a different way. 如果我来做…….

3) 谈到过去没有发生的情况时，if从句用过去完成时，主句用“would+ have+ 过去分词”

a) If you had told me about your problem, I would have helped you.

要是你早告诉我。。。。。。。

b) If it hadn’t been for your help, I really don’t know what I’d have done.

4.could, might或should 在主句中的使用

虚拟条件句的主句中，一般用would,但有时也可以用could, might 或should.

Could 表示能力或许可，相当于would be able to

1)If the roads weren’t so icy, we could go much faster.

Could加不定式的完成式表示本来能够做到的事实际没有做到。2）If he hadn’t hurt his ankle, he could have won the race. Might/could 表示可能性或许诺，相当于would possibly.

3) If you asked me nicely, I might/could take you out for lunch. Might/could 加不定式的完成式表示本来也许会发生的事没有发生

4) If he had made adequate preparations, he might/could have succeeded.

Should 与would 相同，用于I或we之后，美语中通常用would.

5) I should be more careful if I were you.

6) I shouldn’t have done it if it hadn’t been necessary. 如果没有必要，我是不会做它的。

5. 省略if

在正式文体或文学作品中，有时将条件从句中if的省略，同时也把第一个动词置于主语之前。

1)Were it all true, it would still not excuse their actions.

2)Were anything to happen, I would return immediately.

3)Were I given the chance to stay in America for some time, I might

speak English fluently.

4)Had we enough time, things would be easy.

5)Had I known about it, I would have told you.

6)Had I realized what you intended, I should not have wasted my

time trying to explain matters to you.

7)Should any visitors come, I would/will say you are not in.

8)Should you change your mind about my offer, you can call me at

this number.

9)Should you change your mind, let us know. (主句用祈使语气，表

示请求)

注：只有在从句的第一个动词为：were, had, should才可以这样用。

6. 从句和主句时间或语气不一致（又称为虚拟语气混合条件句）在虚拟条件句里，主句和从句的时间通常是一致的，但有时出于意思表达的需要，也可能不一致。多数情况是从句讲的是过去事

情，主句则是现在的情况。

1)If I had had breakfast, I would not be hungry now.

2)If he hadn’t spent so much money, he would be rich today.

3)If you had listened to the teacher carefully yesterday, you would

know how to do it now.

偶尔，也有可能从句讲的是通常情况，主句讲的是过去的事情。

4)If he were a good student, he would have studied for the test.

7. 没有if从句的虚拟条件句

1）I could nothing without you.

2) But for the storm, we should have arrived earlier.

3) But for your help, I could n’t have passed the exam. = If it hadn’t been your help, ……

3) We could have done better under more favorable conditions.

4) She ran; otherwise, she would have missed her bus.

5) It would be a mistake not to help him.

6) I would have bought the car, but I didn’t have enough money. = If

I had had enough money, …

7) I would never do anything that went against my conscience. = If something went……

8) Who but a fool would believe that? = One would believe that only if one were a fool.

除了傻瓜，谁会相信这个？

8. 用于if only之后

if only 可用来表达强烈的愿望：

如果谈现时的情况用过去时：

If only I were rich.

If only I knew what you want!

If only I could swim!

If only he knew how we miss him!

如果提起过去的事情，用过去完成时：

If only he had remembered to buy some fruit.

If only 还可以与would连用表达愿望，常带有遗憾或不满的含义：

If only it would stop raining!

If only he would shut up for a moment and let someone else speak! If only 也可以用于虚拟条件句：

If only I had more money, I could buy the new clothes.

注意：only if “只有，只要”用于陈述语气，常置于句首：Only if the green light comes on can you cross the road.

9. 用其他结构表达虚拟语气

It is (about/high) time (that) 后可以接一个用简单过去时的从句，

以提出建议或忠告，“该做某事了”“早该做…….”, 这时，它指的是现在或将来，而不是过去。

It is time we went home.

I think it’s time we stopped.

It’s about time you had your hair cut.

It’s high time we did something about improving the situation.

用作附加成分的词组as it were (=so to speak, 可以说，在某种程度上)中，永远用were, 不用was。词组as it is/was = in reality.

He’s my best friend, my brother as it were. ……就好像是我的兄弟。

In many ways children live, as it were, in a different world from adults.

They agreed to buy the house as it is. 看样子他们同意买那栋房子。

We have hoped to finish it today, but as it is we probably won’t finish until tomorrow.

10.动词wish+ 宾语从句，表示不可能实现的愿望

1）与现在事实相反的愿望，从句谓语用“过去式”

I wish I knew Japanese.

He wishes he were as strong as I .

2) 与过去事实相反的愿望，从句谓语用“过去完成时”

I wish she had known my telephone number then.

I wish I had passed yesterday’s English test.

3) 与将来事实可能相反的愿望，从句谓语用should/would/could/might + 动词原形。

I wish he could come.

She wishes she could spend her holidays in America.

11. 虚拟语气在由as if/though 引导的从句中的运用：从句谓语动词用动词过去式或过去完成时。

He speaks English as if he were an American.

Mike talked about shanghai as though he had been there for a long time.