2012年考研英语语法精讲——虚拟语气

郭颖君

在汉语里表示假设虚拟的情况常用一些虚词来表示，例如“假设”、“如果”等;而英文中表示虚拟的情况不但有虚词的提示，谓语或系动词也要相应的变化。

　　虚拟语气的基本作用是：

　　1). 表达与事实相反的假设和陈述，分为非真实条件句和非真实主句;

　　2). 表达异想天开很难实现的愿望，类似于非真实条件句;

　　3). 表达建议、命令、劝告等语气，建议类虚拟语气。

　　1. 虚拟语气的基本形式和用法★★

　　非真实虚拟语气中，主句与从句中谓语动词或者连系动词的形式可分为下面三类：


虚拟类型
条件从句谓语动词或连系动词形式
主句谓语动词或连系动词形式

与现在

事实相反
动词的过去式

be用were而不用was
would（第一人称可用should）+动词原形

与过去

事实相反
had+过去分词
would（第一人称可用should）+have+过去分词

与将来事实可能相反
were to+动词原形或should+动词原形
would（第一人称可用should）+动词原形


　　



　　I would ask George to lend us the money if I had known him.

　　If Bob had come with us, he would have had a good time.

　　2. 省略if的虚拟形式★★

　　在虚拟条件从句中，如果谓语包含were，had，should等词，则可以把这些词放到主语前面，省略if。

　　Had he taken the advice of his friends, he would not have suffered such a heavy loss in his business.

　　Should they come to us, I should ask them some questions.

　　Had I realized you were busy, I wouldn't have bothered you with my questions.

　　3. 含蓄条件句★

　　有时一个假设的情况不用条件从句表示，而用其它方式来表示，这样的句子叫含蓄条件句。常用with(如果有)，without(如果没有)，but for(要不是)。

　　Without heat and sunlight, plants on the earth would not grow well.

　　But for my classmates' help, I would not have finished the work in time.

　　But for the rain, we would have had a nice holiday.

　　4. 特殊词或结构中的虚拟语气：★

　　以wish(that)引导的表示“愿望”的宾语从句★

　　wish后的宾语从句中要用虚拟语气，而在虚拟语气中时态的应用类似在非真实条件中从句时态的应用。表示现在或将来的愿望用：主语+wish +从句(主语+过去时);表示一个过去没有实现的愿望用：主语+wish +从句(主语+过去完成时);

　　I didn’t go to the party, but I do wish I had been there.

　　Peter wishes that he had studied law instead of literature when he was in college.

　　if only +句子(过去时/过去完成时)“要是…就好了”: ★

　　If only 后面的句子如果是对现在或将来情况的虚拟，用过去时did ;如果是对过去情况的虚拟，用过去完成时had done . 要注意与if 区别，if 只表示假设，“如果”，用真实语气;而if only 表示不可能实现的情况，用虚拟语气。

　　If only the alarm clock had rung. 当时闹钟响就好了。(对过去虚拟)

　　If only I were rich. 要是我富有就好了。(对现在虚拟)

　　would rather+句子(过去时)，表示宁愿、宁可的意愿，语气比较婉转。后接过去式。★

　　I’d rather you didn’t touch that, if you don’t mind.

　　it is time(that)，it is high time (that)…句型中，谓语动词用过去时，表示早该做而未做的事，意思是“该……了、早该……了”. ★

　　Let's finish our homework in a few seconds; it's time we played football.

　　Don’t you think it is time you gave up smoking?

　　以as if，as though引导的从句★

　　在as if，as though引导的从句中，如果谈论的是不可能或不真实的情况时，它们所引用的状语从句要用虚拟语气，动词形式和wish后面的从句动词形式变化相同。

　　He talks as if he knew everything in the world.

　　should+动词原形及should的省略★★

　　(1) 一些表示建议、要求、命令等的动词本身隐含说话者主观的意见，因此这些动词(或其变形，如名词，形容词，分词等)后面的从句应使用虚拟语气，即“should do”结构，其中的“should”常被省略。如：表“提议、建议”的动词：suggest ,advise, propose, recommend, move(提议);表“要求、主张”的动词：insist, require, request, demand , desire ;表“命令”的动词：order, command.

　　I don’t think it advisable that Tom be assigned to the job since he has no experience.

　　His mother insisted that he put on the coat when going out.

　　It is necessary/important/essential/ vital/urgent / surprising/ amazing that引导的主语从句中，从句的谓语动词要用should+原形动词，should也可以省略。此类形容词的特点是表示重要性或吃惊。★★

　　It is vital that enough money be collected to get the project started.

　　It’s urgent that a meeting be arranged before the final decision is made.

　　以in case, lest, for fear that引导的状语从句，表示“以防，以免”，其谓语动词形式为should+动词原形。★

　　He took his raincoat with him in case it should rain.

　　他把雨衣带在身上以防下雨。