英语动词时态、语态、语气

英语动词时态、语态、语气简述
--Introduction: tense/ voice/ modal
英语中，动词可以说是最为重要的词类，它们的变化最多。

动词由于是谓语（predicate ）
的核心，它们的正确使用决定了句子的表述是否顺畅，语义是否清晰。

所以有人说，学好动
词则英语学好了大半。

学好动词，我们需要弄清楚它们的时态、语态、语气三种问题。

1．动词时态（tense ）
我们中国人学英语，最大的障碍就是时态问题。

这是因为受母语的影响，在汉语中， 动
词是没有时态的概念的。

而大部分西方语言，都有时态的概念。

这种差异，有的语言学家将
其归结为语言思维的差异，这，我们不用深究。

我们只要知道， 英语的动词一定是有时态
的，时态---就是一种表示时间和状态的主动词形式。

1.1 现在进行时（present continuous/present progressive ）
1.1.1 时间：现在（present ）--:动作发生的时间是现在而非过去，一般也就是说话时的时间。

1.1.2 状态：正在进行（continuous/progressive ）。

什么叫做正在进行？-- 指该动作在过去
在一定的时间范围内， He is working now. Don’t disturb him! I ’m cooking can you wash the dishes?
掌握现在进行时，我们一定要明确以下概念：
1．只有具有持续性概念的动作动词（action verb ）, 才可能有进行时态， 而表示状态或瞬
间动作的动词， 不能使用进行时态。

这是很容易理解的，因为表状态的动词本身不具有动
作性， 如：She is a teacher. The soup tastes delicious. The news sounds disappointing. 这状态
往往只是表明某种性质的是、否。

我们一般不容易混淆，稍稍让我们感到困惑的是瞬间动
作词，在汉语里， 我们常常把这些词所对应的动作当作可持续的， 但在英语里，它们是不
可持续的，往往具有状态动词的特征， 而不强调动作， 此类词一般常见的如下：
表感情意识状态：
like/dislike/love/hate/prefer/want/need/know/realize/suppose/mean/
understand/believe/remember
感官意识状态：see/ hear/ smell/ taste
表所属关系: 有…,包含：belong / contain/consist/depend/seem/have
如: I’m hungry. I want something to eat. Do you understand what I mean?
当think 表示“认为”的意思时，同样也不用进行时态：What do you think about this book?
2. 即使是动作动词，同样也有动作持续时间长短的问题。

有的动作持续时间短，所以动作
一般就发生在说话时。

He is speaking now, listen carefully. He is sleeping , don ’t speak loud. 但
是，更长时间的动作， 由于这种动作只是从宏观上看具有持续性，但其间一定是有间断的，
说话时，该动作不一定发生，只是说话的时间点包含在该动作的持续时间内。

如：He is
teaching in our school this year. 这里，is teaching 并不是指说话时一定发生的动作。

注意比较：
He is teaching right now. Don ’t call him.
1.1.3 构造： 助动词be ， 主动词verb+ ing ，参见“词类概述
2.
3.4”.
陈述句: subject + be + verb-ing : John and Tim are playing basketball on the playground.
Are John and Tim playing basketball on the playground?
否定句：subject + be+ not+ verb-ing: Thomason isn’t working today. He is staying at home.
一般疑问句：be + subject + verb-ing: Are you watching TV right now? Can you turn it down a little? 复杂（特殊）疑问句：question word+ subject + verb-ing:
What are you doing? What are you talking about? Where are you going?
1.1.4 用途：
1．用于表述正在发生的短动作，即说话时正在发生。

He is watching TV right now.
2. 正在发生的长动作，但并非说话时一定发生。

She is learning French. She wants to study in France.
3. 用于谈论正在发生的变化、事件：
The population of the world is rising very fast. Are you getting better?
4. 已经安排好, 将要发生的个人事务: I’m leaving next Monday. She’s coming tomorrow.
1.2 一般现在时（present simple/simple present）
1.2.1 时间：现在（present）--动作发生的时间是现在而非过去的时间。

1.2.2状态：一般情况(simple) 。

什么叫做一般情况？--当我们需要对某种状况进行总结，
说明某事物现在的一般常态，采用一般现在时，它表明的并不是某一时刻的暂时状态。

1.2.3构造：
陈述句：subject + verb+…He likes swimming. She dislikes dishonesty.
否定句：subject +do not/does not+ verb+ ….: He doesn’t like swimming.
一般疑问句：Do/does + subject +verb….: Does he like swimming?
复杂（特殊）疑问句：question word + do/does + subject + verb….: What does he like?
注意：当动词be 为主动词时，它既为主动词，又为助动词。

如：
He is a teacher. He isn’t a teacher. Is he a teacher? What is this?
1.2.4 用途：
1．表述某一事物的常态。

He lives in Beijing. She is a teacher in our school. Beijing is the capital
of China. He gets up at 6:30. Mary visits her mother once a week.
2. 表述一般真实情况、真理。

The sun rises from the east. A water molecule contains one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms. There are sixty minutes in an hour.
3. 表述时间安排，时刻表：The train leaves at 9:45 p.m. / The new term starts on 1st, September.
现在进行时/一般现在时的差异
1．现在进行时表述现在正在进行的情况，一般现在时表述的是一般情况。

The water is boiling, please turn it off. /Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
2. 现在进行时表述的是现在暂时的情况，一般现在时表述常态、永久的状况：
John lives in New York. Now he is living with his parents in Boston.
I’m living with a friend until I find a new apartment.
3. always do sth 总是做…; always be doing…做…太多，以致让人感觉到讨厌.
He always watches weather forecast at 7:30. /You are always watching TV, you should do something else.
4. 与现在进行时搭配的时间副词，表现在、目前时间状态：now/ right now/ today/ this week/ this year 等; 与一般现在时搭配的时间副词，一般表频度：how often/ usually/often/always/…once a week 等：
Are you cleaning your house right now? /How often do you clean your house?
He is visiting his parents today. /He visits his parents three times once a month.
1.3 一般过去时（past simple/simple past）
1.3.1时间: 过去(past) . 所谓过去, 即业已逝去的时间, 与现在无关. 我们采用过去时, 表明某事件在过去发生过, 现在的情况, 我们不知道.
1.3.2 状态：一般（simple）, 参见“一般现在时”。

动词形变参见“词类概述”
2.
3.2。

一般过去时就是一般现在时的过去时间的形式。

1.3.3构造：
陈述句：subject + verb –ed…: He was an physics teacher in our school last year.
否定句：subject + didn’t/did not+ verb…: She didn’t like him, so she left him last week.
疑问句：Did + subject +verb…: Did you know him at that time?
复杂（特殊）疑问句：question word+ did +subject +verb+…:
What did you do last night? Did you go shopping?
注意：当动词be 为主动词时，它既为主动词，又为助动词。

如：
He was a teacher. He wasn’t a teacher. Was he a teacher? What was that?
1.3.4 用途：用于叙述过去发生的事件、过去存在的状态等。

I visited my parents last week. He was a teacher last year. I finished my work yesterday.
1.3.5 特殊过去结构：
我们用used to + verb 的结构来表述过去的情况，表示“过去是/过去发生过…但现在不是/不再发生了”的意思。

There used to be a cinema. (=there isn’t a cinema now.) He used to smoke 20 cigarettes a day. (=he doesn’t smoke now.)
我们一定要该结构与一般过去时的语义差异：一般过去时仅表示过去的情况，现在的情况不清楚；而“used to +verb”结构不仅表示过去的情况，同时也知道现在不再是以前的状况了。

如：He used to be a rich man. (=he isn’t a rich man now.)/ He was a rich man last year. (=maybe he is still rich now, maybe he isn’t rich now, I don’t know.)
该结构的疑问式为：Did subject +use to+ verb….: Did you use to swim on Sundays?
该结构的否定式为：subject + didn’t use to +verb…: They didn’t use to swim on Sundays.
该结构无现在时，当我们要表达现在的情况时，用一般现在时。

使用该结构时，要注意它与：“be/become/get +used to +doing”的区别，后者表示“习惯于…”: He is used to doing exercise in the morning.
1.4 过去进行时（past continuous/past progressive）
1.4.1 时间：过去（past）.
1.4.2 状态：进行中（continuous/progressive）. 过去进行时是现在进行时的过去时间的形式。

1.4.3 构造：
陈述句：subject was/were + verb-ing….: He was watching TV when I phoned him.
一般疑问句：was/were +subject +verb-ing…: Was he watching TV when you phone him?
复杂（特殊）疑问句：question word +was/were +subject +verb-ing:
What were you doing at 8 o’clock last night? – I was doing my homework.
否定句：subject + was/were +verb-ing: I wasn’t doing my homework. I was watching TV.
1.4.4 用途：过去进行时经常与一般过去时同时使用，表示“当…发生时，另一事件正在进行中。

”，其中，短动作用一般过去时，长动作用过去进行时。

I saw him when I was walking. When he was reading on the beach, he heard somebody call “help!”
当两个动作均采用一般过去时时，两个动作的发生存在先后顺序，注意对比：
When he arrived, we had dinner. (=first, he arrived, and then we had dinner.)
When he arrived, we were having dinner.(=at the time he arrive, we were having dinner. )
1.5 现在完成时（present perfect simple）
1.5.1时间：现在（present）. 现在完成时的时间是指现在, 它表述的是现在的情况, 与过去无关.
1.5.2 状态：完成（perfect）. 现在完成时的状态表明: 过去开始的某个动作, 现在有了结果.所谓完成, 只是一种总结,也许该动作还要持续下去.
1.5.3 构造：
陈述句: subject have/has + past participle : I have read fifty pages of the book.
否定句: subject +have/has +not +past participle: I haven’t finished my work yet.
一般疑问句：have/has +subject +past participle: Have you finished your work?
复杂（特殊）疑问句：question word + have/has+ subject +past participle:
What have you done? How long have you been here?
1.5.4 用途：
用于报告最新情况，事件进展：Ouch! I have burned my hand. /There is an accident. Three men have been killed and one has been heavily injured.
用于总结到目前为止的事件结果：Our company has made a big profit. I haven’t mailed the letter yet.
1.5.5 时间概念—现在完成时的标志时间副词
到目前为止（时间段）：so far/ in the last few years(days, etc)/recently/ since…. /for…:
They have made big progress in the last few years. /Have you seen Mary recently?
1.5.6 重要句型：this/that/it is the first/second… time …has/have+ pp<这是自打…以来…第几次> : It’s very delicious. It’s the first meal I’ve had for ages. /Henry lost his keys again. That’s the third time this has happened.
1.5.7have/has gone to; have/has been to
have/has gone to: 已经去…了（已经到了，或还在路上）。

He has gone to Japan.
have/has been to: 已经去过…（现在回来了）。

He has been to America.
1.5.8 现在完成时与一般过去时的差异
1．现在完成时是现在的时态，与过去无关, 只表示现在的情况。

过去的时间只能用一般过去时：He lost his key yesterday. (我们只知道他在过去丢了钥匙)。

He hasn’t found his key. (现在的情况是：他还没有找到钥匙。

) He died last year. /He has been dead for a year. 2．我们用现在完成时报道最新情况，用一般过去时表述细节：
There has been an accident. A car and a truck collided.
3. 在美式英语(American English)中, 有时一般过去时和现在完成时并无分别：
与just, yet, already连用：I have just arrived. =I just arrived.
Have you finished your work yet?= Did you finish your work yet?
过去发生的动作现在有结果：I’ve lost my key. Have you seen it? = I lost my key. Did you see it? 用ever /never 表述从过去持续到现在的时段内的情况：Have you ever driven a car? =Did you ever drive a car? / I’ve never seen her before.= I never saw her before.
4. 现在完成时只表示到说话时之前时间的情况，而一般过去时表示的是已经发生过的事。

对比：I have had four cups of coffee this morning. (说话时还在是this morning)
I had four cups of coffee this morning. (说话时已不是this morning, 可能是下午或晚上)
5．对于一般过去时，我们用when/what time 来提问：
When did you get there? What time did you get to work this morning?
对于现在完成时，我们用how long 来提问：
How long have you been here? How long have you known each other?
1.6 现在完成进行时（present perfect continuous/progressive）
1.6.1 时间：现在（present）.现在完成进行时是现在完成时的一种特殊形式，同样只是与现在时间相关。

1.6.2 状态：完成（perfect）+ 进行（continuous/progressive）。

现在完成进行时只是在完成时的基础上，加上进行时态，表明某个持续动作到目前为止的情况。

1.6.3 构造：
陈述句：subject have/has +been +verb-ing: He has been waiting for 5 hours.
否定句: subject have/has not +been +verb-ing: George hasn’t been feeling well recently.
一般疑问句：have/has subject +been +verb-ing: Have you been working since 8 this morning?
复杂（特殊）疑问句：question word +have/has subject +been +verb-ing:
How long have you been waiting for him? Who have you been waiting for？
1.6.4 用途：现在完成进行时是现在完成时的一种特殊情况，现在完成进行时的动作在说话时可能刚刚结束，也可能还在延续我们使用该时态，主要是要表述一个动作到目前为止的状态，我们注重的是该动作的过程，而不是结果。

注意对比：The ground is wet. It has been raining since this morning. /It has rained three times since this morning.
现在完成进行时时中，一般使用how long 来对动作延续的状况提问；现在完成时中，使用how many/how much/how many times…来对现在完成时的动作结果提问。

How long have you been reading? – Three hours./ Since 9 this morning.
How many pages have you read? –Thirty pages.
1.7 过去完成时（past perfect simple）
1.7.1 时间：过去（past）.过去完成时是现在完成时在过去时间的形式，只与过去时间相关。

1.7.2 状态：完成（perfect）。

过去完成表达在过去某个时间点之前的情况总结。

1.7.3 构造：
陈述句：subject had +past participle: They had had dinner when he arrived.
否定句: subject had not +past participle: John hadn’t finished his work at that time.
一般疑问句：had subject +past participle: Had you finished cooking before 9 o’clock last evening? 复杂（特殊）疑问句：question word +had+ subject +past participle:
What had you done before they arrived at the party?
1.7.4 用途：我们采用过去完成时对过去某个时间点之前的情况进行总结，表述在该时间点之前的情况。

即把现在完成时的时间点退后到过去。

When I arrived there, they had gone.
1.8 过去完成进行时（past perfect continuous）
将现在完成进行时的时间点退后到过去某时间点，就形成过去完成进行时，用法与现在完成进行时相类似：
When we arrived there, they had been waiting for 25 minutes.
It had been raining since that morning, so they didn’t go out.
1.9 一般将来时（future simple）
严格意义上来说，由于在将来时间发生的动作、状态尚未发生，属于一种猜测、安排、
预料的事件，存在明显的不确定性。

另外，表达将来事件有多种方式，不像其他的时态有固
定明确的结构符号，所以，有许多语法学家认为并不存在将来时态，只是存在将来时间概
念的表达。

我们暂且遵从传统的语法概念，将下列方式均称为一般将来时。

1.9.1 采用现在进行时结构表达现在已经安排好将要发生的个人事务。

I’m seeing the doctor tomorrow morning. He is leaving on Sunday.
1.9.2 采用一般现在时结构表达由时间表、节目表等确定要发生的事情：
The train leaves at 9 o’clock tomorrow morning. The film starts at 9 o’clock tonight.
1.9.3 采用be +going +to表达已经决定但尚未安排将要发生的事情：
They are going to buy a new car next year. Are you going to clean the house?
be going to 结构也可以表达根据现在的情况，某事将要发生：
Look at the black clouds! It’s going to rain soon. / I don’t feel well. I think I’m going to be sick.
1.9.4采用will/shall + verb结构来表达在说话时才决定的事，或表示猜测：
Will you attend the meeting tomorrow? –Yes, I will.
Where will you be this time next year?—I’ll be in Australia.
助动词shall 仅用于第一人称后。

I shall be tired this evening.
will/shall 这种助动词多半带有一种意愿性的意味，明显具有语气词的特征，这也就是许多
语法学家不将这种结构视为一种时态。

我们使用will +verb 结构在如下场合：
1．表示愿意提供…：I don’t have any money. –I will give some to you.
2．表示同意…：When you finish reading the book, can you lend it to me?—Of course, I will.
3．表示许诺….: Thanks for lending me the money. I’ll pay you back on Sunday.
4．表示请求别人…: Will you be quiet? I can’t hear anything. /Will you open the window, it’s too hot. 在使用如下结构时使用will：probably/ I expect/ (I’m)sure/ (I ) think/ (I )don’t think/ I wonder
I’ll probably finish my work tomorrow. I wonder what will happen.
正确使用表述将来时间的事件的结构，一定要先弄清该事件的性质。

1.10过去将来时（past future）
我们采用was/were +going to do 的结构来表达在过去时间将要发生的事件，但实际上并没有
发生。

I was going to cross the road when somebody shouted “stop!”
I thought it was going to rain but then the sun came out at last.
此外表将来时间概念的还有:
将来进行时（future continuous/progressive）
将来完成时（future perfect）
2．动词语态（voice）
2.1 主动语态/被动语态
英语中的动词还有语态, 即根据主语与动词之间的关系分为: 主动语态(active ) –主语是动作的执行者；被动语态（passive）--主语是动作的接受者。

采用主动还是被动语态，我们考虑的主要是是否需要表述主语。

The boy broke the window.(a) The window was broken by the boy.(b) The window was broken. (c) 在句(a)中，我们采用主动语态，主要是要表述动作的执行者是the boy.
在句(b)中，我们采用被动语态，主要是要表述the window was broken 这样状态，采用by the boy来表述动作的执行者，具有一种附带表述的意味。

在句(c)中，我们采用被动语态，完全不需要表述动作的执行者。

语态与时态是共存的，前面我们所述的均是动词采用主动语态的情况。

不同时态的被动语态概述如下：
此外，非谓语动词的不定式（infinitive）和现在分词（present participle）也存在被动形式，见后文。

2.2 特殊被动语态结构
2.2.1 be born…
我们一般说：was/ were born, 因为be born 往往是过去的事情，如：He was born in 1998. 但我们说：How many babies are born every day?
2.2.2 有时我们用get 代替be，用于被动结构中，这种情况往往是用在口语中，而且表示的必须是动作。

这里，get 是主动词，存在助动词的问题。

I don’t often get invited to parties. = I am not often invited parties.
I’m surprised Jane didn’t get offered the job. = I’m surprised Jane wasn’t offered the job.
3．动词语气（modal）
英语动词还存在语气（又称情态），使用语气助词（又称情态动词）（modal auxiliary）与动词构成语气表达。

我们要注意：用于语气助词后的动词虽然没有“数”（即主语动词一致）的要求，但仍然有时态、语态的问题。

根据语气助词的功能，我们一般将语气分为以下几类：3.1 能力（ability）: 表述能否的状况，能力。

现在：can; be able to。

I can speak five languages. = I am able to speak five languages.
过去：could; was/were able to. His grandfather could speak five languages.
3.2 可能性（possibility）: 表述某事物的可能性--- could/may/might /must
The phone is ringing. It may/might/could be John.
3.3 不可能（impossibility）: 表述某事物是不可能的—can’t/ couldn’t
It can’t/couldn’t be John over there. He has gone to America.
3.4 必要性（necessity）: 表述某事物的必要性—had better/ need/should/must/have to You’d better go home now, or it will be too late and dangerous.
You should tell me what the problem is. You must stop when there is a red light. You have to borrow some money if you want to buy this house.
3.5 不必要性（unnecessary）---表述事物的不必要性：needn’t/ shouldn’t/ don’t have to/ had better not do…: You needn’t say sorry to him. =You don’t need to say sorry to him. =You don’t have to say sorry to him.
3.6 禁止性（prohibition）--表述不允许，禁止：mustn’t. You mustn’t open that door.
3.7 意愿（willing）-- 表述做某事的意愿：will/ won’t/ would/could
I will help you if you ask me. I won’t give him what he wants. Would you come with me, please? Could you give me some advice about how to deal with this?
以上仅是对语气词进行了简略的叙述，学习英语语气词，我们应尽量多听英美人士的日常对话，多揣摩语气词的真实含义。

4．非谓语动词（non-predicate verb）
所谓非谓语动词是指在句子中不担任谓语的动词，它们虽然具有动词的一些特征，但不是真正意义上的动词，它们在句子中充当其他的成分。

4.1 动名词（gerund）: 具有名词性质的动词形式，以-ing 结尾，形式同动词的现在分词。

动名词的用法有很多，这里我们只简述动词后接动名词的情况。

有些动词，其后只能接动名词，如：delay/ finish/avoid/ deny/practice 等:
We tried to avoid answering his question. I have finished cleaning the house.
4.2 动词不定式（infinitive）：一般以“to verb”形式出现，这里to 是不定式的符号。

不定式有许多的用法，这里我们简述动词后接不定式的情况。

有的动词，其后面只能接动词不定式：decide/agree/promise/fail/refuse/attempt 等:
We decided to buy a new car. He promised to give him some money. She failed to pass the exam. 有的动词后面可接动名词、或不定式，但语义不一样：
He forgot to call him. He forgot calling him.
关于非谓语的动词的使用，有许多的问题需要注意，我们将在“精细语法”中讲解。

可参见其它的相关语法书。