第九讲 虚拟语气

第九讲虚拟语气一、虚拟语气与陈述语气的区别语气（mood）是一种动词形式，用以表示说话者的意图或态度。

英语中的语气有陈述语气（indicative mood），祈使语气（imperative mood）以及虚拟语气（subjunctive mood）。

陈述语气与虚拟语气所表示的概念不一样。

前者陈述一个事实，或提出一个想法，而后者是用来表示非真实的假设，或者用来表示命令、建议或说话人的主观感想，它表达的是说话人的怀疑、忧虑、要求、推测、假设、想象或祝愿等。

此外，陈述语气与虚拟语气在形式上也不一样。

例如：If it rains tomorrow, the match will be cancelled.如果明天下雨，比赛就取消。

（陈述语气，天气表明下雨的可能性很大）If it rained tomorrow, the match would be cancelled.万一明天下雨，比赛就取消。

（虚拟语气，说话人认为下雨的可能性很小）Oil floats if you pour it on water.把没倒在水里，油就浮起来。

（陈述语气，表示的假设是科学事实）If I have enough money next year, I will go to Japan.假若明年有钱，我就去日本。

（陈述语气，表示的假设是可能发生或实现的）二、虚拟语气用于非真实条件状语从句中1. 谓语形式非真实性条件句表示的假设是不可能或不大可能发生或实现的，句中的条件从句和主句（表结果）皆须用虚拟语气。

用于此处的虚拟语气有三种情况，分别是：与现在事实相反的虚拟语气；与过去事实相反的虚拟语气；与将来事实相反的虚拟语气。

三种情况下的主句谓语动1）与现在事实相反，If + 主语+ 过去式（be动词的过去式一律用were），主语+ would / should / could / might + 动词原形。

例如：If I knew the answer to all your questions, I’d be a genius.假如我能回答你所有问题，那我就成天才了。

（不可能实现的事实）What would you do if you saw an injured bird?假如你看到一只受伤的鸟，你会怎么办？（与现实相反）2）与过去事实相反，If + 主语+ had + 过去分词，主语+ would / should / could / might + had + 过去分词。

例如：The soup would have been better if it had had less salt.这汤如果少放点盐就好了。

（与过去事实相反）If it had been raining this morning, I would have taken my umbrella.如果今天上午一直下雨的话，我就会带着雨伞。

（与过去事实相反）3）与将来事实相反，If + 主语+ should / were to + 动词原形，主语+ would / should / could / might + 动词原形。

例如：What would happen, if I put the paper on the fire?假如我把纸放在火上，那会怎么样？（与将来事实可能相反）If it should rain tomorrow, the football match would be put off.要是明天下雨的话，足球赛将会推迟。

（表示将来情况成为事实的可能性极小）2. 连词if的省略当虚拟条件从句中含有助动词had, were, should时，可将它们提到句首而省略连词if。

例如：Were you in my position (=If you were in my position), you would do the same.假如你处在我的位置，你也会这样干的。

Had I time (=If I had time), I would come. 假如我有时间，我会来的。

Had they not (= If they hadn’t) wasted their time, they would have arrived there on time.要不是他们浪费时间，他们肯定会按时到那儿的。

Should they attack us (= If they should attack us), we’ll wipe them out completely.假如他们进攻我们的话，我们就把他们彻底消灭干净。

注意，在否定的条件从句中，not等否定副词不能同时提前。

如我们可以说：Were it not their fault, we wouldn’t have done so bad.要不是因为他们的过失，我们怎么也不会做得这么糟糕。

但不以说：Weren’t (Were not) it their fault, we wouldn’t have done so bad.]3. 错综时间非真实条件句中的主句和从句可以表示时间层面（现在、过去或将来）相同的情况（如上述表格说明的情况），也可以表示在不同的时间层面下发生的动作或存在的状态，即主句与从句动作不在同一时间发生，这就是错综时间虚拟条件句，也即通常所说的混合虚拟条件句。

在这种情况下，主句与从句谓语动词的形式必须根据各自表示的具体时间加以调整。

例如：If you were older, I would have allowed you to go there alone yesterday.如果你再大点，我就会让你昨天自己去那里。

（现在与过去的交错）If they hadn’t been trained hard, they wouldn’t be doing so well now.如果他们没有被认真培训过，他们现在就不会干得这么好了。

（过去与现在交错）If the work were going on smoothly now, the whole work would be completed next week.如果目前进展顺利的话，全部工作到下周就会完成。

（现在与将来的交错）If it hadn’t been raining those days, the work would be completed next week.如果不是那些天一直下雨的话，这工作下周就可以完成。

（过去与将来交错）4. 含蓄条件非真实条件句中的条件从句有时不明显地表示出来，只暗含在上下文中，或是用某些介词短语、副词、连词、比较级、非谓语形式、并列分句等方式含蓄地表示出来，这就是含蓄条件句。

例如：That would have been considered miraculous in the past.要是在过去，那会被看作是奇迹的。

（隐匿条件）A more careful student wouldn’t have made such glaring mistake.一个认真一些的学生是不会犯这样明显错误的。

（隐匿条件）But for their help, we couldn’t have finished the work on time.要不是他们帮助，我们不会按时完成工作。

（介词短语引起）Without trees our entire world would be a much drier place.如果没有树木的话，整个世界会变得更干燥。

（介词without引起）Given more attention, the work could have been better. (过去分词引起)The traffic was very heavy, otherwise I would have been here 50 minutes sooner.(并列分句表示虚拟)此外，非真实条件句除用if 引导外，还可以用when, unless, lest, suppose (supposing), as if / though, in case, even if / though, for fear that, on condition that等词语引导。

例如：Unless I were well, I wouldn’t be at school. 除非我好了，否则我不会上学。

Susan is walking slowly as if she were tired. 苏珊走得很慢，就像是累了似的。

Suppose / Supposing you were given a chance to study in America, would you accept it?假如给你一个到美国学习的机会，你会接受吗？Even if you had enough money, you could never buy health and happiness.即使你有足够的钱，你也买不来健康和幸福。

还有一种省去（表结果的）主句的非真实条件句，它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 had never married. 我要是不结婚就好了。

If only you would listen to reason. 你如听从道理就好了。

三、虚拟语气用于名词性从句中1. 虚拟语气用于主语从句中在主语从句中，虚拟语气用should + 动词原形，should可以省略，表示惊奇、不相信、惋惜、理应如此等。

常用于下面三种结构中：①型如：It is / was strange (important, necessary, incredible, urgent, possible, natural, desirable, advisable, essential, preferable, ridiculous, vital, imperative, best, appropriate, obligatory, proper, crucial, etc.) that…。

例如：It is necessary that he be sent to prison at once. 他必须被立即送往监狱。

It will be better that we (should) meet some other time. 我们最好是另改时间约会吧。

②型如：It is / was a pity (shame, wish, no wonder, suggestion, etc.) that…。