虚拟语气
1. 定义与功能
虚拟语气是一种特殊的动词形式,用来表示说话人的主观愿望、假设、猜测、建议、命令等非真实的情况。它通过改变动词的时态等形式,与陈述语气相区别,从而传达出与实际情况不符或者不太可能发生的语义。
2. 虚拟语气在条件句中的用法
与现在事实相反的虚拟条件句
结构:从句用一般过去时(be动词一般用were),主句用“would/should/could/might + 动词原形”。
例句:
If I were you, I would accept the offer.(如果我是你,我会接受这个提议。)(事实上我不是你)
If he had enough money, he could buy a new car.(如果他有足够的钱,他可以买一辆新车。)(实际上他可能没有足够的钱)
与过去事实相反的虚拟条件句
结构:从句用过去完成时(had + 过去分词),主句用“would/should/could/might + have + 过去分词”。
例句:
If I had known the truth, I wouldn't have made such a mistake.(如果我当时知道真相,我就不会犯这样的错误了。)(事实上当时不知道真相,已经犯了错误)
If she had come earlier, she could have met him.(如果她来得更早一点,她就可以见到他了。)(实际情况是她来晚了,没见到他)
与将来事实相反的虚拟条件句(可能性很小)
结构:从句用“were to + 动词原形”或者“should + 动词原形”,主句用“would/should/could/might + 动词原形”。
例句:
If it were to rain tomorrow, the sports meeting would be cancelled.(万一明天下雨,运动会就会取消。)(明天不太可能下雨,但假设下雨的情况)
If he should fail again, he would give up.(万一他再失败,他就会放弃。)(再次失败的可能性较小)
3. 虚拟语气在其他从句中的用法
宾语从句中的虚拟语气
表示建议、要求、命令等动词后的宾语从句:像advise、suggest、insist、order、demand、require等动词,从句用“(should)+ 动词原形”,should可以省略。
例句:
The doctor advised that he (should) take a rest.(医生建议他休息一下。)
She insisted that we (should) stay for dinner.(她坚持要我们留下来吃晚饭。)
主语从句中的虚拟语气
It is + 形容词(如necessary、important、strange等)+ that从句:从句用“(should)+ 动词原形”,should可以省略。
例句:
It is necessary that we (should) protect the environment.(我们保护环境是必要的。)
It's important that you (should) arrive on time.(你准时到达是很重要的。)
表语从句和同位语从句中的虚拟语气
在表示建议、要求、命令等的名词(如advice、suggestion、order、demand等)后的表语从句或同位语从句中,用“(should)+ 动词原形”,should可以省略。
例句(表语从句):
My suggestion is that we (should) have a meeting to discuss this problem.(我的建议是我们开个会来讨论这个问题。)
例句(同位语从句):
He gave an order that the work (should) be finished in two days.(他下了一个命令,要求工作在两天内完成。)
4. 虚拟语气的特殊用法
wish后的宾语从句:
表示与现在事实相反的愿望:从句用一般过去时(be动词用were)。例如:I wish I were a bird.(我希望我是一只鸟。)
表示与过去事实相反的愿望:从句用过去完成时。例如:I wish I had visited the Great Wall last year.(我希望我去年参观了长城。)
表示将来不太可能实现的愿望:从句用“would/could + 动词原形”。例如:I wish I could fly to the moon one day.(我希望有一天我能飞到月球上去。)
as if/as though引导的从句:
表示与现在事实不符的情况:从句用一般过去时(be动词用were)。例如:He talks as if he were a millionaire.(他说话的样子好像他是个百万富翁。)
表示与过去事实不符的情况:从句用过去完成时。例如:She looked as if she had seen a ghost.(她看上去好像见了鬼似的。)