虚拟语气的形式与意义详解
想要学好英语怎么能不知道虚拟语气的形式与意义呢?下面就让我为大家详解一下吧。
情态动词(Modal Verbs)是说话人用来表示说话的语气,包括叙述、命令、要求、愿望及不可能的假设。如果是叙述,就是叙事语气。命令或要求,就是祈使语气;愿望或不可能的假设,就是虚拟语气。
这里就来说虚拟语气的形式及其意义。
虚拟语气可分三种如下:
一、纯虚拟
(形式和意义都属虚拟。)
首先,可用条件副词分句来表示一种不是真实性的假设,如:
(1) If l were you, l would not do such a thing.
这里的过去时态“were”表示现在的事件、现在的愿望。
接着,也可用名词从句表示一种不能实现的愿望如:
(2) I wish l could do something for you.
这里的过去时态“could do”表示的.是现在的事件、现在的愿望。
(3) I wish l had not made such a decision.
这里的过去完成时态“had not made”表示过去的事件,现在的愿望。
此外,还可用由“as if”引导的副词从句表示不是真实的事,如:
(4) The tired worker walked as if he had been drunk.
最后,可用“but for”或“without”引导的简单句表示不可能的事,如:
(5) But for the heavy rain(要不是这阵大雨),we would have done the work.
(6) Animals could hardly breathe without air.
注意,这种虚拟句里的动词时态,异乎寻常。
二、半虚拟
(虚拟的形式,可能的事件。)
半虚拟语气可表示“客气”及“事发可能性低”等意义,如:
(7) Would you please lock the door behind you?
(8) Could l use your telephone for a while?
这里的过去式语气动词,表示“客气”。
(9) lt might rain this afternoon.
(10) The eyewitness's evidence could be false.
这里的过去式语气动词表示“可能性低”,也就是对所提的事“存有怀疑”或“不甚确定”。
三、旧式虚拟
(这里的名词从句中的动词保存原形,没有第三人称的“S”,接系动词,“be”,也不起变化),如:
(11) We insist that the criminal be sent to prison.
(12) God bless you!
(13) Who suggested that Tom come early?
(11)和(13)里名词从句的动词形式是典型的美式英语;英式英语通常冠以情态动词“should”。类似的例子有:
(14)The people demand that the govern-ment (should) put a stop to all forms of corruption.
(15) The education committee proposed that students (should) be encouraged to think creatively.
(16) It is important that we (should) keep fit.
(17) It is essential that work (should) come before pleasure.
(18) It is recommended that there (should) be equal pay for equal work.
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