虚拟语气表示的是说话人的愿望、假设、猜测或建议,是说话人希望它发生,想象它有可能发生,或者要求它发生但不是客观存在的事实,还表示说话人觉得某事可以做。虚拟语气是通过谓语动词的特殊形式来表示的。下面我们用正误辨析的形式来谈一谈虚拟语气在具体句子中的应用。

　　1.【误】If Della hadn't sold her hair, she couldn't buy the gold watch for Jim.

　　【正】If Della hadn't sold her hair, she couldn't have bought the gold watch for Jim.

　　【析】对过去情况虚拟的条件句中,从句应用过去完成时,主句应用情态动词的过去式形式+ have done。对现在情况虚拟的条件句中,从句用动词的过去式(be动词用were),主句应用情态动词的过去式形式+动词原形;如果是对将来的情况进行虚拟的条件句,从句的谓语应用动词的过去式(或were to +动词原形,或should +动词原形),主句应用情态动词的过去式形式+动词原形。如:If you had come yesterday, you would have met him.(与过去事实相反)

　　If he were to leave tomorrow, he would get to Beijing by Friday. (与将来事实相反)

　　If he had time, he would attend the meeting. (与现在事实相反)

　　注意:如果从句中省略if,应用倒装句式。如:Should it rain tomorrow, the crops would be saved.如果明天下雨的话,庄稼就得救了。

　　2.【误】I wish I wasn't busy yesterday and could finish with the recorder.

　　【正】I wish I hadn't been busy yesterday and could have finished with the recorder.

　　【析】在I wish that从句中,动词应用虚拟语气形式。与过去事实相反时,从句谓语动词为had +动词的过去分词;与现在事实相反时,从句谓语动词为过去式(be动词用were);与将来事实相反时,从句谓语动词为would +动词原形。如:How I wish I hadn't done that! Everybody present was angry with me.在场的每个人都生我的气。我是多么希望我没有干那件事。

　　3.【误】He insisted that he should be really very tired and that he must be allowed to have a rest.

　　【正】He insisted that he was really very tired and that he should be allowed to have a rest.

　　【析】在desire, insist, request, require, recommend, suggest, command, demand以及order等这些表示命令、建议、要求等词后面的宾语从句中,谓语动词用should +动词原形,should可以省略。如:They demanded that black people should be treated as well as white people.他们要求黑人应该像白人那样好好地被对待。

　　注意:⑴insist只有作"坚持(应该)"解时,用虚拟语气;作"坚持说(认为)"解时,不用虚拟语气。如:Mike insisted that he had never stolen anything.迈克坚持说他没有偷任何东西。

　　⑵suggest作"建议"解时,用虚拟语气;作"表明、暗示"或"使人想到"时,不用虚拟语气。如:His expression suggests that he has had a good journey.他的表情表明他旅途很愉快。

　　4.【误】It's time that you have gone over the whole book.

　　【正】It's time that you went over the whole book. or It's time that you should go over the whole book.

　　【析】在It's (high) time (that)后面的宾语从句中,其谓语通常用动词的过去式或should +动词原形。

　　5.【误】It is important that we shall close the window before we leave.

　　【正】It is important that we (should) close the window before we leave.

　　【析】在It is important (necessary,strange,natural,desirable等)后面的that主语从句中,谓语动词应用should +动词原形,should可以省略。

　　6.【误】If only my grandpa see this film with us now.

　　【正】If only my grandpa could see this film with us now.

　　【析】if only表示"要是……就好了"、"但愿……"虚拟语气的感叹句。本句说的是现在的情况,应用情态动词的过去式加动词原形;如果是过去的情况,应用过去完成时态。如:

　　If only my grandpa had seen the film with us yesterday.要是昨天我爷爷跟我们一起看那个电影就好了。

　　7.【误】His suggestion that you must try once more sounds reasonable.

　　【正】His suggestion that you (should) try once more sounds reasonable.

　　【析】作suggestion, advice, idea, demand, plan, proposal, request等名词的表语从句或同位语从句时,从句中的谓语动词要用虚拟语气的结构"(should)+动词原形"。

　　8.【误】It is demanded that the wounded must be sent to hospital right away.

　　【正】It is demanded that the wounded (should) be sent to hospital right away.

　　【析】在It is demanded(ordered,requested,suggested,desired等)that...这一结构中,主语从句中的谓语动词要用(should)+动词原形。

　　9.【误】When a pencil is partly in a glass of water, it looks as if it breaks.

　　【正】When a pencil is partly in a glass of water, it looks as if it were broken.

　　【析】在as if(though)引导的表语从句或状语从句中,如果从句表示与现在事实相反,谓语动词用一般过去式;表示与过去事实相反,谓语动词用"had +过去分词";表示与将来事实相反,谓语动词用"would(might,could)+动词原形"。

　　10.【误】I would rather he should come tomorrow than today.

　　【正】I would rather he came tomorrow than today.

　　【析】在would (had) rather引导的宾语从句中当从句表示现在或将来的时间时,谓语动词要用一般过去时;表示过去时间时,谓语动词要用过去完成时。

　　11.【误】Without your help, we will not make such rapid progress.

　　【正】Without your help, we would not have made such rapid progress.

　　【析】我们有时用一些介词短语(如:but for, without, otherwise, in that case等),或通过上下文来表示含蓄的条件,这时主句要用虚拟语气。本句是对过去事实进行假设的虚拟语气的句子,without your help相当于if we hadn't had your help,因而主句应当用情态动词的过去式加上动词的完成体形式。

　　12.【误】If it weren't for my job, I will come with you.

　　【正】If it weren't for my job, I would come with you.

　　【析】我们常用If it were not for...这一结构表示与现在事实相反的情况,谓语动词要用would (should)加动词原形;用If it had not been for...这一结构来表达与过去事实相反的情况,谓语动词要用would(should)加动词的完成体。

　　练一练:

　　1. I didn't know his telephone number, otherwise I________him.

　　A. had telephoned

　　B. would telephone

　　C. would have telephoned

　　D. telephone

　　2. Our chairman hasn't come yet. If he______in time,we would have to put off the meeting.

　　A. should come B. would come

　　C. shouldn't come D. doesn't come

　　3. The young man insisted that he______nothing and________free.

　　A. stole; set B. had stolen; should be set

　　C. should steal; be set

　　D. had stolen; must be set

　　4. The order came that the medical supplies ________to the village soon.

　　A. would be sentB. should send

　　C. be sent D. must be sent

　　5. It is important that we ______wild animals.

　　A. will protect B. should protect

　　C. shall protectD. are protecting

　　6. Where is Xiao Zhang? I wish I______him at once.

　　A. can find B. will find

　　C. could find D. should find

　　7. He hesitated for a moment before kicking the ball, otherwise he________a goal.

　　A. had scored B. scored

　　C. would score D. would have scored

　　8. He________the test, but he wasn't careful enough.

　　A. could have passed

　　B. were able to pass

　　C. must have passed

　　D. might be able to pass

　　9. If only he________quietly as the doctor instructed, he would not suffer so much now. (上海'00)

　　A. lies B. lay

　　C. had lain D. should lie

　　10. What would have happened______, as far as the river bank? (上海'01)

　　A. Bob had walked farther

　　B. if Bob should walk farther

　　C. had Bob walked farther

　　D. if Bob walked farther

　　(文/高永全朱发财；英语通高三版2004年第3期；版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)