英语非谓语动词现在分词和过去分词到底表示何种时间概念，这是一个值得探讨的问题。一般的英语语法书很少涉及这个问题。但这个问题又不能不弄清楚，否则就很难真正掌握现在分词和过去分词的用法。有些人英语学了不少，但在使用这两种分词时时而出现差错，原因可能就是对这两种分词所表示的时间要领不甚了解。为此，本文拟对英语非谓语动词现在分词和过去分词所表示的时间概念分别作一些介绍。

　　一、现在分词

　　英语现在分词可以表示"现在"、"过去"、"进行"、"完成"等时间概念。

　　1. 表示"现在"时间概念。现在分词表示"现在"时间概念时， 英语句子的时态常常是一般现在时态。如：

　　The present situation is encouraging.

　　This is a pressing problem.

　　The room facing the south is our bedroom.

　　Being college students, we should develop our competence in dealing with problems.

　　句子中的现在分词都表示"现在"这个时间概念。

　　2. 表示"过去"时间概念。现在分词表示"过去"时间概念时， 英语句子的时态常常是过去时态。如：

　　His story was amusing.

　　He later became a leading figure in the Party.

　　The old woman lived in the house confronting the street.

　　Relying on our own efforts, we overcame all the difficulties.

　　句子中的现在分词都表示"过去"这个时间概念。不过，在过去时态的句子中，现在分词有时也可以表示"现在"时间概念。如：

　　He used to work in a plant still producing chemicals.

　　3. 表示"进行"时间概念。现在分词表示"进行"时间概念时，多指现在分词作宾语补足语、定语或状语。"进行"可指"现在进行"、"过去进行"和"将来进行"。如：

　　I often hear her singing that song from six to seven every morning.

　　Can you drink boiling water?

　　The teacher talking to his father teaches us Chinese.

　　句子中的现在分词都表示"现在进行"的概念。

　　We watched them playing basketball yesterday afternoon.

　　Many people stayed at the bus stop waiting for the bus.

　　The students walked out of the classroom, laughing and talking.

　　句子中的现在分词都表示"过去进行"的概念。

　　Come tomorrow and hand in the application to the girl sitting at the desk in the corner.

　　When you come here tomorrow, you will find an elderly woman speaking to a crowd.

　　这两个句子中的现在分词都表示"将来进行"的概念。这种"进行"的概念也有被动式。如：

　　We found the topic being talked about throughout the district.

　　The building being repaired is our library.

　　4. 表示"完成"时间概念。现在分词表示"完成"时间概念需用having+V-ed形式表示。这种"完成"的时间可以表示"现在完成"、"过去完成"和"将来完成"。表示"完成"时间概念通常出现在现在分词作状语或独立结构中。如：

　　Having taught in this school for many years, he has acquainted himself with everything in this school.

　　Having been trained to play the piano since her childhood, she has become an excellent pianist.

　　句子中的现在分词表示"现在完成"。

　　Having watered the flowers, the nurse began to prepare supper.

　　Not having received any reply, he decided to write her again.

　　All the students having gone back home, the teacher began to correct the students' papers.

　　All the compositions having been written and corrected, the teacher let the students go out for sports.

　　句子中的现在分词都表示"过去完成"。

　　Having finished his homework, he will spend half an hour watching TV.

　　They will come back on time having taken the examination.

　　The book having been written will be published without delay.

　　句子中的现在分词都表示"将来完成"。

　　(文/王益民； 英语辅导报高中教师版 04~05学年度第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。)