含蓄虚拟条件句面面观
作者:潘正凯
来源:《新高考·高二英语》2012年第02期
在条件句中,虚拟语气的用法相对规范。但在实际运用中,很多虚拟条件是通过其他形式表达的,这种现象在语法上称为“含蓄虚拟条件句”。含蓄虚拟条件句具体有以下几种情况:
1. 通过动词不定式短语表示虚拟条件
例如: You would be a fool to refuse his offer. 要是你拒绝他的提议,那就太傻了。 动词不定式to refuse his offer在句中充当状语,相当于一个条件状语从句:if you should refuse his offer。
2. 通过介词短语表示虚拟条件
例如:But for the storm, I would have arrived much earlier. 要不是那场暴雨,我早就到了。 句中的but for意为“如果没有……的话,要不是……的话”,but for the storm相当于条件状语从句if it had not been for the storm,表示对过去的虚拟。
例如:I wouldn’t have made such great progress without your help. 要是没有你的帮助,我不可能取得这样大的进步。
句中介词短语without your help相当于条件状语从句if you hadn’t helped me 或者 if there had not been for your help, 表示对过去的虚拟。
3. 通过连词otherwise, or, or else, though, although等表示虚拟条件
例如: She came to town yesterday, otherwise / or I would not have met her. 昨天她到城里来了,不然我就不会遇见她了。
句中的otherwise,or表示“否则的话”,相当于条件句if she hadn’t come,也是对过去的虚拟。
4. 通过名词性短语表示虚拟条件
例如:A few hours earlier and you would have seen the singer. 早来几个小时,你就可以看到那个歌星了。
名词性短语a few hours earlier相当于条件状语从句if you had come a few hours earlier。
5. 通过分词短语表示虚拟条件
例如:Given more attention, the trees could have grown better. 倘若给予更多的关心,这些树本来可以生长得更好的。
主句告诉我们事实上树木并未生长得很好,可见分词短语表达的是一个不成立的假设,其含义相当于条件句if they had been given more attention。
6. 通过when,unless, as if, lest, in case, on condition等词引导的从句来表示虚拟语气 例如:Take your coat just in case it should rain. 带着伞,以防下雨。
He speaks English so fluently as if he had studied English in England. 他英语说得太流利了,就好像他在英国学过英语一样。(实际上他以前没去过,从句是对过去的虚拟。)
但as if, as though后的从句也常用陈述语气,这是因为从句中的情况往往是可能发生的或可能被设想为真实的。
例如:It looks as if our side is going to win. 看上去我们队要赢了。
7. 虚拟条件暗含在上下文当中
例如:I would have attended the meeting, but I was too busy. 我本来要参加会议的,只是太忙了。
句中暗含了if I had not been too busy之意,这种情况可以看作是省略了虚拟条件句。 虚拟语气中还有一种用法,是只保留表示虚拟条件的从句,而省略表示结果的主句部分。“if only + 从句”便属于这种情况,这一句型意为“如果……该多好啊!”,表示的内容往往并没有发生,或不太可能发生,这也是一种虚拟的条件句。
例如:If only I had taken his advice. 我要是听他的话就好了。
If only I were a bird! 我如果是一只鸟就好了!
单项选择。
1. He is talking so much about America as if he________there.
A. had been B. were
含蓄虚拟条件句面面观
作者:潘正凯
来源:《新高考·高二英语》2012年第02期
在条件句中,虚拟语气的用法相对规范。但在实际运用中,很多虚拟条件是通过其他形式表达的,这种现象在语法上称为“含蓄虚拟条件句”。含蓄虚拟条件句具体有以下几种情况:
1. 通过动词不定式短语表示虚拟条件
例如: You would be a fool to refuse his offer. 要是你拒绝他的提议,那就太傻了。 动词不定式to refuse his offer在句中充当状语,相当于一个条件状语从句:if you should refuse his offer。
2. 通过介词短语表示虚拟条件
例如:But for the storm, I would have arrived much earlier. 要不是那场暴雨,我早就到了。 句中的but for意为“如果没有……的话,要不是……的话”,but for the storm相当于条件状语从句if it had not been for the storm,表示对过去的虚拟。
例如:I wouldn’t have made such great progress without your help. 要是没有你的帮助,我不可能取得这样大的进步。
句中介词短语without your help相当于条件状语从句if you hadn’t helped me 或者 if there had not been for your help, 表示对过去的虚拟。
3. 通过连词otherwise, or, or else, though, although等表示虚拟条件
例如: She came to town yesterday, otherwise / or I would not have met her. 昨天她到城里来了,不然我就不会遇见她了。
句中的otherwise,or表示“否则的话”,相当于条件句if she hadn’t come,也是对过去的虚拟。
4. 通过名词性短语表示虚拟条件
例如:A few hours earlier and you would have seen the singer. 早来几个小时,你就可以看到那个歌星了。
名词性短语a few hours earlier相当于条件状语从句if you had come a few hours earlier。
5. 通过分词短语表示虚拟条件
例如:Given more attention, the trees could have grown better. 倘若给予更多的关心,这些树本来可以生长得更好的。
主句告诉我们事实上树木并未生长得很好,可见分词短语表达的是一个不成立的假设,其含义相当于条件句if they had been given more attention。
6. 通过when,unless, as if, lest, in case, on condition等词引导的从句来表示虚拟语气 例如:Take your coat just in case it should rain. 带着伞,以防下雨。
He speaks English so fluently as if he had studied English in England. 他英语说得太流利了,就好像他在英国学过英语一样。(实际上他以前没去过,从句是对过去的虚拟。)
但as if, as though后的从句也常用陈述语气,这是因为从句中的情况往往是可能发生的或可能被设想为真实的。
例如:It looks as if our side is going to win. 看上去我们队要赢了。
7. 虚拟条件暗含在上下文当中
例如:I would have attended the meeting, but I was too busy. 我本来要参加会议的,只是太忙了。
句中暗含了if I had not been too busy之意,这种情况可以看作是省略了虚拟条件句。 虚拟语气中还有一种用法,是只保留表示虚拟条件的从句,而省略表示结果的主句部分。“if only + 从句”便属于这种情况,这一句型意为“如果……该多好啊!”,表示的内容往往并没有发生,或不太可能发生,这也是一种虚拟的条件句。
例如:If only I had taken his advice. 我要是听他的话就好了。
If only I were a bird! 我如果是一只鸟就好了!
单项选择。
1. He is talking so much about America as if he________there.
A. had been B. were