一、虚拟语气

虚拟语气

考点分析

语气是一种动词形式,用以表示说话者的意图或态度。英语中有三种语气:陈述语气(表示陈述事实)、祈使语气(表示命令、要求、建议、请求等)和虚拟语气(表示主观愿望、强烈遗憾,建议或与事实相反的假设等)。虚拟语气是英文中一特殊的语言现象,所说的话或与现在事实相反,或与过去事实相反,或与将来事实相反或与将来事实可能相反。

虚拟条件语气中大致分为四类

图示

所以,还有几种常用的条件句、短语也可表示条件。此外,上下文也能创造虚拟的语言环境。但有时条件从句与结果主句可能发生时间不一致,有时虚拟语气会出现倒装情况。除了与条件句在一起使用的主句用虚拟语气外,有些宾语从句或表语从句也有用虚拟语气的情况。

虚拟语气的表现形式:

(1)虚拟语气总是与假设条件句用在一起。

例如:

If you succeeded,everything would be all right.

If it should rain tomorrow,I would stay at home.

(2)除了if条件从句外,由as if和as though等引导的状语从句表示方式时,意思是“好像”,这时从句中的谓语动词应用虚拟语气,其动词形式用过去式(be用were的形式)表示所说的与现在的事实相反。

例如:Violetta has a curious expression on her face as though she were smiling about something that amused her.

(3)在 动 词suggest,order,demand,propose,command,request,desire,insist,require,decide,promise,resolve,argue,maintain,determine,recommend,advise,advocate,persuade等表示“命令”“建议”“要求”动词后的宾语从句中。但考生要注意如果上述动词做其他意思解释,或者说话者认为所讲的是事实,要用陈述语气。

例如:She insisted that the seats(should)be booked in advance.

He advised that the doctor(should)be sent for.

(4)在advice,demand,order,necessity,resolution,decision,proposal,requirement,suggestion,idea,recommendation,request,plan等名词后的主语从句或表语从句中,有时需要用虚拟语气。

例如:He issued the order that the troops(should)withdraw at once.

(5)在形容词important,necessary,imperative,natural,urgent,essential,appropriate,desirable,vital,advisable,preferable,incredible以及短语no wonder,a pity等可以构成“It is+形容词(名词)+that”句型中。

例如It is necessary that some immediate effort(should)be made.

It is absolutely unfair that these children should be deprived of the right to receive education.

(6)有时假设的情况并不以条件从句表示出来,而是通过一个介词短语来表示,或通过上下文或其他方式表示出来。如but for,but that...,in case of,otherwise,supposing,under more favorable condition,without等表示让步假设。

例如:He worked very hard;otherwise he might have failed.

(7)特殊连词,例如lest,for fear that和in case引导从句,这时谓语多用should+动词原形的形式。

例如:Every attention must be paid to him lest he(should)feel that he is inferior to my other guests.

He’s working hard for fear that he should fail in the exam.

(8)虚拟错综条件句:上面几种假设类型中,主句与从句的谓语动词形式应前后呼应。但是,如果主句与从句的动作发生的时间不一致,谓语动词形式应做适当调整。

例如:If I had a bike(now),I would have lent it to you yesterday.(主句与过去事实相反,从句与现在事实相反。)

I am very sorry if I had done anything wrong to you,but I am sure that it was unintentional.

(9)虚拟条件从句中的谓语动词如果是were或should(could,might),had等词时,可以省略连词if,但要将were或should(could,might),had助动词移至主语前形成倒装句。

例如:Should my car fail,I would have to return home on foot.

技巧点拨

虚拟语气是动词的一种特殊形式。应对虚拟语气题目时,考生需要记住一个公式:语法+语境=正确答案。语法就是指上述各种虚拟语气的结构和用法,需要考生牢牢把握这些虚拟语气的基础知识。语境即说话人的语义、情感、态度等。全面掌握该语法项目,在结合语境的基础上通过比较、判断得出正确答案。其一般步骤为:

(1)条件句中有if引导时,首先要根据句意和句子结构判断是真实条件句还是虚拟条件句,如果符合虚拟的结构,就可以根据句子中的时间和语义判断应该用哪种虚拟结构。

(2)观察试题题干中是否出现一些表示虚拟语气的词语,如advise,demand,command,suggestion,proposal,essential,would rather等。如果出现这些词语,它们后面的that从句和状语从句中的谓语动词应该用虚拟语气。

(3)研究试题题干的句型、语义,分辨它是陈述事实,还是表示虚拟,并区分选择项中的陈述语气形式和虚拟语气形式,特别是一些省略的虚拟语气形式。然后将题干和选择项结合考虑,从而选择正确的答案。

(4)理解题干中句子的含义,区分选择项中的情态动词。一般而言,would,could,might,should都可以作为虚拟语气主句中的谓语结构。在表示与将来事实相反的虚拟语气时,从句只能用情态动词should。

(5)判断审查题干中句子所叙述的情况发生在何时(现在、过去或将来),如果句子是复合句,那么就要仔细确认各个分句叙述的情况是否发生在同一时间层面,然后选择相应的谓语动词的虚拟形式。

(6)在初步确定正确的选项后,将选项放入题目中进行验证是否符合句子的时态、语态等要求。这时需要结合句子的整体结构进行考虑,如:主从句的谓语的时间顺序、是否有明显的时间提示、是否有必须使用虚拟语气的名词或动词、前后主语一致等。

典型真题

例1:

____before we leave the day after tomorrow,we should have a wonderful time together.(北京大学2014年)(https://www.daowen.com)

A.Had they arrived B.Would they arrive

C.Were they arriving D.Were they to arrive

【名师点评】D。由句中的leave和should have以及the day after tomorrow可以判断,从句表示未来发生的事,要用一般将来时的虚拟语气:were to do sth。因在句首,使用倒装结构。选项A是一般过去时的虚拟语气,故答案为D。

例2:

If I had car of my own,I____it to your sister yesterday.(厦门大学2014年)

A.will lend B.would lend C.should lend D.would have lent

名师点评】D。考查虚拟语气。主句是对过去情况的假设,表示虚拟时主句要用过去完成时态,所以D项正确。

实战演练

1.____fired,your health care and other benefits will not be immediately cut off.

A.Would you be B.Should you be C.Could you be D.Might you be

2.Should green plants disappear some day,____on the earth.

A.there will hardly be any life B.there will be no life

C.there must have been no life D.there would hardly be any life

3.A group was formed to demand that the bus company____its unfair practices and Mr.King was made president.

A.would change B.change C.changed D.to change

4.If he____my advice,he wouldn’t have lost his job.(湖南大学2010年)

A.followed B.should follow C.had followed D.would follow

5.It is high time that this wrong spending____.

A.checks B.checked C.was checked D.is to check

6.We think it is high time the French government____responsibility for their citizens and should pay for this kind of damage.

A.should take B.is to take C.took D.takes

7.Your proposal that they____their conversation in French is quite reasonable.

A.are to carry on B.will carry on C.carry on D.must carry on

8.If not for the open-door policy,the situation in China____what it is today.

A.would never have been B.would never be

C.will never have been D.will never be

9.She asked that she____allowed to see her son in police custody.

A.would be B.could be C.be D.was

10.If he____on tourists for his business,he would have to close his shop.

A.depends B.will depend C.depended D.has depended

答案解析

1.B。虚拟条件句的从句部分含有were,should或had时,可省略if,再把were,should或had移到从句的句首,实行倒装。在表示与将来事实相反的虚拟语气时,从句只能用情态动词should。故答案为B。

2.D。从本题题干中句子的形式和内容来看,这是一个省略了if的使用倒装语序的对未来情况做出假定和推测的句子,其主干部分应该使用与将来事实相反的虚拟语气的谓语形式。C中的must have done是表示对过去事情发生的可能性的猜测,只有D中的“would be”符合。

3.B。本题题干中出现了动词demand,它后面的that从句中应该使用结构为“(should)+动词原形”的谓语来表示虚拟语气。

4.C。题意:如果他听了我的建议就不会失去工作了。根据wouldn’t have lost结合题意可判断if引导的状语从句表示与过去事实相反的虚拟,因此前面条件句应该是对过去的虚拟假设,需用过去完成时,故选C项。

5.C。It is high time+that结构,从句应用过去时,且spending与check为被动关系。故答案为C。

6.C。句式It is(high time)that...中that从句中动词要求用虚拟语气,动词时态要求用过去时。故答案为C。

7.C。在以suggestion,motion,proposal,order,recommendation,plan,idea等名词引导出的表语从句或同位语从句中,谓语动词要用虚拟语气,即用动词原形或should+动词原形。故答案为C。

8.A。根据从句中的时间状语today,可以知道是与到目前为止的情况相反的。故答案为A。

9.C。因为动词ask表示请求,从句中的谓语动词是动词原形,助动词should省略。故答案为C。

10.C。与现在的事实相反的假设,从句谓语动词使用过去式。故答案为C。