虚拟语气

虚拟语气是用来表示与事实相反或不大可能实现的情况。主要是通过动词的变化来体现的。

▲ 虚拟语气动词时态变化的规则

英语的虚拟语气是将句子动词原本应该使用的时态向后退一步，以表示该句与事实相反。后退的方法如下：

现在时────退──过去时

现在完成时──退──过去完成时

过去时────退──过去完成时

一般将来时──退──过去将来时

过去将来时──退──过去将来完成时

注：在虚拟语气中不用was，所有人称都用were。

1、 虚拟语气在条件句中的应用。

● If I have money I will lend it to you.

● If I had money I would lend it to you.

第一句话没有使用虚拟，表示我很可能会借你钱。第二句话使用了虚拟，表示我不可能借你钱。用虚拟只是一种委婉的说法。对比两句的时态，正像我们上面所讲的，现在时退到过去时，一般将来时退到过去将来时。

● If I have time, I will go to see you.

● If I had time, I would go to see you.

请注意比较上面两句话不同的含义与时态的变化。

╳ If I’m you, I will buy that car.（假设句）

● If I were you, I would buy that car.给对方提供建议（常用）

由于我不可能是你，所以第一句话必须虚拟，因而第一句是错误的句子，但我们可以从中看出时态的变化。为了方便理解在下面的例句中都会给出一个假设句，但必须指出，例句中的假设句只是为了逻辑说明。在实际应用中是不存在的，也就是说是错的。

╳假设句If it snows in summer, it will be great fun.

虚拟句If it snowed in summer, it would be great fun.如果夏天能下雪，那该多有意思。

现在时────退─过去时（从句）snows──────snowed

一般将来时──退─过去将来时（主句）will be ─­──── would be­­­

Without the air to hold some of the sun’s heat, the earth at night ___, too cold for us to live.

A. would be freezing cold B. will be freezing coldly

C. would be frozen cold D. can freeze coldly

A 对将来时的虚拟退过去将来时。

╳假设句If I brought my checkbook yesterday, I would pay by check.

虚拟句If I had brought my checkbook yesterday, I would have paid by check.

如果昨天我带支票来了，我就会付支票。

过去时────退─过去完成时（从句）brought──────had brought

过去将来时──退─过去将来完成时（主句）would pay ──── would have paid

╳假设句If I had your address in New York, I would call on you before I came back to China

虚拟句If I had had your address in New York, I would have called on you before I came.

如果我有你在纽约的地址，我回中国以前，就去看你了。

过去时────退─过去完成时（从句）had───────had had

过去将来时──退─过去将来完成时（主句）would call on ─── would have called on

2．I didn’t see your sister at the meeting. If she ______, she would have met my brother.

A. has come B. did come C. came D. had come

表示对过去时间的虚拟，过去时退过去完成时，过去将来时，退过去将来完成时。

╳假设句If you haven’t finished the homework by now, you will not be allowed to see the film this evening.

虚拟句If you hadn’t finished the homework by now, you would not be allowed to see the film this evening,

如果你到现在还没做完作业的话晚上就不让你去看电影了。

现在完成时──退──过去完成时 （从句）haven’t finished ───hadn’t finished

一般将来时──退──过去将来时（主句）will be allowed ─── would be allowed

╳假设句If he took my advice, he will be a scientist.

虚拟句If he had taken my advice, he would be a scientist.

如果他以前听我的建议，他将会成为一个科学家。

过去时──退──过去完成时 （从句）took ───── had taken

一般将来时──退──过去将来时 （主句）will be ────── would be

╳假设句If you were there, the meeting might go smoothly.

虚拟句If you had been there, the meeting might have gone smoothly.

如果你要是在，会就会开得更顺利。

过去时────退─过去完成时 （从句）were───────had been

过去将来时──退─过去将来完成时（主句）might ────── might have gone

注：情态动词的时态倒退的方法与一般动词一样，如can, may等情态动词可以把它们看作将来时，could, might看作过去将来时，could have done, might have done看作过去将来完成时。

╳假设句If there was more snow last year, we will have a good harvest this fall.

虚拟句If there had been more snow last year, we would have a good harvest.

如果去年多下一点雪，今年秋天就会有个好收成。

过去时────退──过去完成时 （从句）was──────── had been

一般将来时──退──过去将来时（主句）will have ───── would have

注：上面的一些例句在传统教学中称为错综句，理解上比较困难。用时态后退的方法，做起来就容易了。

2、 虚拟条件句中if的省略。

如果虚拟条件句中有were或had done通常可将were或had放在句首，if可省略。

● If I had studied more, I would have passed the test.

● Had I studied more, I would have passed the test. 如果我多学习点，我就会通过考试。

● If I were in your place I wouldn’t say so.

● Were I in your place, I wouldn’t say so. 如果我处在你的位置，我就不会这样说。

1．______ for the free tickets, I would not have gone to the films so often.

A. If it is not B. Were it not

C. Had it not been D. If they were not

虚拟条件句省略if 条件句必须倒装，因条件句是过去时，所以应退过去完成时。

3、 用介词短语表示虚拟条件。

Without your help, we will not be able to finish the work in time.

虚拟句Without your help, we would not be able to finish the work in time. 没有你的帮助我就不能按时完成这项工作。

一般将来时──退──过去将来时will not be───── would not be

╳假设句But for his good education, he would not get the job.

虚拟句But for his good education, he would not have got the job.

幸亏他受过很好的教育，否则不会找到那份工作的。

过去将来时──退─过去将来完成时would get ──── would have got

4、 在if only, wish, as if(as though)后的句子用虚拟。

╳假设句If only this rain will stop!

虚拟句If only this rain would stop! 如果雨会停就好了。

一般将来时──退──过去将来时will ────── would

╳假设句If only our team scored one more point!

虚拟句If only our team had scored one more point! 如果我们的队多得1分就好了。

过去时──退──过去完成时scored ───── had scored

1．If only he _______ quietly as the doctor instructed, he would not suffer so much now.

A. lies B. lay C. had lain D. should lie

if only后用虚拟，从句是对过去的虚拟，应用过去完成时。主句是对将来的虚拟，应退到过去完成将来时，该句是错综虚拟语句，既主句和从句跳跃两个时间。

╳假设句I wish the semester is over now.

虚拟句I wish the semester were over now. 我希望这个学期现在就结束。

现在时──退──过去时is────── were

注：wish后的从句可以用were也可以用was

假设句I wish I didn’t get rid of those old letter.

虚拟句I wish I hadn’t gotten rid of those old letters. 我希望我没有把那些旧信扔了。

过去时──退──过去完成时didn’t get rid of ─ hadn’t gotten rid of

╳假设句He treats me as if I’m a child.

虚拟句He treats me as if I were a child. 他对我就像我是个孩子似的。

现在时──退──过去时am ────── were

╳假设句He talks as if he saw it himself.

虚拟句He talks as if he had seen it himself.* 他讲话的样子好像是他亲眼看见似的。

过去时──退──过去完成时saw ────── had seen

1．When a pencil is partly in a glass of water, it looks as if it _____.

A. breaks B. has broken C. were broken D. had been broken

as if 后用虚拟，现在时退过去时。

注：as though在很多情况下不用使用虚拟形式，

● It may look as though I’m ready for this trip, but I haven’t even packed my suitcase.

● It seems as though we’ve known each another for a long time instead of just two weeks.

5、独立虚拟句是指在一定的上下文中，不需要条件句、介词短语、if only等，虚拟句也可以独立使用。

╳假设句It will be wrong to say so.

虚拟句It would be wrong to say so. 要是那样讲就错了。（不会那样讲）

一般将来时──退──过去将来时will be ────── would be

╳假设句Only a fool will trust him.

虚拟句Only a fool would trust him. 只有傻子才会信任他。（不会有人相信他）

一般将来时──退──过去将来时will trust ────── would trust

6、It is（high）time that句子中that从句动词用虚拟

╳假设句It is time we are off.

虚拟句It is time we were off. 到了该走的时间了。

╳假设句It is high time that we stop empty talk.

虚拟句It is high time that we stopped empty talk. 是该停止空谈的时候了

╳假设句It is high time we will do something to stop air pollution.

虚拟句It is high time we would do something to stop air pollution.

到了我们为阻止空气污染做点事情的时候了。

▲ 在某些主语从句和条件状语从句中虚拟的用法

在It is important, impossible, strange, vital, natural, essential, desirable, preferable, advisable, appropriate, surprising, sad, that…句型中，主语从句在英国英语中用should +原形动词。在美国英语中省略should直接用原形。

在for fear that（以防……起见）引导的条件句中用法同上。

在unless, when, so(as) long as，suppose, in case, on condition引导的条件状语从句中也可用虚拟语气，用法同上。

● It is necessary that he（should）come on time to attend the meeting.

他按时来出席会议是必要的。

● It is natural that he（should）love Merry.他爱玛丽是很自然的事。

● He took an umbrella for fear that it (should) rain. 他带了一把伞，以防天下雨。

● As long as my wife (should) get ready, we will go. 只要我太太准备好了，我们就去。

▲ 在suggest, propose, demand, necessary inquire, request, desire, insist, order, advise, agree等表示建议、要求、命令的动词后的宾语从句中。英国英语用should +原形动词，美国英语省略 “should”用原形动词

● He insisted that we（should）get there on time. 他坚持我们要按时到那。

● The dean proposed that the question（should）not be discussed at once.

系主任提议这个问题不要马上讨论。

▲ 在think, expect, believe, 是否定形式时，宾语从句可用虚拟语气：should +动词原形，should不可省。

● She said she never expected I should lend money to her.

▲ were (was) to 有时在虚拟条件句中用were (was)表示试探的口气。

● If you were (was) to do something like that I would not marry you.

如果你要做那种事，我就不会嫁给你了。

▲ would have done, should have done上面两种用法也经常表示虚拟，意思是本应该做而没有做的事情。would 表示从客观上讲，而should表示从主观上讲。

● You would have taken taxi to come here. 你本应该坐出租汽车来这儿。

●If I had known she was rich, I should have married her.如果知道她是个富翁，本该娶她。

▲ We ____ last night, but we went to the concert instead.

A. must have studied B. might study C. should have studied D. would study

should (would) have done 表示过去本该做，而没有做的事情。

Must必须 Must 推测

对现在的推测

Must be 语气 想必是 must be a teacher

Must do（主观） 必须做 have to do（客观）不得不

Must be doing

对过去的推测

Must have been 想必曾经是 过去 must have been a teacher

Must have done 想必曾经做过 must have lived abroad

May be

May do

May have been

May have done

Should（主观） do

ought to（客观）do

should have done

ought to have done

could have done本可以发生而没发生

would better 最好 would rather ... (than); would sooner ... (than) 宁可，宁愿

would rather＋从句

(从句的谓语动词用虚拟语气,即谓语动词用过去式)

虚拟语气

1. If I had caught the last train, I _______ at home now.

A. would watch TV B. would have watched TV

C. would be watching TV D. am watching TV

2. It is important that someone searching for a job _____ all the prospects.

A. consider B. be considering C. considered D. will be considering

3. They requested that a contract _______.

A. would be concluded B. be concluded C. was concluded D. conclude

4. Daniel appears as though he _______ the secret.

A. have known B. knew C. will know D. had known

5. The committee voted that all its members ______ a raise next year.

A. given B. are going to be given C. be given D. have been given

6. Don’t come tomorrow, I’d rather _______ next weekend.

A. you will come B. you had come C. you came D. you are to come

7. If you had told me in advance, I ______ you at the airport.

A. would meet B. would have met C. met D. had met

8. We had hoped that he _______ longer.

A. stays B. should stay C. stayed D. would stay

10. It is very time we _______ what to do next.

A. consider B. should consider C. will consider D. to consider

11. It is about time he _____ himself a wife and settled down.

A. finds B. find C. found D. had found

12. It is a great pity that she _______ so conceited.

A. is B. was C. were D. be

13. He spoke in a quite distant voice as though his thought _______.

A. was far away B. be far away

C. were far away D. had been far away

14. You’re talking to me as if I ______ an expert.

A. am B. was C. have been D. were

15. It is important that the hotel receptionist _______ that guests are registered correctly.

A. has made sure B. made sure

C. must made sure D. make sure

16. Sometimes I wish I _______ in a different time and a different place.

A. be living B. were living C. would live D. would have lived

17. It is desired that he ______ his plan.

A. carried out B. carries out C. has carried D. carry out

18. Mike’s uncle insists ________ in this hotel.

A. staying not B. not to stay

C. that he would not stay D. that he not stay

19. The committee proposed that the chairman _______.

A. promote B. was promoted C. be promoted D. were promoted

20. I must go now. David has suggested that I ________.

A. shall go B. would go C. will go D. go

21. It is strange that he ____ his own weak points.

A. fails to realize B. failed to realize

C. fail to realize D. should fail to realize

22. It is necessary that we _____ our papers before Friday.

A. hands in B. should hand in C. will hand in D. hand in

23. How I wish I _______ to repair the watch! I only made it worse.

A. had tried B. have tried C. didn’t tried D. hadn’t tried

24. _______ you were coming today, I’d have met you at the airport.

A. if I should know B. If I have known C. Did I know D. Had I known

25. If he had followed the doctor’s advice, he ______ in good health now.

A. would have been B. would be C. is D. will be

26. Mrs. Bliss kept the door and the windows shut lest the noise outside _____her son’s sleep.

A. would interfere with B. had interfered with

C. interfered with D. should interfere with

28. If you ______ a peep hole in your door, you would have seen who was standing outside and kept the door shut.

A. had B. would have C. had had D. would have had

29. He must have been ill, or he _______ to the lecture then.

A. would come B. would have come C. came D. had come

30. “You are very selfish. It’s high time you _______ that you are not the most important person in the world,” Edgar said to his boss angrily.

A. realized B. have realized C. had realized D. should realize

31. ________ no gravity, there would be no air around the earth.

A. Were there B. Was there C. There were D. There be

32. It is essential that these application forms _______ back as early as possible.

A. must be sent B. will be sent C. are sent D. be sent

34. If only I _______ the mathematics exam without much hard work.

A. will pass B. passed C. could pass D. can pass

35. He took his raincoat with him lest it _______.

A. may rain B. might rain C. rained D. should rain

36. The law requires that everyone _________ his car checked at least once a week.

A. has B. had C. have D. would have

37. The suggestion that the mayor _____ the prizes was accepted by everyone.

A. would present B. present C. presents D. presented

38. It is necessary that this machine tool _____ every day.

A. be oiled B. oil C. is to be oiled D. is oiled

39. But for the traffic jam, I ______ late for the meeting.

A. wouldn’t be B. shouldn’t be C. would be D. hadn’t been

40. He looks as if he _______ nothing about the news.

A. would know B. knew C. would have known D. should know

四、虚拟语气

1. If I had caught the last train, I _______ at home now.

A. would watch TV B. would have watched TV

C. would be watching TV D. am watching TV

过去时退过去完成时, 一般将来时退过去将来时, now用进行。

2. It is important that someone searching for a job _____ all the prospects. 可能性

A. consider B. be considering C. considered D. will be considering （should）do

3. They requested that a contract 合同_______.

A. would be concluded B. be concluded C. was concluded D. conclude

（should）be concluded

4. Daniel appears as though he _______ the secret.

A. have known B. knew C. will know D. had known

as though可用虚拟，但在很多情况下不用使用虚拟形式，现在时退过去时

5. The committee voted that all its members ______ a raise next year.

A. given B. are going to be given C. be given D. have been given

（should）be given

▲ 在vote 投票, 选票,表决, suggest, propose, demand, inquire, request, desire想望, 期望, insist, order, advise, agree等表示建议、要求、命令的动词后的宾语从句中。英国英语用should +原形动词，美国英语省略 “should”用原形动词

6. Don’t come tomorrow, I’d rather宁愿_______ next weekend.

A. you will come B. you had come C. you came D. you are to come

d rather后从句用过去时

7. If you had told me in advance, I ______ you at the airport.

A. would meet B. would have met C. met D. had met

过去时退过去完成时，过去将来时退过去将来完成时

8. We had hoped that he _______ longer.

A. stays B. should stay C. stayed D. would stay

Hope可以虚拟也可不虚拟，本题主句虚拟，从句也应用虚拟。

现在完成时退过去完成时, 一般将来时退过去将来时

10. It is very time we _______ what to do next.

A. consider B. should consider C. will consider D. to consider

一般将来时退过去将来时

11. It is about time he _____ himself a wife and settled down.

A. finds B. find C. found D. had found现在时退过去时

12. It is a great pity that she _______ so conceited.

A. is B. was C. were D. be （should）be

13. He spoke in a quite distant voice as though his thought _______.

A. was far away B. be far away

C. were far away D. had been far away

as though可用虚拟，但在很多情况下不用使用虚拟形式，现在时退过去时,虚拟中只用were不用was。

14. You’re talking to me as if I ______ an expert.

A. am B. was C. have been D. were

现在时退过去时,虚拟中只用were不用was。

15. It is important that the hotel receptionist _______ that guests are registered correctly.

A. has made sure B. made sure C. must made sure D. make sure

（should）do

16. Sometimes I wish I _______ in a different time and a different place.

A. be living B. were living C. would live D. would have lived

一般将来时退过去将来时

17. It is desired that he ______ his plan.

A. carried out B. carries out C. has carried D. carry out

（should）do

18. Mike’s uncle insists ________ in this hotel.

A. staying not B. not to stay

C. that he would not stay D. that he not stay

（should） not stay

19. The committee proposed that the chairman _______.

A. promote B. was promoted C. be promoted D. were promoted

（should）be promoted

20. I must go now. David has suggested that I ________.

A. shall go B. would go C. will go D. go

（should）do

21. It is strange that he ____ his own weak points.

A. fails to realize B. failed to realize

C. fail to realize D. should fail to realize

（should）do

22. It is necessary that we _____ our papers before Friday.

A. hands in B. should hand in C. will hand in D. hand in （should）do

23. How I wish I _______ to repair the watch! I only made it worse.

A. had tried B. have tried C. didn’t tried D. hadn’t tried

现在完成时退过去完成时

24. _______ you were coming today, I’d have met you at the airport.

A. if I should know B. If I have known C. Did I know D. Had I known

过去时退过去完成时, 过去将来时退过去将来完成时

25. If he had followed the doctor’s advice, he ______ in good health now.

A. would have been B. would be C. is D. will be

过去时退过去完成时, 将来时退过去将来时

26. Mrs. Bliss kept the door and the windows shut lest以免 the noise outside _____ her son’s sleep.

A. would interfere with B. had interfered with

C. interfered with D. should interfere干涉with

在unless, when, so(as) long as，suppose, in case, on condition lest(以免)引导的条件状语从句中也可用虚拟语气，用（should）do。

28. If you ______ a peep窥看 hole in your door, you would have seen who was standing outside and kept the door shut.

A. had B. would have C. had had D. would have had

过去时退过去完成时，过去将来时退过去将来完成时

29. He must have been ill, or he _______ to the lecture then.

A. would come B. would have come C. came D. had come

must have been 是对过去的推测，站在过去谈将来，做过去将时，过去将来时退过去将来完成时

30. “You are very selfish. It’s high time you _______ that you are not the most important person in the world,” Edgar said to his boss angrily.

A. realized B. have realized C. had realized D. should realize

现在时退过去时

31. ________ no gravity, there would be no air around the earth.

A. Were there B. Was there C. There were D. There be

如果虚拟条件句中有were或had done通常可将were或had放在句首，if可省略。现在时退过去时, 一般将来时退过去将来时

32. It is essential that these application forms _______ back as early as possible.

A. must be sent B. will be sent C. are sent D. be sent （should）be sent

34. If only I _______ the mathematics exam without much hard work.

A. will pass B. passed C. could pass D. can pass将来时退过去将来时

35. He took his raincoat with him lest it _______.

A. may rain B. might rain C. rained D. should rain

在unless, when, so(as) long as，suppose, in case, on condition lest(以免)引导的条件状语从句中也可用虚拟语气，用（should）do。

36. The law requires that everyone _________ his car checked at least once a week.

A. has B. had C. have D. would have

（should）do。

37. The suggestion that the mayor _____ the prizes was accepted by everyone.

A. would present B. present C. presents D. presented

（should）do。

38. It is necessary that this machine tool _____ every day.

A. be oiled B. oil C. is to be oiled D. is oiled

（should）be oiled。

39. But for the traffic jam, I ______ late for the meeting.

A. wouldn’t be B. shouldn’t be C. would be D. hadn’t been

一般将来时退过去将来时

40. He looks as if he _______ nothing about the news.

A. would know B. knew C. would have known D. should know

现在时退过去时

重要提示

掌握虚拟语气，最好的办法就是记住在本该用的时态上向后退一步，既表示虚拟，现在时退过去时，将来时退过去将来时，过去时退过去完成时，过去将来时退过去将来完成时。这样，在虚拟语气上就不会再犯任何错误，即使遇上错综虚拟语气，也不会错。最后，记住几个特殊用法，虚拟语气就算基本掌握了。

阅读与欣赏

● If there were dreams to sell, what would you buy?

如果世上有卖梦想的，你会买什么梦呢？

●If it were not for Hopes, the Heart would break. 若不是为了希望，心早就碎了。