10.2　虚拟语气在条件句中的用法

10.2.1　虚拟条件句

包含条件从句的句子都是条件句，有些条件句是可能实现的，如：

If I have time I'll come over to see you. 如果我有时间我就来看你。

If we leave now, we can still catch the train. 如果我们现在动身，还可能赶上火车。

I won't go to the party unless they invite me. 除非他们邀请我，否则我不会参加这个晚会。

If you are waiting for a bus you'd better join the queue. 如果你是在等车，你最好排队。

If he has written the letter, I'll post it. 如果他已把信写好，我就去发。

这种条件句称为真实条件句(Sentences of Real Condition)。另有一些条件句表示纯然假想的情况，称为虚拟条件句（Sentences of Unreal Condition），在这类条件句中谓语动词就需要用虚拟语气：

If I had enough money, I would buy a computer. 如果我有足够的钱，我将买一台电脑。（但我没有）

If you had arrived a little earlier, you would have seen her. 你要是早来一会儿就见到她了。

10.2.2　表示现在和将来情况的虚拟条件句

1) 表示现在或将来情况的虚拟条件句，动词形式可以下表表示：

这类句子或表示与事实相反的情况或实现可能性不大的情况：

If I had a map I would lend it to you. 如果我有地图我就借给你。（但我没有）

If you left your bicycle outside, someone would steal it. 如果你把自行车放在外边，有人会偷的。（当然你不会这样做）

If I dyed my hair blue everyone would laugh at me. 如果我把头发染成蓝色，谁都会笑我的。（当然我不会干这样的傻事）

If I lived near my office, I'd walk to work. 如果我住在办公室附近，我就会步行上班。

If I were you I'd plant some trees round the house. 如果我是你，我会在房子周围种些树。

If Helen were (was) here how nice it would be! 海伦要是在这里该多好！

在If I were you这样的句子中，were不能改成was，但在第三人称单数后（如最后一句）用was也可以。

2) 在主句中谓语有时也可由might， could构成：

If you tried again you might succeed. 如果再试一次，你可能会成功。

If I could type, I might save a lot of time. 如果我会打字，我可能会节省大量时间。

If I knew her number I could ring her up. 我要是知道她的号码我就能给她打电话。

If he had a permit he could get a job. 如果他有许可证，他可以找到一份工作。

3) 在条件从句中有时还可以用“were to+不定式”（a）或“should+不定式”（b）这两种形式：

a. If he were (was) to resign, who would take his place? 如果他要辞职，谁来接替他？

If I were to do the job, I would do it in a different way. 要是我来做这工作，我会是另一种做法。

b. If you should have any difficulty in getting the medicine, (you could) ringthis number. 如果你找这种药有困难，你可以拨打这个电话。

If the toys should arrive in a damaged condition, please inform us at once.如果这些玩具运到时有损坏，请立即通知我们。

在后面这类句子中，主句的谓语有时可用祈使语气（见上例），或用陈述语气：

If I should be free tomorrow, I will come to see you. 如果明天我有空我会来看你的。

4) 在某些条件从句（如包括were和should的从句）中，if有时可省略，这时语序要改为倒装：

Were I Tom I would refuse. 如果我是汤姆我会拒绝。

Were I in your shoes I would let him know what I thought of him. 如果我处于你的地位，我会让他知道我对他的看法。

Should you require anything just give me a ring. 你要是需要什么就给我打个电话。

Should she be interested, I'll phone her. 如果她有兴趣，我会给她打电话。

5) 从句有时可用If it were not for这种句型，表示“若不是”：

If it weren't for your help, we would be in serious trouble. 若不是你帮忙，我们会遇到大麻烦。

Were it not for their loan, our life would be very difficult. 要不是有他们的贷款，我们的生活会很困难。

You wouldn't be anywhere if it weren't for Ruth. 要不是露丝你不会有任何成就。

6) 在极少情况下，从句中的谓语可用动词原形，主句中的谓语可用陈述语气：

If any person be found guilty, he shall have the right of appeal. 如果有人被判定有罪，他应有上诉权。

If that be the official view, it cannot be accepted. 如果这是官方的看法，这是不能接受的。

If any vehicle be found parked on these premises, it shall be towed away.如果发现有车停在此处，它将被拖走。

这是比较大气的说法，口语中很少使用。

10.2.3　表示过去情况的虚拟条件句。

1) 表示过去情况的虚拟条件句动词形式可以下表表示：

这类从句表示一个与事实相反的过去情况（'d是had/would的紧缩形式）：

If I had known that you were coming, I would have met you at the airport.如果我知道你要来，我就会去机场接你了。（但我不知道）

If anything had happened, he would have let us know. 如果发生了什么情况，他早就通知我们了。（想必没发生什么事）

She would have said more if he had not walked away. 如果他没走开，她还会多说些话的。

If I had left sooner, I'd have caught the bus. 如果早点动身，我就赶上巴士了。

If I had been Nancy, I wouldn't have left him. 我要是南希，我不会离开他。

What would you have done if you'd been in my position? 如果你处于我的位置你会怎么办？

在主句中，如果主语是第一人称，也有人用should构成谓语：

I should (would) have talked to mother if I had thought of it. 如果我想起了那事，我是会向母亲谈及的。

I should (would) never have done it if I hadn't been so hard up. 如果手头不是那样拮据，我是不会那样做的。

2) 主句中也可用could和might构成谓语：

No doubt I could have earned something if I had really meant to. 如果我有心挣点钱，我肯定能挣到一些的。

If my father had lived, he could have done all this for me. 如果我父亲活着，这一切他都会帮我做的。

If I had been less cautious, I might have been more wise. 如果我少一些谨慎，也许就会多一些明智。

If we had found him earlier we might have saved his life. 如果我们早点找到他，我们或许已把他救活了。

有时还可由should（应当）构成：

If he had received the present, he should have thanked her. 如果他收到了礼物，他是应当向她道谢的。

If he had apologized, you should have done so too. 如果他道歉了，你也应当这样做。

3) 从句中也可用had not been for来构成谓语，表示“要不是”

If it hadn't been for your timely help, we would have got into serious trouble.要不是你及时帮助，我们会陷入严重的困境。

If it hadn't been for her meticulous care, I wouldn't have got well so soon.要不是有她精心的照顾，我不会好得这样快。

If it hadn't been for Margaret, I might not have understood. 要不是有玛格丽特，我也许不会明白的。

4) if有时可以省略，但后面部分需改为倒装语序：

Had she been asked, she would have done it. 如果那时请她做，她是会做的。

Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I would not have believed it. 这事要不是我亲眼所见，我都不会相信的。

Had it not been for their support, we couldn't have won the election. 要不是有他们的支持我们不可能赢得选举。

Had Mark been in charge, it wouldn't have happened. 如果是马可负责，这事就不会发生了。

10.2.4　一些特殊的虚拟条件句

1) 错综时间条件句：

有些条件句主句谓语和从句谓语表示的动作在时间上并不一致，这类句子称为错综时间条件句（Conditional Sentences of Mixed Time），如：

If the weather had been more favourable, the crops would be growing still better. 如果前些时候天气好一点，庄稼现在会长得更好。

If he had received six more votes, he would be our chairman now. 他要是多得六票，现在就是我们的主席了。

If you had taken her advice, you wouldn't be in such trouble now. 如果你听了她的劝告，你现在就不会有这种麻烦。

If it hadn't been for the doctors' care, I wouldn't be speaking to you now.要不是有医生们的照顾，我此时不会在和你说话。

If he were leaving, you would have heard about it. 如果他真的要走，你早就听到消息了。

If he had been trying hard, her parents wouldn't be so worried. 如果她一直很努力，她的父母也不会这样着急了。

2) 含蓄条件句：

有些句子虽不含条件从句，但意思和条件句差不多，这种句子称为含蓄条件句（Sentences of Implied Condition），在这种句子中也可能需用虚拟语气：

I might see her personally, it would be better. 我可能亲自去见她，这样会好一些。

I would have written before but I have been ill. 要不是病了，我早给你写信了。

But for my money that woman would have persecuted him. 若不是我花了钱那女人早就找上他的麻烦了。

I did not press the point as it would have been useless. 我没有坚持这一点，因为坚持也没用。

In the old days she would have argued. 要是在过去她早就争论上了。

Such a thing wouldn't have happened elsewhere. 这样的事别处是不会发生的。

Anybody else would have believed you. 要换上别人早就信了你的话。

To have told my secret would have given me away. 讲出了我的秘密就等于出卖了我。

I wouldn't worry about it. It wouldn't do any good. 我不会为此发愁，这样没好处。

She would have done anything to make amends. 她愿做任何事来赔罪。

3) 某些情态动词的使用：

某些情态动词，特别是should， would， could， might，在口语中用得很多，使语气变得客气委婉：

Would you mind shutting the window? 劳驾把窗子关上好吗？

Would you tell me how to get to the tube? 可否请告诉我怎么去地铁站？

When would it be convenient for you to begin? 你何时开始比较方便？

Seattle wouldn't suit her. 西雅图不会适合她的。

I'd go there with you. 我将和你一道去。

I should be glad to talk to him. 我愿和他谈谈。

I should think you would be above anything like that. 我想你不会做出这样的事来。

I should find it very hard to believe. 我会觉得这难以置信。

I should have preferred him to do it in a different way. 我倒宁愿他以另一种方式来处理此事。

Could you lend me your computer? 你可否把电脑借我用一下？

I could come earlier, if necessary. 如有必要我可以早点来。

No one could be more generous;he has a heart of gold. 谁也没他慷慨；他有一颗金子般的心。

Might I ask for a photograph of Mr. Strakov? 我可否要一张斯特拉可夫先生的照片？

If necessary, you might shorten it. 必要的话你可以把它缩短。

I might have come to a wrong conclusion. 我也许得出了错误的结论。

这类句子的谓语虽不一定是虚拟语气，却很接近虚拟语气。一是它们在形式上和虚拟条件句中的谓语形式很相近；二是它们不受时态的限制，现在情况可以过去形式表示；三是和一般陈述语气有些差异，更带主观色彩。因此，说它们是虚拟语气或接近虚拟语气也未尝不可。