GMAT必备：虚拟语气那些事儿

虚拟语气的should在美国英语里可以省略，后面用动词原形。虚拟语气除主要用于条件从句即状语从句外，还可用于主语从句、宾语从句、表语从句、定语从句等。1)用于主语从句，其谓语用should+动词原形(或should+have+过去分词)或只用动词原形(尤其是美国英语)。should在此是助动词，本身并无实义。这种主语从句由连词that所引导，常用在it is (was) important (necessary，desirable，imperative，advisable) that…句型中。如：It is important that we should speak politely. 我们说话要有礼貌，这是很重要的。It is imperative that we should practice criticism and self-criticism. 应当进行批评与自我批评。这种主语从句中的should有时有感情色彩。如：It is strange that he should have gone away without telling us. 真奇怪，他没有通知我们就走掉了。全句的表语亦可以是名词。如：It is a pity that she should fare so badly. 她竟吃得那么差，真可怜。这种主语从句还常用在it is (was) desired (suggested，settled，proposed，requested，decided，etc.) that…句型中。如：It is desired that this rule shall be brought to the attention of the staffs. 希望这条规则引起全体职员的注意。(shall在当代英语中已较少见)It is settled that you leave us, then? 那么你离开我们已是定了的啰?2)用于宾语从句，一种是用作动词wish的宾语的从句，表示愿望，常省去连词that。这种从句的谓语动词可用过去式，表示与现在事实相反;亦可用过去完成式，表示与过去事实相反。如：I wish I weren’t going to Bristol. 我真希望不是去布里斯托尔。We wish you had come to our New Year’s party. 我们真希望你来参加了我们的新年联欢会。宾语从句的谓语如是would+动词原形，则是一种常用的希求。如：I wish you would stay a little longer. 我希望你再待一会儿。也可以用would rather，would sooner等表示愿望，但其宾语从句常用虚拟过去式。如：I would rather you came tomorrow. 我宁愿你明天来。I’d sooner she left the heavy end of the work to some one else. 我宁愿她把重活留给别人。另一种是谓语用should+动词原形或只用动词原形的that从句，作为demand，suggest，propose，order，arrange，insist，command，require，desire等动词的宾语。如：He suggested that we should leave early. 他建议我们早点动身。The detective insisted that he should have a look. 警探坚持要查看。The judge ordered that the prisoner should be remanded. 法官命令被告还押。有些动词，如think，expect，believe，其否定式的宾语从句亦可用should+动词原形。如：I never thought he should refuse. 我万没有想到他会拒绝。She did not expect that you should come. 她没有预料你会来。还有一种是用作某些形容词或相当于形容词的过去分词的宾语的that从句，其谓语是should+动词原形或should+have+过去分词。如：I was glad that he should go. 他走，我很高兴。I’m ashamed you should have done such a thing. 我真感到羞耻，你竟会做这种事情。(省去that)3)用于表语从句，由that(可省去)所引导，其谓语是should+动词原形。句子主语常常是suggestion，proposal，idea，motion等名词。如：My suggestion is that we should tell him. 我的建议是我们应该告诉他。Our only request is that this should be settled as soon as possible. 我们惟一的请求就是尽快解决这个问题。虚拟语气也可以用于同位语从句。如：There was s suggestion that Brown should be dropped from the team. 有一项建议是布朗应该离队。4)用于定语从句，常用在it is time (that)…句型中。定语从句常用虚拟过去式。如：It is time we left. 我们该走了。It is time we went to bed. 我们该去睡觉了。虚拟时态亦可用在由关系代词引导的定语从句中。如：A man might pass for insane who should see things as they are. 一个看到事物本来面目的人可能会被认为是疯子。