“情态动词+不定式完成式”用法解析,本文主要内容关键词为:不定式论文,情态论文,动词论文,完成式论文,此文献不代表本站观点,内容供学术参考,文章仅供参考阅读下载。
情态动词的“情态动词+不定式完成式”结构是英语语法中的难点。在掌握情态动词基本用法的基础上,学习者需进一步结合各种句式与虚拟语气的用法才能更容易理解“情态动词+不定式完成式”这一结构。
一、“情态动词+不定式完成式”结构表示对过去发生的事实的可能性的推测
当“情态动词+不定式完成式”结构表示推测过去某动作发生的可能性时,在这些情态动词中,就表示的可能性程度而言,must最大,will/would其次,should/ought.to再次,could又次之,may更次之,might最小(杨兆民,1993)。
1.may/might+have+过去分词
“may/might+have+过去分词”译为“也许已经”,表示对过去发生的动作或存在的状态的推测,其表示可能性的语气最弱;该结构的否定形式可译为“当时也许没有”。表示可能性时一般用might指过去,用may指现在;may有时也可用于完成式或完成进行式,指过去发生的动作或过去持续的动作。另外,“may+have+过去分词”含有“至今可能仍存在”的意思;might只用于间接引语中(薄冰,1998)。例如:
You may have read some account of the matter.你也许读过关于这件事的一些报道。
He may have been waiting for us for an hour.他也许等我们一个小时了。(指持续的动作)
Whatever your parents may have told you--there is a real Santa Claus.And I should know,because I've seen him myself!不管你父母告诉过你什么——在我看来,圣诞老人真的存在。我当然知道,因为我曾亲眼见过。
Sorry I'm late.I might have turned off the alarm clock and gone back to sleep again.对不起,我迟到了。可能我当时把闹钟按了之后又睡着了。(might have turned off显得辩解苍白而底气不足。)
They might not have gone to the movies yesterday evening.The light was still on at their home then.昨晚他们可能没有去看电影,因为当时他们家的灯亮着。
2.can/could+have+过去分词
(1)“can/could+have+过去分词”可译为“当时可能”,表示对过去发生的动作或存在状态的推测,其可能性要强于“may/might+have+过去分词”,可用于否定句、疑问句和感叹句中。can一般不用于肯定句,肯定句中多用could,用于疑问句时could的可能性比can弱(李丙尧,2002)。
试比较:
She was very upset.She could have failed again.她很沮丧,可能又失败了。(可能性较大)
Tom hasn't come back yet.He may have missed the bus again.到现在为止汤姆还没有回来,(当时)他可能又错过公交车了。(可能性较弱)
(2)“can't/couldn’t+have+过去分词”可以译为“当时不可能”,表示一种非常有把握的否定推测,常用来说明一种到目前为止的情况。can't相当于couldn't,但后者的语气较为委婉。表示这种否定推测时不可以用may not或mustn't。在疑问句中询问过去是否可能发生过某事,不用“may/might+have+过去分词”结构,而用“can/could+have+过去分词”结构(李福荣,2007)。例如:
Jack can't have arrived yet; otherwise,he would have telephoned me.杰克当时不可能到的,否则他早就给我打电话了。
My sister met him at the Grand Theater yesterday afternoon,so he couldn't have attended your lecture.昨天下午我姐姐在大剧院见过他,所以他不可能听了你的演讲。
He can't have known about the news,otherwise he would tell us about it.他一定不知道这消息,否则他会告诉我们的。(强调到目前为止)
3.should/ought to+have+过去分词
“should/ought to+have+过去分词”意为“当时比较可能”,表示对过去的动作或状态的可能性的推测,其推测的把握性要大于“can/could+have+过去分词”,可用于肯定句、否定句和疑问句。在此形式中,ought to比should的语气更为肯定。例如:
He set out early in the morning,so he should/ought to have arrived home.他一早就出发了,所以应该到家了。
They started at eleven o'clock this morning.They oughtn't to/shouldn't have arrived there in the afternoon.他们早上11点才动身,下午时应该还未到达。
4.will/would+have+过去分词
“will/would+have+过去分词”意为“当时很可能”,用于第二、三人称,表示对过去的动作或状态的可能性比较有把握的推测,would所表示的可能性比will小。例如:
You will have heard the news,I'm sure.你很可能听说过这个消息,我敢肯定。
The police would have gone through every room last night.昨晚警察很可能搜查过每个房间。
His brother would not have been elected as president.他哥哥很可能没有当选总统。
5.must+have+过去分词
“must+have+过去分词”意为“当时一定……”,表示对过去的动作或状态的可能性很有把握的推测,也可以表示对到目前为止的情况的推测。需要注意的是,这种结构的否定式不是“mustn't+have+过去分词”,而是“can't/couldn't+have+过去分词”;这种结构的疑问式也不能将must置于主语之前,而要用can/could来取代must,构成“Can/Could+主语+have+过去分词……?”(张立新,2005)。例如:
I didn't hear the phone.I must have been asleep.我没有听见电话声,当时我一定是睡着了。
Bob said he was going to join our club but he didn't.He must have changed his mind.鲍伯曾说过要加入我们俱乐部,可是他并没加入,他一定是变卦了。
6.“情态动词+不定式完成式”结构表示对过去的动作或状态的可能性进行推测时在反意疑问句中的用法:
(1)一般情况下,反意疑问句部分的助动词通常由陈述句部分中情态动词后的助动词决定;
(2)如果陈述句部分有了明显的过去时间状语,这时反意疑问句部分的助动词必须用过去式(许峰,2004)。例如:
The children must have watered the tomatoes yesterday.didn't they?
The minister must have arrived in Shanghai.hasn't he?
Susan can't have written a report like this,hasn't she?
二、“情态动词+不定式完成式”结构表示必须具备的条件或曾经经历过的事情
只有must一词有此用法,“must+have+过去分词”可以译为“必须有过”,此用法多见于公文(杨兆民,1993)。例如:
Any candidate for the job must have practiced for no less than three years.应聘此工作的人员必须具有不少于三年的工作经验。
三、“情态动词+不定式完成式”结构在表示与过去事实相反的虚拟语气中的用法
“情态动词+不定式完成式”结构也常用于表示与过去事实相反的虚拟语气中,表达责备、不满、遗憾、赞叹、惊讶、申辩等感情色彩。这种结构常用于含if引导的虚拟条件句的主句中,或用于隐含虚拟语气的肯定句、否定句或疑问句中(薄冰,1998)。
1.might+have+过去分词
“might+have+过去分词”可以译为“本来可以或可能但实际却没有”,其否定式“might not+have+过去分词”表达相反的含义。这一结构表达的语气比较委婉,含有遗憾或批评的意味。此结构不可构成疑问句式,其疑问句式常用“Can/Could+主语+have+过去分词……?”结构。表示遗憾或批评时只用might。例如:
If I were you,I might have bought that car.如果我是你的话,可能已经买了那辆车了。(用于含if引导的虚拟条件句的主句中)
Had he come earlier,he might not have missed the train.如果他早一点来,可能就不会错过火车了。(用于含虚拟语气的表示否定的主句中,从句中的if被省略)
You might at least have given me a phone call.I have been waiting for so long time.你至少可以给我一个电话吧,我都等你那么长时间了。(用于隐含虚拟语气的肯定句)
2.could+have+过去分词
“could+have+过去分词”多用于肯定句中,表示“本来能够或可能而实际没有”,含有批评或责备的口吻;表示惊奇、怀疑、遗憾或不满等情绪;表示“过去本应享用而未用的权利”(杨兆民,1993)。例如:
If she had studied English hard,she could not have failed the examination.如果她之前努力学习英语,可能就不会考试失利了。(用于if引导的虚拟条件句的主句中;表示批评)
Had you attended the meeting last night,you could have met her.昨晚你要是参加了那个会议,可能就遇到她了。(用于含虚拟语气的表示肯定意义的主句中,其中从句中的if被省略;表示遗憾)
Tom could have passed the driving test,but he was too careless.汤姆本来可以通过驾驶考试的,但他太粗心了。(用于隐含虚拟语气的肯定句;表示批评)
I'm surprised that he could/should have left without telling a word.真奇怪,他竟然一句话都没说就离开了。(表示吃惊、不满)
We could have hired a taxi.我们本来可以雇辆出租车的。(表示过去本应享用而未用的权利)
3.should/ought to+have+过去分词
(1)“should/ought to+have+过去分词”表示“本应该做某事而实际上没有做”,其语气强于“might/could+have+过去分词”;其否定式表示“本不应该做某事而实际上却发生了”,含有责备、抱怨或后悔之意。例如:
You oughtn't to have left your keys in the office when you went out.你出去的时候不该将钥匙留在办公室里。(用于含虚拟语气的否定句)
I was really anxious about you.You shouldn't have left home without a word.我真的很担心你,你不该什么也不说就离开家。(用于隐含虚拟语气的否定句)
It's wonderful that you should have achieved so much in these years.这些年你要是能取得如此大的成就太了不起了。(表示责备)
To think that should have happened to me!试想那件事情如果发生在我身上!(表示抱怨)
It is strange that she should have done it.真奇怪她当时竟然做出这种事来。(用于含虚拟语气的主语从句中)
(2)ought to和should都意为“应该,理应”,表示义务和责任。但ought to语气较强,指客观上有责任、有义务去做某事,或按观念和道理应对某事负责,常指特殊情况。should指主观上认为有责任和义务去做,表示建议或看法,语气不如ought to强烈,多指一般情况(孙翔峰,2006)。试比较:
You ought to have come to the hospital earlier.Your mother has been in hospital for a whole week.你早就应该到医院来,你母亲已经住院整整一周了。(表示一种义务)
They should have studied last night,but they went to the concert instead.昨晚他们本来应该学习的,但他们去听音乐会了。(表示建议或看法,语气比较和缓)
4.would+have+过去分词
“would+have+过去分词”表示“本来很可能而实际上没有”,或“本来愿意、打算而实际上没有”,是对过去或至今未完成的动作的一种解释、申辩或推脱,其否定式“would not+have+过去分词”表达相反的含义(杨兆民,1993)。
“would+have+过去分词”表示本来愿意、打算做而实际上没有做”,这一用法也可用“would like to+have+过去分词”来替换,后者表达的意愿更强烈。例如:
If he had caught the first bus this morning,he would not have been late for class.今天早上如果他赶上了头班车,上课就可能不会迟到了。(用于含if引导的虚拟条件句的表示否定意义的主句中;表示打算)
I would have gone to America with my friends,but I was stopped by my mother.我本来很可能跟朋友去美国了,但是母亲阻止了我。(用于隐含虚拟语气的肯定句;表示打算)
I would have joined your birthday party last Saturday.Unfortunately I was on business.上周六我本来打算参加你的生日宴会的。不凑巧的是我出差了。(用于隐含虚拟语气的肯定句,表示解释)
5.needn't+have+过去分词
“needn't+have+过去分词”表示“本来不必做某事而实际上做了”,无批评或责备之意,而是略表惋惜。例如:
There was plenty of time.She needn't have hurried.她本来没必要那么匆忙的,因为时间很充足。
We needn't have watered the flowers for it is going to rain.要下雨了,我们本来不必浇花的。
6.had better+have+过去分词
“had better+have+过去分词”用于事后的建议,含轻微责备的口吻,意为“当时最好做了某事”,其否定式“had better not+have+过去分词”表达相反的含义(张立新,2005)。例如:
You had better have done that.你当时最好做了那件事。(可是你没有做完)
His parents had better not have scolded him.He was sad enough at the bad news that he failed in the examination.他父母当时最好没有责备他,听到考试不及格的消息他已经够难过了。(事实上已经责备了)
7.would rather+have+过去分词
“would rather+have+过去分词”表示“当时宁愿做了某事”,其否定式“would rather not+have+过去分词”表达相反的含义,两者都表示“后悔”之意(张立新,2005)。例如:
I would rather have taken his advice.我宁愿当时听取了他的建议。(可是当时没有听)
I raised objections at the meeting,but now I would rather not have done that.开会时我提出了异议,但是我宁愿当时没有那样做。
8.was/were to+have+过去分词
①“was/were to+have+过去分词”表示“本来打算、计划而未实现”(=intend,plan,hope或mean等动词的过去完成式+不定式)(杨兆民,1993)。例如:
I was to have visited(=I had hoped/planned/intended/meant to visit)you but it rained yesterday我本想去看你的,可是昨天下雨了。
We were to have bought(=We had hoped/planned/intended/meant to buy)a copy for you,but the bookstore was closed already.我们本想给你买一本的,可是书店已经关门了。
②should,ought to与was/were to用于完成式的区别:“should+完成式”与“ought to+完成式”表示所期望的动作未完成,“was/were to+完成式”表示所计划的动作未完成(薄冰,1998)。例如:
You should have helped him.你本该帮助他的。(大家期望你本来能帮他)
He was in trouble.You ought to have warned him.他有麻烦了,你本该提醒他的。
He was to have arrived last week.他本该上星期到的。
四、小结
掌握情态动词的基本词义及其用法是把握“情态动词+不定式完成式”结构的关键,同时要认真比较每个情态动词的用法,注意其细微差别,如may和can的用法差异,should和ought to的用法差异等;另外,还要熟悉每个情态动词适用的场合,根据语境及说话人的语气选择恰当的情态动词,如用于推测时,must只用于肯定句中,can一般不能用于肯定句中,may/might不能用于疑问句中;要牢记情态动词表示对过去发生情况的可能性的推测的用法,并积累虚拟语气的用法,尤其是一些常用句式和特殊情况,如“had better+have+过去分词”“wouldr ather+have+过去分词”等。