蘇永蘭
請看下面的小對話:
—I’m sorry.I shouldn’t have shouted at you the other day.
—Forget it.I was a bit out of control myself.
【解析】“對不起,前幾天我不應該朝你大喊大叫的?!薄安灰旁谛纳?。我自己有點情緒失控?!眘houldn’t have done sth.表達的是“本不應該做某事,但已經(jīng)做了。
情態(tài)動詞是英語動詞中最難把握的一類,也是各種考試中的??贾R點。對于情態(tài)動詞的考查分布在聽力、語法單選、完形填空、改錯等題型中,書面表達中如果能正確靈活地運用情態(tài)動詞,會是一個得分的亮點。命題的熱點主要集中在三個方面:基本用法辨析;情態(tài)動詞表示推測的用法辨析;情態(tài)動詞在虛擬語氣中的運用;而對情態(tài)動詞的虛擬意義的考查主要是針對“情態(tài)動詞+have done”。下面我們就來總結一下這種用法,
一.could/may/might havedone:本來可以做到、實際上沒做到,經(jīng)常帶有責備或遺憾的意味。
1.You could have passed my examination easily,but you made too many stupid mistakes.
你本來是能輕易通過考試的,但你出了很多愚蠢的錯誤。(實際上考試不及格)
2.He might have given you more help,even though he was very busy
即便他當時很忙,本來也是可以多給你一些幫助的。(實際上沒給你更多的幫助)
二.couldn’t have done本來做不到、實際上做到了。要注意,虛擬意義不能用can。
He couldn’t have passed the exam without your help.
如果沒有你的幫助,他本來是不能及格的。(實際上及格了)
【注意】這里的“不可能”并不是表示推測,而是表示能力:不能夠及格,及格不了。
三.should或ought to的虛擬意義,包括以下兩種情況:
(一)should/ought to have done本來應該做、但實際上沒做
1.I told Sally how to get there,but perhaps I should have written it out for her.
我告訴了薩利如何去那里;不過,或許我該給她寫出來。(實際上沒寫出來)
(二)shouldn’t/oughtn’t to have done本來不該做、實際上做了,常帶有責備、自責的意味。
2.You oughtn’t to have interrupted the meeting to tell me that; you could have come to tell me afterwards.
你本不應該打斷會議跟我說那件事;你本可以事后告訴我。(實際上打斷了)
【補充】用于從句中,表示驚訝、奇怪、不快、贊美等感情:竟然、竟會,此時,既可以用完成式should have done,也可以用一般式should do。
3.It’s wonderful that you should have achieved so much in these years.
這些年你竟然能取得如此大的成就,太棒了。(驚訝、贊美)
4.It was sad to me that they, so poor themselves, should bring me food.
他們自己很貧窮卻給竟然給我?guī)砹耸澄?,我很難過(這里的should bring=should have brought)
四.needn’t have done (通常用于否定句)本不必做、實際上做了
1.There was plenty of time. She needn’t have hurried.時間足夠了;她本沒必要那么匆忙。
2.We needn’t have bought so much food now that Suzie won’t be with us for dinner.既然Suzie不跟我們一起吃飯,我們本沒必要買那么多東西。
五.would have done肯定會,用于虛擬語氣的主句中,意思是“(肯定)會做,實際上沒做”
1.They were abroad during the months when we were carrying out the investigation, or they would have come to our help.
我們做調(diào)查的這幾個月期間,他們在國外;否則,他們會來幫我們的。(實際上沒來幫我們)
2. Had he caught the morning train, he would not have been late for the meeting.
如果他趕上了早上的火車,他就不會開會遲到了(實際上沒趕上,遲到了)。
(作者單位:威海職業(yè)學院)