问英语
原书主词条 · 3 个连续词条

were

原书 PDF 第 1661—1662 页

were2

问

Were the danger even greater, I should feel compelled to go.

这里的 Were...greater 是个条件从句吗?

答

这是个让步状语从句,这一点可从副词 even 看得出来。这个例子告诉我们:让步状语从句也可能采用无连词的形式:Though the danger were even greater...→Were the danger even greater...上面的句子可以译为:即使危险再大,我也觉得我必须去。

Markdown：英语常见问题解答大词典-9.md · 4393—4400 行PDF：第 1661 页 · were 1-3

were3

were it not for

问

Were it not for his wife's money, he'd never be director. 请问,斜体部分是什么意思?

答

Were it not for = If it were not for。这是非真实条件从句。它的意思是“如果没有”“要不是由于”。在 if 条件从句中，如果含有 were, should, had 等动词，则可以通过主谓倒装的方法来取消连接词 if，而变成无连词条件从句（见 should I be free, had he been）：

在正式语体(尤其是科技英语)里, if it were not for 可以写成无连词的形式: were it not for (见 conditional clause without conjunction):

  1. Were it not for your help, I would still be homeless. (PEG) 要是没有你的帮助的话，我会仍然是无家可归的。

  2. They might live quite comfortably were it not for a quarrel with their next-door neighbour. 他们如果没有和邻居吵架的话，可能会过得很舒服的。

  3. I don't know what I should do for relaxation, were it not for the innumerable detective stories. 如果没有那无数的侦探小说，我真不晓得要怎样消遣。

如果要表示过去的非真实的条件,则使用 if it had not been for:

  1. If it hadn't been for the rain, we would have had a good harvest. (LEG) 要是没有下雨的话,我们就会获得大丰收了。

  2. If it had not been for the doctor's care, I should not be speaking to you now. (Doyle) 要是当时没有医生的治疗，我现在就不能对你讲话了。

  3. If it had not been for Margaret, I might not have understood. (Snow) 要是没有玛格丽特,我可能还没有弄明白。

在正式语体里, if it had not been for 可以写成无连词的形式: had it not been for:

  1. Had it not been for the doctor's care, I should not be speaking to you now. 要是当时没有医生的治疗，我现在就不能和你说话了。

  2. Had it not been for the unusually bad weather, the rescue party would have been able to save the stranded climber. (LEG) 要不是有反常的坏天气，抢救小组是能救出那个陷入困境的登山者的。

练习

  1. ____ for your help, we'd never have been able to get over the difficulties.

    1. A

      Had it not

    2. B

      If it were not

    3. C

      Had it not been

    4. D

      If we had not been(全国六级,91.6-47)

  2. ____ for the timely investment from the general public, our company would not be so thriving as it is.

    1. A

      Had it not been

    2. B

      Were it not

    3. C

      Be it not

    4. D

      Should it not be(全国研考,98-10)

  3. ____ their help, we would not have succeeded.

    1. A

      Hadn't been for

    2. B

      Had it not been for

    3. C

      It hadn't been for

    4. D

      Had not it been for(全国英语专业四级,92-55)

  4. ____ for the fact that she broke her leg, she might have passed the exam.

    1. A

      Had it not been

    2. B

      Hadn't it been

    3. C

      Was it not

    4. D

      Were it not(全国英语专业四级,02-50)

Markdown：英语常见问题解答大词典-9.md · 4401—4450 行PDF：第 1661 页 · were 1-3

were4

问

If she tried harder next time, she would pass the examination. 请问这里的动词过去时形式能指将来时间吗？

答

在虚拟条件句中,过去时形式可以用来指现在时间,也可以用来指将来时间,过去时形式究竟是指现在时间还是指将来时间,可以根据语言线索以及非语言线索来判定。

  1. If we weren't living in the 20th century, I would think you were a sorcerer. (指现在) 我们如果不是生活在20世纪的话，我会认为你是一个巫师。
  2. If she were alive today she would not be able to air her views on her favourite topic of conversation: domestic servants. (NCE, Book 3, p.122) (指现在) 假如她仍在人间，她无法再对“佣人”这个喜爱的话题发表高见了。
  3. If he found a patient listener, he would pour out his troubles. (CGEL) (指现在) 假如他找到一个耐心的听众的话,他就会把他所有的困难都倾吐出来的。
  4. If she tried harder next time, she would pass the examination. (CGEL) (指将来) 如果她下次再努力一些, 她会通过考试的。 当然,为了在虚拟条件句中表示将来时间,也可以使用 should + 动词原形和 were to + 动词原形这两种结构。

If it should rain/Were it to rain tomorrow, I wouldn't go. 假如明天下雨，我就不去了。

Markdown：英语常见问题解答大词典-9.md · 4451—4468 行PDF：第 1662 页 · were 4