周旋
由于漢語中并沒有時態(tài)的變化,因此很多學(xué)生在學(xué)習(xí)英語時態(tài)時常感到棘手,難以掌握。本文中歸納了各時態(tài)的一般規(guī)則和用法,注重對一般概念和特定句型的學(xué)習(xí)。
時態(tài)是謂語動詞所表示的動作或情況發(fā)生時間的各種形式。 英語動詞有16種時態(tài), 但常用的只有9種:
1. 一般現(xiàn)在時的用法:
(1) 經(jīng)常性或習(xí)慣性的動作,常與表示頻度的時間狀語連用。句中常用every..., sometimes, often, on Sunday等時間狀語。如:
I leave home for school at 7 every morning.
(2) 客觀真理、客觀存在、科學(xué)事實(shí)、格言或警句。
The earth moves around the sun.
一般現(xiàn)在時的特殊用法:
(1) 某些表示起始的動詞,可用一般現(xiàn)在時表示按規(guī)定、計劃或安排要發(fā)生的動作,這類動詞有:be, go, come, start, depart, arrive, begin, leave等。如:
The train leaves at six tomorrow morning.
(2) 在時間或條件句中,用一般現(xiàn)在時表示將來。如:
When Bill comes (不是will come), ask him to wait for me.
(3) 在動詞hope, make sure that等后,表示將來。如:
I hope they have a nice time next week.? Make sure that the windows are closed before you leave the room.
2. 一般過去時的用法:
(1) 一般過去時通常表示過去某個時間發(fā)生的動作或存在的狀態(tài),它常和yesterday, yesterday evening, last year, in 1985, a moment ago,this morning等表示過去時間的狀語連用。如:
We went to the cinema last night and saw a very interesting film.
(3) 在一些特定句型中,可用一般過去時表示現(xiàn)在或?qū)頃r間。
①用在if, as if, suppose等詞后,表示猜測或與現(xiàn)在事實(shí)相反。如:
If I had the money now I'd buy a house.
②用在It's time..., would rather, if only...等結(jié)構(gòu)中,以及用在wish后,表主觀設(shè)想。如:
Don't come tomorrow. I'd rather you came next weekend.
3. 一般將來時的用法:
一般將來時表示將來的動作或狀態(tài)。其基本結(jié)構(gòu)是will / shall do。如:
We shall send her a glass hand-made craft as her birthday gift.
表示將來的形式還有:
(1) be going to +動詞原形,主要表示主語的意圖,即將做某事、 計劃,安排要發(fā)生的事、有跡象要發(fā)生的事。如:
The play is going to be produced next month.
(2) be +不定式表將來,按計劃或正式安排將發(fā)生的事,具有“必要”的強(qiáng)制性意義。如:
We are to discuss the report next Saturday.
(3) be about to +動詞原形,意為馬上做某事。如:He is about to leave for Beijing. 注意:be about to 不能與tomorrow, next week等表示明確將來時的時間狀語連用。
(4) be due to +V表示預(yù)先確定了的事,必定發(fā)生的事。如:
The train is due to depart in ten minutes.
(5) be on the point of +V-ing 強(qiáng)調(diào)即將發(fā)生的某種事態(tài)。如:
The baby was on the point of crying when her mother finally came home.
(6) 用現(xiàn)在進(jìn)行時表示將來,表示意圖、打算、安排,常用于人。常用詞有come, go, start, arrive, leave, stay等。如:
I'm leaving tomorrow. Are you staying here till next week?
4. 現(xiàn)在進(jìn)行時的用法:
(1) 表示現(xiàn)在( 指說話人說話時) 正在發(fā)生的事情。如:
We are waiting for you.
(2) 表示長期的或重復(fù)性的動作,說話時動作未必正在進(jìn)行。如:
Mr. Green is writing another novel. (說話時并未在寫,只處于寫作的狀態(tài)。) She is learning piano under Mr. Smith.
(3) 表示漸變的動詞有:get, grow, become, turn, run, go, begin等。如:
The leaves are turning red.? It's getting warmer and warmer.
(4) 與always, constantly, forever等詞連用,表示反復(fù)發(fā)生的動作或持續(xù)存在的狀態(tài),往往帶有說話人的主觀色彩。如:
You are always changing your mind.
有些動詞不能用進(jìn)行時,這是一類表示“感覺,感情,存在,從屬”等的動詞。如:see, hear, smell, taste, feel, notice, look, appear(表示感覺的詞);hate, love, fear, like, want, wish, prefer, refuse, forgive(表示感情的動詞);be, exist, remain, stay, obtain(表示存在狀態(tài)的動詞);have, possess, own, contain, belong, consist of, form(表示占有與從屬的動詞);understand, know, believe, think, doubt, forget, remember(表示思考理解的動詞)。
5. 過去進(jìn)行時的用法:
(1) 表示在過去一個比較具體的時間正在發(fā)生的動作。如:
Mary was listening to light music 10 minutes ago.
(2) 如果when, while這樣的時間狀語引導(dǎo)詞所引導(dǎo)的主從句之一是一般過去時,則另一個句子常用過去進(jìn)行時。如:
I was washing my hair when you knocked at the front door.
6. 現(xiàn)在完成時的用法:
(1) 現(xiàn)在完成時用來表示對目前狀況仍有影響的,剛剛完成的動作(常與yet, already, just連用),或者過去某一時刻發(fā)生的,持續(xù)到現(xiàn)在的情況(常與for, since連用)。如:
I have just finished my homework.? Mary has been ill for three days.
(2) 完成時態(tài)可用在下列結(jié)構(gòu)中:This (That, It) is (was) the first (second...) time +定語從句;This (That, It) is the only (last) + n. +定語從句;This (That, It) is (was) +形容詞最高級+ n. +定語從句。如果主句的謂語動詞是一般現(xiàn)在時,從句的謂語動詞通常用現(xiàn)在完成時;如果主句謂語動詞是一般過去時,從句謂語動詞通常用過去完成時。如:
This is one of the rarest questions that have ever been raised at such a meeting.
7. 過去完成時的用法:
(1) 表示過去某時間前已經(jīng)發(fā)生的動作或情況,這個過去的時間可以用by, before等介詞短語或一個時間狀語從句來表示;或者表示一個動作在另一個過去動作之前已經(jīng)完成。如:
We had just had our breakfast when Tom came in.
(2) 動詞expect, hope, mean, intend, plan, suppose, wish, want, desire等用過去完成時,表示過去的希望、預(yù)期、意圖或愿望等沒有實(shí)現(xiàn)。如:
I had meant to take a good holiday this year, but I wasn't able to get away.
另外兩種表示“過去想做而未做的事”的表達(dá)方式是:
① was / were + to have done sth., 如:
We were to have come yesterday, but we couldn't.
② intended (expected, hoped, meant, planned, supposed, wished, wanted, desired) + to have done sth. 如:
I meant to have told you about it, but I forgot to do so.
(3) 過去完成時常用于以下固定句型:
① hardly, scarcely, barely + 過去完成時+ when + 過去時。如:
Hardly had I got on the bus when it started to move.
② no sooner +過去完成時+ than +過去時。如:
No sooner had I gone out than he came to see me.
③ by (the end of ) +過去時間,主句中謂語動詞用過去完成時。如:
The experiment had been finished by 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon.
8. 過去將來時的用法:
過去將來時表示從過去的某個時間看將要發(fā)生的事。如:
I said on Thursday I should see my friend the next day.
注意事項:由于過去將來時是由過去時和將來時組合而成的,所以其注意事項可以參考過去時和將來時的相關(guān)注意事項。
9. 現(xiàn)在完成進(jìn)行時的用法:
現(xiàn)在完成進(jìn)行時的構(gòu)成為:have / has been being done,表示現(xiàn)在以前一直進(jìn)行的動作。有些詞如work, study, live, teach等用現(xiàn)在完成進(jìn)行時和現(xiàn)在完成時意思差不多。如:
I have worked here for three years. I have been working here for three years.
但多數(shù)動詞在這兩種時態(tài)中表示不同的意思。如:
I have written a letter.(已經(jīng)寫完)I have been writing a letter.(還沒有寫完)。
注意表示短暫性動作的動詞如finish, marry, come等不能這樣用。
用所給動詞的適當(dāng)形式填空。
1. What ______ you ______ (do) at 10 o'clock last night?
2. The boy ______ (make) coffee when his mother came back home.
3. I ______ (return) the magazine to you as soon as I finish it.
4. How long ______ you ______ (have) the car?
5. How long ______ you ______ (wait) here?
6. Gaby has been working in that company since she ______ (graduate) from college.
7. Though we don't know what discussed, we can feel the topic ______ (change).
8. You ______ (work) too hard these days.
9. I ______ (play) ping-pong quite well, but I ______ (not have) time to play since the new year.
10. Even if it ______ (snow) tomorrow, the performance won't be called off.
11. This is the best cell-phone that I ______ ever ______ (buy).
12. Go and see what ______ (happen) over there.
13. No decision ______ (make) about any future appointment until all the candidates have been interviewed.
14. Ashly ______ constantly ______ (leave) things about.
15. —Do you think we should accept that offer?
—Yes, we should, for we ______ (have) such bad luck up till now, and time? ?______ (run) out.
16. Jim ______ (send) a letter yesterday.
17. Laura told me she wouldn't leave until you ______ (come) back.
18. These books ______ often ______ (borrow) by girls.
19. When ______ the house ______ (build)?
20. A new school ______ (build) here. They hope to begin it next month.