would 用法, 例句, 詳解

Would 用法1

問：…it would be unforgivable to miss it (= the train). (New Concept English, Book 3, L.60)
這裡為什麼要用假設語氣would be?

答：充當主詞的不定詞有時表示真實的情況, 有時則表示假設的或可能發生的情況。在後兩種場合下, 動詞要採用假設語氣。例如:

It would be a shame to stay indoors on such a beautiful day.
這樣美好的時光, 要是呆在家裡, 那就太可惜了。

小練習：請選出正確答案。（留言作答）
1.“Tell the nurse you’ve been waiting an hour.”
“Not now. She’s talking to a patient, and. __________.”
A.it would be rude interruption
B. interruption would be rude of me
C. if I interrupt would be rude
D. it would be rude to interrupt

2. It would be _______ a risk to let the child go to school by himself.
A. following B. passing C. running D. carrying

(參見subjunctive mood9 B 項)

Would 用法2

問：…political involvement would interfere too much with their professional work.
上句中並沒有非真實條件句, 為什麼動詞用假設語氣呢?

答：當充當主詞的名詞或名詞片語表達非現實事物的時候, 它的動詞在正式語體裡就要用假設語氣。在上面的句子裡political involvement would interfere… 表明political involvement [(科學家們) 介入政治] 尚未成為現實, 意思是“假如科學家們介入政治的話就會⋯⋯”。通過下面的實例, 我們可更深入地瞭解到這一點:

A list of all the ways in which diesel power is used would take pages, and engineers keep finding new uses for these engines.

要是把柴油機的所有用途都一一列舉出來的話, 一定會占好幾頁的篇幅⋯ ⋯ (原文中的would take 表明a list of all the ways in which diesel power is used 並非是彼時彼地現實存在的東西, 而只是作者設想其存在的東西。也就是說, 作者並沒有真的列出或者擁有一份柴油機的用途表。故would 在這裡沒有“可能”的意思。因為作者並不是對這份表究竟能否占好幾頁紙沒有把握, 而是有肯定的把握的。)

小練習：請選出正確的答案。（留言作答）
A safety analysis ________ the target as a potential danger. Unfortunately, it was never done.
A. would identify
B. will identify
C. would have identified
D. will have identified.

(參見subjunctive mood9 C 項)

Would 用法3

問：It has been estimated that the weight of all the insects destroyed by spiders in Britain in one year would be greater than the total weight of all the human beings in the country. (New Concept English, Book 4, L.2)
[原譯] 曾作過這樣的估計, 在英國, 一年中所有被蜘蛛消滅的昆蟲的重量, 將比這個國家所有人的總重量還要重。(《新概念英語》(四), 安徽科技出版社, p. 19)
原文中的would be 是過去未來式嗎? 又, estimate 的受詞子句是否永遠要求用would?

答：would 用法和will 一樣, 都可用來表示“現在推測”。請比較: That is his mother. That will (would) be his mother.(見will, would6) 。由於主要句子動詞用了has been estimated (估計), 所以其受詞子句使用表示現在推測的would 在邏輯上和慣用法上都是講得通的。
請看下面的託福題:

It is estimate that a round-trip flight to Mars would take more than a year and a half.  (TOEFL)
(應將estimate 改為estimated)

從你所提問的句子以及上面的託福題不難看出, 這裡的would 不可能表示過去未來式, 因為在你提問的句子裡, 主要句子動詞是現在完成式, 而在上面的託福題裡, 主要句子動詞是一般現在式。
但是, 應當注意, estimate 的受詞子句並非一定要求用would。請讀下面的例句:

1. The archaeologist estimated that the vase was 3,500 years old. 考古學家估計這花瓶有3, 500 年的歷史。
2. I estimate it will take three months to build the boat. 我估計造這條船要用三個月。

Would 用法4

問：Until recently, scientists have been unable to devise a drill which would be capable of cutting through hard rock at great depths. (New Concepts English, Book 3, L.47)
直到不久之前, 科學家還不能設計出一種能鑽透極深處堅硬岩石的鑽探機。
上面的句子沒有提出任何非真實條件, 為什麼要使用假設語氣would be?

答：由於中文沒有假設語氣這一文法範疇, 所以中國學生對於英語假設語氣的眾多用法常常感到迷惑不解。應當牢牢記住, 在英語裡, 非真實條件不一定非用非真實條件副詞子句來表示不可。它可以用各種語言手段來表達。名詞或名詞片語及其替代名詞便是這種手段之一。當充當主詞的名詞或名詞片語及其替代名詞, 如果表示非現實的事物或者彼時彼地非現實的事物, 它們的動詞就要使用假設語氣, 尤其是在正式語體裡。拿你所提問的句子來說, 其中的a drill 在當時還沒有設計出來, 更沒有製造出來, 因此, 它只是一種想像出來的非真實的東西。這樣一來, a drill 或其關係代名詞which 充當主詞時, 動詞使用假設語氣, 便是很容易理解的了。請考察下面的實例:

1. Anybody else would have believed you. 要是換成其他人就會相信你說的話了。
2. Jolyon had spoiled her. None of his girls would have said such a thing. 喬蘭慣壞了她。他的女兒們誰也不會說出這樣的話來。
3. [For example, when Thomas A. Edison was trying to make an electric lamp] he needed a substance for the filament inside the bulb that would glow brightly without burning up quickly. ……他需要一種能發出明亮的光而又不會很快燒盡的材料來做燈泡的燈絲。

Would 用法5

問：If he found a patient listener, he would pour out his t roubles.
請分析這個句子。

答：由於助動詞would 具有多種含義和用法, 這個句子至少可以有兩種解釋。
A. 這是一個假設條件句, 時間是指現在或將來。全句似可譯為:
要是他能找到一個耐心的傾聽者, 他就會把他的一切煩惱都傾吐出來。(事實上, 我認為他不會找到這樣的人)
B. 這是一個表示過去時間的真實條件句, would 用法表示習慣性的行為。全句似可譯為:
每當他找到了耐心的傾聽者, 他總是把他的一切煩惱都傾吐出來。

Would 用法6

問：That would be his mother.
這裡為什麼要用動詞的假設語氣?

答：這裡的would 並不是用來構成假設語氣, 而是表示“推測”、“猜想”, 可以譯為“可能”、“也許”、“想必”(參見will4) :

1. Who is the man you want to speak to? You wouldn’t know him. 你想要談話的那個人是誰? 你大概不認識(他) 。
2. I thought you would have finished this by now. 我認為此刻你可能已經把這件事幹完了。
3. He would have reached New York. 想必他已經到達紐約了。

(參見will4)

Would 用法7

問：I handed him some money…He wouldn’t take the money.
請分析would 的意義和用法。

答：would (will) 還有一個一般英漢詞典沒有收入的詞義:“執意”、“堅持”(insistence) 。上句He wouldn’t take the money.意為“他怎麼說也不收下這錢。”

1. She would keep interrupting me. 她偏偏老是打斷我說話。
2. Jack will do these things! 傑克總是愛幹這樣的事!
3. He would leave the house in a muddle. 他堅決要離開這個一片混亂的家。

小練習：請選出正確答案。（留言作答）
His parents wouldn’t let him marry anyone _________ family was poor.
A. of whom
B. whom
C. of whose
D. whose

Would 用法8

問：You would tell Mary about the party— I didn’t want to invite her.請問句中would 用法和意義是什麽。

答：這裡的would 具有核心重音, 用以批評、指責某人的意料之中的特有行為, 常常帶有生氣、惱怒的含義。上面的句子似可譯為: 你怎麼把這次宴會告訴瑪麗了—我沒有想邀請她。類似的例子:

1. That’s just typical of Harry. He would say a thing like that. 這正是哈裡的特點。他總是愛說那種話!
2. A: Of course, Ian spoiled the whole show with his feeble jokes.
   B: Oh, he WOULD.
   A: 當然, 艾安用他那不逗趣的玩笑把整個演出都給搞砸了。
   B: 是啊, 他總是如此。

Would 用法9(條件子句中的would)

見will6

Would 用法10 （If you would）

問：If you’d fill up the form.
這是個條件副詞子句嗎?

答：從形式上看, 這是個條件副詞子句, 但是, 從內容上看, 這是個獨立的句子, 表達獨立完整的意義。If you would 在這裡是表示禮貌的請求或要求, 可譯為中文完整的句子:

1. If you’d fill the form. 請填寫這張表格。
2. If you’d just sign the register. 請在登記本上簽名。

Would vs should

見should 用法20

would have done 用法1

問：What would I not have given to be able to say the rules without a mistake ! (許國璋《英語》第2 冊, p.176)
請問這裡為什麼用假設語氣?

答：見infinitive10

would have done 用法2

問：He would have reached New York.
這是否可以理解為省略了非真實條件句的主要句子: 如果…他就到達紐約了。

答：可以作這樣的理解。對於這樣的結構, 大部分英語學習者都是很熟悉的。但是, 人們常常忽略了它的另一種解釋: would 不是用於構成假設語氣, 而是用於表達“推測”(“也許”、“想必”、“大概”、“可能”) 。因此, 可以把這個句子理解為: 他現在可能(大概) 已經到達紐約了。
(參見would6, will4)

would like/ like

見like

would like to do / doing(?)

問：like to do 與like doing 所表達的意思是相同的。那麼, would like to do 與would like doing 的意思是否也相同呢?

答：首先應當明確, like 與would like 的用法是不同的。like 可以接不定詞, 也可以接動名詞, 而would like 通常接不定詞, 而不接動名詞:

1. The Committee would like to see you again. 委員會願意再次接見你。
2. Would you like to eat out?你願意到外面吃飯嗎?

would like to have done / would have liked to do

問：would like to have done 與would have liked to do 所表達的意思是否相同?

答：這兩種結構所表達的意思是相同的, 都表示“ 希望做某事但並未做成”的意思。

1. A. I’d like to have seen his face when he opened the letter.
   B. I’d have liked to see his face when he opened the letter.
   我真希望當時能看見他拆信時的臉色。
2. A. I would like to have seen it.
   B. I would have liked to see it.
   我當時真希望去看那部電影。