條件句4 @ Luis國際資訊事務所

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條件句 (Conditional Sentences)

結果子句裡可用 must，should / ought to，had better 表示 “命令或忠告”， must 語氣最強，had better 最委婉。也可用祈使句表示 “命令或勸告” 等。 如：

(1)

If you want to lose weight, you must eat less bread. (強烈的勸告)
(如果你想減輕體重，必須少吃些麵包。)

If you want to lose weight, you should (or ought to) eat less bread. (一般的勸告)
(如果你想減輕體重，就該少吃些麵包。)

If you want to lose weight, you had better (or may as well) eat less bread. (委婉的勸告)
(如果你想減輕體重，最好少吃些麵包。)

If you want to lose weight, eat less bread. (命令式的勸告)
(如果你想減輕體重，要少吃些麵包。)

(2)

If I am late in getting home, please don't wait up for me.
(如果我回來遲，請不要不睡覺一直等我。)

結果子句可用 could 表示有禮貌的 “請托”、“請求許可” 或 “有意效勞”。 如：

(1)

If you see Sunny tomorrow, could you (please) ask her to ring me? (請托)
(如果你明天見到桑妮，你能不能叫她打電話給我?)

(2)

I could do the shopping for you if you're tired. (有意效勞)
(如果你累了，我可以替你去買東西。)

(3)

Could (or May, Might) I ask you something, if you are not too busy? (請求許可)
(我可不可以問你一件事，如果你不太忙?)

(註)

Could I 和 May I 是請求許可最常用的，兩者都很有禮貌。Can I 只能用於彼此很熟的友人或家人之間，否則無禮。Might I 則用於非常正式而嚴肅的場合，適用的機會不多。

結果子句裡可以用 “be going to” 以表示 “已有的決定” (參閱 p. 548) 或用 “be＋不定詞” 以表示 “指示、請示或徵詢意見” (參閱第三冊 p.30)。如：

(1)

If the baby is a girl, we are going to call her Sunny.
(如果寶寶是個女孩，我們要叫她桑妮。)

(2)

What are we to do if it rains?
(如果下雨我們怎麽辦?)

結果子句裡的 “you might” 用來表示請求時，有時是很有禮貌，有時卻很不禮貌，但語氣算是溫和的。 如：

(1)

If you're going to the supermarket, you might bring me back some apples.(如果你去超級市場，請你替我帶一些蘋果回來。)

(2)

If you should be passing my house, you might (= please) return the book you borrowed from me.
(假如你經過我家，請你把向我借的書還給我。)

本句也是表示請求，不過主要子句用 you might 雖然含有 please 的意思，但有譴責你早該做而未做的含義，不過語氣相當委婉 (參閱p.741)。

結果子句裡的助動詞之後可以用完成式以表示 “已經” 的含義。 如：

(1)

If you don't hurry and get there before six o'clock, he will have left the office and gone home.
(如果你不趕快在六點鐘以前趕到那裡，他就已經下班回家了。)

(2)

If we can't get home before ten o'clock, Father and Mother may have gone to bed.
(如果我們不能在十點鐘以前到家，爸爸媽媽可能已經就寢了。)

條件子句裡的動詞可以用現在進行式以表示正在進行之中或安排好的未來行動。 如：

(1)

If you are waiting for a bus, you had better join the queue.
(如果你在等巴士，你最好排隊。)

(2)

If you are staying (or are going to stay) for another night, I'll ask the manager to give you a better room.
(如果你準備再待一個晚上，我會請經理給你安排一個更好的房間。)

條件子句裡可以用現在完成式以表示 “已經” 的含義。 如：

(1)

If you have finished your homework by supper, we shall take you to the movies.
(如果你在晚飯前已經做完了功課，我們就帶你去看電影。)

(2)

If they haven't seen the museum, they'd better go there today.
(如果他們沒參觀過博物館，他們最好今天去。)

J.	條件子句裡可以用 will 以表示“願意、決心要、頑固的堅持”。如：
			(1)	If you will (or are willing to) marry me, I will cook you nice meals when you come home in the evenings. (如果你願意娶我，你每天晚上回家我都會爲你做可口的晚餐。)
			(2)	If you will play (or insist on playing) the piano all night, no wonder the neighbors complain. (如果你偏要整夜彈鋼琴，鄰居們抱怨就不足爲怪了。)
			(3)	If you will get drunk every night, it's not surprising you will feel ill. (如果你每天晚上都偏要喝醉，那就不要奇怪你會生病。)
				以上兩例條件子句裡的 will 是表示主詞頑固的堅持，並帶有譴責的意味，口語中該重讀。
			(4)	If they won't accept (or refuse to accept) a check, we'll have to pay cash. (如果他們不收支票，我們就得付現金不可。)
		K.	如果條件子句所言是主要子句行動後的結果，用 will 表示 ——和通常先有條件子句之條件才産生主要子句之結果，恰好相反。如：
			(1)	a.	If you stop gambling, I'll stop smoking. (如果你戒賭，我就戒煙。—— 先戒賭而後戒煙，戒煙是以戒賭爲先決條件。)
				b.	If it will make you happier, I'll stop smoking. (假如那會使你更快樂的話，我就戒煙。—— 先戒煙，使你更快樂是戒煙的結果。)
			(2)	a.	I'll marry you if you pay all my father's debts. (如果你還清我爸爸的全部債務，我就嫁給你。——先還我爸爸的債，而後我嫁給你，我嫁給你是以你替我爸爸還債爲先決條件。)
				b.	I'll marry you if it will do you good. (如果那會對你有益，我就嫁給你。—— 先嫁給你，對你有益是嫁給你的結果。)
		L.	“if you would (...)”可以表示禮貌的“請托或請求”。如：
			(1)	If you would (or will) wait a moment, I'll call my father. (如果你願意等一會兒，我就去叫我爸爸。—— 請你等一下，我叫我爸爸。)
			(2)	If you wouldn't mind waiting a moment, I'll go and get a taxi. (你請等一下，我去叫計程車〔計程車〕。)
			(3)	Wait over there, if you wouldn't mind. (請在那邊等，如果你不介意的話。)
			(4)	Pass me that box, if you would. (請把那個盒子遞給我。)
		M.	當說話者認爲他的請求當然會被接受時，常單獨使用“if you would...”這樣的子句。其中的“if you would”的含義相當於“please”，但顯得更委婉有禮。如：
			(1)	If you'd just sign the register. (在旅館裡) (請在登記簿上簽個名就行了。)
			(2)	If you'd put your address on the back of the check. (在商店裡) (請在支票的背面寫上你的住址。)
			(3)	If you'd open your books. (在教室裡) (請打開課本。)
		N.	條件子句裡可以用would like來代替 want / wish 以表示更有禮貌 —— would like 與 want / wish之比較請閱 p.489-3。如：
			(1)	If you would like a ticket, I'll get one for you. (如果你想要票，我會幫你弄一張。)
			比	較：	If you like, I'll get a ticket for you. (同上。)
					would like 之後的受詞不可省略，否則必須將 would 去掉。
			(2)	He can leave his car here if he'd like to. (必須有to) (如果他想把車放在這兒，他就可以放。)
			比	較：	He can leave his car here if he likes. (通常都無to) (同上。)
					would like 之後的不定詞省略時必須保留 to，否則，將 would 去掉。

O.	條件子句裡可用 should (不可用 ought to 代替) 以表示 “有可能但可能性很小”，相當於中文的 “萬一”，結果子句常爲祈使句。這種結構最常用於物品裡的說明書或口語中以表示指示、建議、請托或勸告。如：
			(1)	If you should have any difficulty in getting spare parts, ring this number. (萬一你買零件時遇到困難，請撥這個號碼。)
			(2)	If these biscuits should arrive in a damaged condition, please inform the factory at once. (萬一這些餅乾運抵時有所損壞，請立即通知廠方。)
			(3)	If you (should) happen to pass a baker's, pick me up a brown loaf, would you? (如果你剛好經過麵包店，順便替我買一條黑麵包好不好?)
				should 之後接 happen to (碰到，剛好) 時，其中的 should 有與沒有均可，本句是一種很委婉有禮的表達請求的方式。
			(4)	If you should be anywhere near the post office, please (or will you, will you please) mail the package. (如果你到了郵局附近，請把這包裹寄掉。)
			(5)	I don't think he will call; if he should call, tell him I'll be back around five. (我想他不會打電話來，萬一他打過來，告訴他我會在五點左右回來。)
			比	較：	I don't think he will call; if he calls, tell him I'll be back around five. (我想他不會打電話來，如果他打過來，告訴他我會在五點左右回來。)
					這兩種結構的含義在意思表達方面基本上是相同的，如果說者認爲這種情況不太可能發生，用 should較爲適切。
			(6)	If he offers (or should offer) you the position, you should (or ought to) accept it without hesitation. (如果他提供你這個職位，你應該毫不遲疑地接受。)
			(7)	If you are invited (or should be invited) to join them, you must tell them that you are busy preparing for your examination. (如果他們邀請你參加，你必須告訴他們你正忙著準備考試。)
				這類條件子句裡的 should 可以放在句首同時將 if 去掉，例如 Should you be invited... = If you should be invited... (詳閱 p. 613)
		P.	條件子句可以用 should / ought to 表示“應該”的含義，也可用 may / might 表示“被允許”。如：
			(1)	If you shouldn't (or oughtn't to) do it, don't do it. (如果你不應該做，你就不要做。)
			(2)	If I might (or may) go with you, I'll be a helper to you. (如果你准我和你一同去，我會成爲你的助手。)
				might 比 may 較爲委婉有禮。
			(3)	If I might (= were allowed to) speak to him face to face, he might (= would perhaps) change his mind. (But I have no chance to do so.) (假如我可以跟他當面談一談，他也許會改變主意。——可是我沒有機會。)
			(4)	If I might go out for an hour, I'd go and meet my girl friend. (如果我可以外出一小時，我要去跟我的女友見面。)
		Q.	條件子句裡可以用 can / could 表示“能夠” 的含義。如：
			(1)	If I can find a cheap room, I'll stay a fortnight. (如果我能找到一間便宜的房間，我會住上兩星期。)
			(2)	What'll happen (or What'll you do) if you can't find a cheap room? (如果你找不到便宜的房間你怎麽辦呢?)
			(3)	Your mother'd be furious if she could (= were able to) see you now.  (如果你媽媽現在能看到你她會發火的。)

T.	在非正式的口語中，時常聽到有人在if子句裡用 “ 'd have＋p.p. (= would have＋p.p.)”，這種說法很不正確，應避免。如：
			(1)	不說：If you'd have come early, you could have seen him. 該說：If you had come early, you could have seen him.
				(如果你早點來，你就能見到他了。)
			(2)	不說：If you would've told me about it, I could've helped you. 該說：If you had told me about it, I could've helped you.
				(如果你當時把這事告訴我，我就能幫你忙。)
			(3)	不說：If I'd have known, I'd have told you. 該說：If I had known, I'd have told you.
				(如果我知道，我就告訴你了。)
		U.	“if it were not for” 和 “if it had not been for” 的含義是 “如果不是因爲”，其作用是表示 “因爲某一特殊情況改變了一切”。如：
			(1)	If it were not for your idleness (or Were it not for your idleness), you would be a good student. (如果不是因爲你懶惰，你就是個好學生了。)
			(2)	If it were not for his wife's riches, he would never be a president. (如果不是因爲他妻子的富有，他是永遠不會當上總經理的。)
			(3)	If it had not been for his poverty (or Had it not been for his poverty), he would have gone to America for further study. (如果不是因爲貧窮，他就到美國去深造了。)
			(4)	If it hadn't been for his brainlessness, the accident would not have happened. (如果不是因爲他沒頭腦，事故是不會發生的。)
		V.	“3” 種結構 (見 p.609) 也可用來表示禮貌的請求或徵詢意見。如：
			(1)	It would be nice if you helped me a little with the housework. (如果你幫我做一點家事那就很好。)
			(2)	Would it be all right if I came around at about five? (如果我五點鐘左右來，這樣好不好?——我五點左右來好不好?)
				come around 的意思是“非正式的來訪”，英國人用 come round。
			(3)	Would it matter very much if we arrived about ten minutes late? (如果我們遲到十分鐘是不是很要緊?)
			(4)	I'd be grateful if you would (= were willing to) give me a little help. (如果你願意給我一點幫助，我會感激你的。)
			(5)	A：Will you give me a hand?
				(你願不願意向我伸出援手?)
				B：If I could, I would.
				(如果我能，我願意。)
				A：If you would, you could.
				(如果你願意，你就能。)
		W.	同一個含義，有時候既可用直說法條件句，也可用假設法條件句。如：
			國	語：	只要你向我要，你要什麽，我就給你什麽。
			英	語：	a.	直說法：I'll give you anything if you ask for it.
						這句話說得堅定有力，予人一種 “頗可信賴” 的感覺，喜歡拍著胸脯向人保證的人常用此種語氣。
					b.	假設法：I'd give you anything if you asked for it.
						這句話說得委婉有禮，姿態很低，予人一種 “值得尊重” 的好感。

爲了避免重複，在條件子句裡所使用的助動詞英美不同——最好的方法是從例句中分辨兩者不同之點。如：

(1)

I don't have a dictionary, but if I	did (美)	, I would lend it to you.
	had (英)

(我沒有字典，如果我有，我會借給你的。)

(2)

He didn't go to a doctor, but if he	had (美)	, the cut on his hand wouldn't have gotten infected.
	had done (英)

(他沒去看醫生，如果他去了，他手上的傷口是不會受到感染的。)

(註)

(a)

美語是用助動詞 did 代替作 “有” 講的 had以及以下的部分以避免重複；英語則保留 had，只將以下重複的部分省略，如以上例 (1)。美語中將過去完成式中的助動詞 had (或連同過去分詞) 保留，而將以下重複的部分省略；英語中則用助動詞 do 的過去完成式代替所有動詞的過去完成式以及以下重複的部分，如以上例 (2)。茲再分別各舉一例如下：