英語中過去完成時用法剖析

[摘要]過去完成時用來表示在過去某一時間之前或過去某一動作之前已經發生或已經完成的動作，也就是說，這種動作是發生在“過去的過去”。然而，除了其時態意義外，過去完成時還有很多種用法，可以表示不同的語氣、意義和特別的修辭方式等。本文全面而詳細地論述了過去完成時的多種用法。

[關鍵詞]英語教學 過去完成時 用法分析

英語中的“時態”（tense）是個語法范疇，它是表示時間區別的動詞形式，通過謂語動詞的各種形式變化來體現。漢語中所不曾有“時態”的概念，中國學生在學習和應用時，很難從漢語中找到對應的結構和內容，因此一遇到時態問題時，總感覺失去了方向。時態也就成了中國學生學英語的一大語法難點。針對這一現象，我想就“時態”中的一種——過去完成時的用法進行系統而詳細的分析、論述。

過去完成時，按表達的內在意義的不同又可細分：時間時態意義和非時間時態意義的其它用法。

一、時間時態意義

一般說來，過去完成時在時間上的意義為：“過去的過去”（past-in-the-past）， 指從過去某一時間點再看過去。 即過去某一時間之前或過去某一動作之前已經發生或已經完成的動作，該動作與現在時間不發生聯系。其謂語動詞的時態形式為：“ had +動詞的過去分詞 ”。句中常含有“過去某一時間以前”這樣明確的狀語或者狀語從句。其具體用法如：

1.表示某一動作或狀態在過去某一時間前已經開始，該動作可能會有三種可能：

a.這一動作或狀態持續到該時間點，動作尚未結束并有可能繼續持續下去；此時動詞通常具有延續意義，句中常含有by/for/since/until/when/before 等表示時間延續長度或表示起迄的時間狀語連用。 

E.g. Mr. Smith had taught English for five years before he came to this college.

I had been in college for three months by the end of last week.

I had only been there for fifteen minutes when John came in.

b. 這一動作或狀態沒有持續到該時間點，在此時刻以前已經結束。此時過去完成時的動作通常是短暫性動作。 句中不能有表示時間延續長度（一段時間）或表示起迄的時間狀語連用

E.g. When I got to the railway station， the train had left.

She had got everything ready when I came.

He had already built his own lab by the time he was ten．

c. 在過去之前開始的動作，且重復發生，常帶有頻率狀語。例：

E.g. He told me her name only after I had asked her twice.

I had written him fifty letters when he finally answered my letters.

2.在主從復合句中，描述兩個過去的動作或狀態，應根據上下文的時間關系來確定。往往先發生的動作用過去完成時。

E.g. They were angry because you had not kept your promise.

When I had opened all the windows I sat down and had a cup of tea. 

Tom was disappointed that most of the guests had left when he arrived at the party． 

It rained yesterday after it had been dry for many months. 

3.過去完成時，常用于間接引語中：間接轉述他人對過去情況的描述。

E.g. He said he had seen the film the day before.

The guide told us that an incident （事件） had taken place here in 1937.

4.在“It was + the + 序數詞（ first， second or last ） 或最高級….+ that + clause …”句型中， that后面的從句用過去完成時。

E.g. Last week I attended an international conference and saw Mr. Smith. It was the fifth time that I had met him. 上周我參加一個國際性會議，看到史密斯先生。那是我第五次見到他。

It was the first time that she had been at an evening school.

It was the first time this year that I had not worked on a Saturday

二、其他用法

過去完成時，除了用于嚴格的時間時態意義外，還可以應用到其他許多情況， 在特定的句型中，可以表示不同的意義、語氣（虛擬語氣）、以及特定的修辭方式等。比如： 表示過去未曾實現的愿望、打算或意圖，也可用在動詞wish后面的賓語從句，以及if 引導的條件從句中表示假設或想象。

1.在句型：主語＋had＋hardly（scarcely ，barely）＋過去分詞＋when（before）＋主語＋一般過去時 

主語＋had＋no sooner＋過去分詞＋than＋主語＋一般過去時

該句型意思是： 剛剛……就……；一……就……；此時，句子的重心不在主句，而在從句。主句用過去完成時，從句用一般過去時。

E.g. They had no sooner left the house than it began to rain．

Hardly had he got into the room when the telephone rang．

當否定詞hardly，scarcely，barely， no sooner放在句首時，主謂要倒裝。

2.would rather 以及其變體would sooner， would/had rather（寧愿，寧可，但愿），常用來表示個人的偏愛、嗜好。其后接賓語從句，表示過去的愿望， 嗜好時， 用過去完成時。與wish， 或 if only意義接近，表達含蓄否定的愿望。

E.g. I'd rather you had not done such a thing. 但愿你不曾干過這種事。

I would rather that you had not told Tom the truth.

3.動詞hope ， expect ， think ， intend ， want ， mean ， plan ， promise ， suppose ，desire 等用于過去完成時態，可以表示過去未曾實現的希望、意圖、愿望、打算等意義。

E.g. You had hoped that when you came into the office this morning， the work would be gone.

你曾幻想著清晨一上班活就干完了。

I had intended to call on you yesterday， but someone came to see me.

昨天我本打算要過來拜訪你的，可是有人來找我.

They had wanted to help but couldn't get there in time.

他們本來想幫忙的，可是沒能及時趕到。

I had hoped to be able to take my seat in all this noise without being seen， but that morning the room was quiet and orderly.

我本來希望在吵鬧聲中，趁別人看不見時，偷偷地坐到自己的座位上去，可是那天早上教室里卻安安靜靜，有條不紊。

We had planned to go to the station and take the train to Guangzhou on Sunday morning， but you didn't turn up. 星期天上午我們原計劃到火車站乘火車去廣州的，但你沒有來。

We had meant to give Mary a surprise， but she knew the secret early.

我們本想給瑪麗一個驚喜的，可是她早就知道了這個秘密。

4.wish + that +賓語從句 （謂語動詞用過去完成時）， 表示過去未曾實現的愿望。

E.g. I wish I had finished the work on time. （In fact， I didn't finish it on time.）

我要及時地做完工作，那該有多好啊！

I wish I had written a letter to you. （But I didn't write a letter to you.）

我那時給你寫封信，該有多好。

I wish I had been to New York.

5.在if引導的非真實條件從句中，用過去完成時，主句中用would / could / might / should + have + 過去分詞，則表示與過去事實相反的假設或愿望。

E.g. If he had been here last night， I should have spoken to him. （But he wasn't here last night.）

如果他昨天晚上在這里，我會和他談談的。

If the firemen had not arrived in time， the fire might have destroyed the whole building. （Luckily the firemen arrived in time， and the building was saved.）

倘若消防隊員沒有及時趕到，大火就會把整幢大樓燒毀了。

If we had had time yesterday， we could have done the work.

要是我們昨天有時間，我們就會把這件工作做完。

在這種條件從句中將had提前，再省略if，也可以表示與過去事實相反的假設。

E.g. Had you walked any faster （= If you had walked any faster）， you would not have missed the train.

如果你走得快一些，你本來不至于趕不上火車的。（但你走得慢了，所以就沒有趕上火車。）

6.過去完成時，在if only引導的從句，表示與過去事實相反的愿望或設想，常省略主句。表達“要是……就好了，要是……該多好”

E.g. If only I had been able to speak to her before she died.

在她死之前，我若能和她說說話就好了。

If only I had known the answer at the time! （But I didn't know the answer.）

當時我要是知道這答案該有多好！

If only I had finished the task in time.

要是我能及時完成任務就好了。

If only I had not come home alone last night!

昨晚我要不是一個人回來的該多好！

7.過去完成時，用于as if引導的方式從句，表示與過去事實相反的愿望或方式。也是英語語言修辭——比喻的一種用法。

E.g. I felt as if I had known her all my life.

He talked about London as if he had been there himself.

他談起倫敦就好像自己去過倫敦似的。

He jumped back as if he had been stung and the blood rushed into his wrinkled face.

他往后一跳，仿佛被什么東西蟄了一下似的，他那張布滿皺紋的臉頓時漲的通紅。

They are talking as if they had been friends for years.

他們談起話來，就好像是多年的老朋友似的。

The first time I read the book， it was to me as if I had gained a new friend.

我初次讀這本書時，就像結識了一位新朋友。

過去完成時，不僅僅是重要的時態語法知識，同時也包括邏輯、修辭等知識。要做到能完全而透徹地理解并能應用自如，需要在理解的基礎上，通過大量的實踐應用才能達到目的。對過去完成式的巧妙應用，能豐富英語語言，提高語言的表達技巧，能使英語語言表達更加形象、生動和富有感召力。

參考文獻：

［1］張滿勝.英語語法新思維.世界知識出版社，2003，4.

［2］薄冰.薄冰高級英語語法.世界知識出版社，2002，10.

［3］英語語法詞典（Dictionary of English Grammar）.成都：四川人民出版社，1986.

（作者單位：湖南工程職業技術學院）