省略在虚拟条件句中的应用

  一、省略连词if

  有时可将条件从句的连词if省略,但此时应用倒装句型,即将从句中的were, should, had 等提到句首。如:

  Were I you, I would stay. 倘若我是你, 那我就留下。

  Should I be free tomorrow, I will come. 万一我明天有空,我会来。

  Had it not been for the bad weather we would have arrived in time. 若不是天气坏,我们就准时到达了。

  注:① 若条件从句为否定句,否定词not应置于主语之后,而不能与were, should, had 等缩略成weren't, shouldn't, hadn't而置于句首。

  ② 有时省略if后提前的had不是助动词。如:

  Had I time, I would come. 假若我有时间,我会来的。(=If I had time…)

  二、省略从主语和动词be

  若主从句主语一致,且谓语部分包含有动词be,通常可将主语和动词be省略。如:

  If repaired earlier, the tractor would not have broken down. 要是早点儿修一下,拖拉机就不会抛锚了。(=If it had been repaired earlier…)

  三、省略“it+be”

  If necessary, I would send more farm-hands to help you. 如果需要的话我会派更多的民工去你。

  四、省略整个条件从句

  这样的省略通常需要借助一定的上下文,即省略条件从句后,所剩下的主句的意思在一定的上下文中意思是清楚的。如:

  I might see her personally. It would be better. 我可以亲自去看她,这样好一些。(=…If I saw her personally, it would be better.)