as though與 as if是一組同義詞,兩者意思相同,用法也相同,只是在口語中人們多半會(huì)用as if, 取其簡短。
1.在通常情況下, as if 和as though 所引導(dǎo)的從句的謂語動(dòng)詞多用虛擬語氣,表示所敘述的情況與事實(shí)相反。具體用法如下:
1) 談?wù)摤F(xiàn)在情形的,用過去時(shí)(動(dòng)詞be用were,也可用was):
Why is she looking at me as though she knew me? 他為什么那樣看我?像是認(rèn)識(shí)我似的。
He behaves as if he owned the house. 他的樣子好像他擁有這個(gè)房子。
2) 談?wù)撨^去情形的動(dòng)詞形式有以下幾種:
a)過去式,表示過去的狀態(tài),如:
He looked at me as if I were mad. 他那樣看我,好像我是個(gè)瘋子。
但是,如果狀態(tài)動(dòng)詞帶有持續(xù)時(shí)間狀語,則用過去完成時(shí):
They talked as if they had been friends for years.
b)過去完成時(shí),表示過去的動(dòng)作先于主句動(dòng)詞而發(fā)生或完成,如:
It was as if he had lost his last friend.
必須注意的時(shí),在指過去的動(dòng)作時(shí),即使主句是現(xiàn)在時(shí),as if 從句中的動(dòng)詞也要用過去完成時(shí):
You look as if you’d seen a ghost. 你好像是見了鬼似的。
c)過去進(jìn)行時(shí),表示動(dòng)作正在進(jìn)行:
He heard a noise, as if someone was breathing.(高一冊(cè),第211頁)
d)過去將來時(shí),表示將要發(fā)生的事態(tài):
It looked as if it was going to snow.
2. 如果as if后面的從句所表示的情況時(shí)真實(shí)的或很可能時(shí)真實(shí)的,則動(dòng)詞可以用陳述語氣,在feel, look, seem
smell, sound, taste之后尤其如此。試比較:F. T. Wood所著English Colloquial
Idioms中的兩個(gè)例子:
He walks as if he is drunk.
He walks as if he were drunk.
第一句表示“他已經(jīng)醉了”,第2句則表示“他沒有醉”。又如:
It looks as if it is going to rain.
It looks as if were going to rain.
第一例意味著快要下雨了,第二例則意味著不會(huì)下雨。
3. 隨著語言的發(fā)展,as if
后面的從句即使反映的不是事實(shí),也可以不用虛擬語氣而用陳述語氣,這主要出現(xiàn)在口語或不太正式的文體中。例如:
With the development of these new tools, it is as if man has suddenly become a millionaire of the mind.
隨著這些新工具的發(fā)展,人好像突然間成為精神上的百萬富翁似的。