虚拟语气
虚拟语气（the subjunctive mood），又称假设语气，是谓语动词的一种形式，表示说话人叙述的内容与事实相反，在现实中并不存在，或实现的可能性很小。
一、动词的语气
语气用来区别讲话人对某一行为或事情的看法和态度。英语中的语气(mood)有三种，分别是陈述语气、祈使语气和虚拟语气。 1.陈述语气
陈述语气一般用来叙述事实或就事实提出询问，主要用于陈述句、疑问句和某些感叹句。 Where there is a will, there's a way. 有志者事竟成。
Can you help me carry the box upstairs 你能帮我把箱子搬到楼上吗？ How I missed the life in the countryside! 我多么想念乡村的生活啊！ 2.祈使语气
祈使语气表示说话人向对方提出请求或下达命令。 Come this way, please! 请这边走。
Don't make any noise, will you 别吵，行吗？
Do be careful when crossing the street. 过马路时一定要小心。 3.虚拟语气
虚拟语气表示动作或状态不是客观存在的事实，而是说话人的主观愿望、假设或推测等。 If I were a bird, I could fly in the air. 如果我是一只小鸟，我就能在空中飞行。 I wish it were spring all the year round. 但愿四季如春。 May good luck be yours! 祝你好运！
二、条件句中的虚拟语气
英语中条件从句有两类，一类是真实条件句，另一类是非真实条件句。如果假设的情况可能发生，是真实条件句；如果假设的情况是不存在的或不大可能发生的，则是虚拟条件句。 A．真实条件句
真实条件句表示的假设是可能发生或实现的，主句和从句的谓语动词都要用陈述语气。 If he doesn't come at 8, we won't wait for him. 如果他八点不来，我们就不等他了。
If a flood happened in the past, there was usually a great loss of life and property. 过去发生洪水的话，常有很大的生命和财产损失。
We shall go there unless it rains tomorrow. 如果明天不下雨，我们将去那里。
I'll let you use my bike on condition that you keep it clean. 如果你能保持车子干净，我就让你用我的自行车。 B．非真实条件句
在含有非真实条件句的复合句中，主句和从句的谓语动词都要用虚拟语气，其构成有三种形式：
与现在事实相反 if条件句的谓语：were did 主句的谓：would (couldshouldmight) + do 与过去事实相反 if条件句的谓语：had done 主句的谓：would(couldshouldmight) + have done
与将来事实相反 if条件句的谓语：didwere 主句的谓：should do would (couldshouldmight) + do were to do 1． 表示与现在事实相反的条件
条件从句用动词的过去式（be动词用were），主句用should（第一人称）或would（全部人称）+动词原形。可用情态动词could, might代替should, would表示情态。
If it were Sunday tomorrow, I would go and see my friends. 明天要是星期天的话，我就去看望我的朋友。
If I were you, I should go and try. 我要是你，我就去试试。 If wishes were horses, beggars might ride. 如果幻想能成为马匹，叫花子都有了坐骑
would go if they treated me like a slave. 要是他们把我当奴隶对待，我就走。
2．表示与过去事实相反的条件
条件从句用动词的过去完成时，主句用should（第一人称）或would（全部人称）+have done，也可用could, might代替should, would。
If I had known your telephone number yesterday, I would have telephoned you. 如果昨天我知道你的电话号码，我就给你打电话了。
If it had not rained this morning, I should have gone shopping. 今天早上要是没下雨，我就去买东西了。
The flood might have caused great damages to the people if we had not built so many reservoirs. 倘若我们没有修建这么多的水库，洪水就会使人民遭受巨大的损失。 3． 表示在将来不太可能实现的条件
表示在将来不太可能实现的条件从句有三种形式： ① weredid
条件从句用动词的过去式（be动词用were），主句用should（第一人称）或would（全部人称）+动词原形。也可用could, might代替should, would。
If he were here tomorrow, I would speak to him. 明天如果他在这里的话，我就和他谈谈。 If you dropped the glass, it would break. 你要是把杯子掉下来，会打碎的。 If she had time, she could help me. 她要是有时间，就会帮我了。 ② should do
条件从句中不管什么人称都用should do，可表示有偶然实现的可能性。 If it should rain, the crops could be saved. 假如下雨，庄稼可能就有救了。 We would trust him if he should be honest. 如果他真是诚实的，那我们就相信他。 ③ were to do
条件从句用were + to do。这种形式比较正式，常出现在书面语中，其假设成份很大，实现的可能性很小。
If I were to do the work, I should do it in a different way. 要是我做这项工作，我就会以不同的方式去做。
If the headmaster were to come, what would we say to him 假如校长来了，我们对他说什么呢？ 对比：
将来不太可能实现的三种非真实条件句中的虚拟语气对比
If it snowed tomorrow, I would stay at home. 如果明天下雪的话，我就留在家里。 （常用形式）
If it should snow tomorrow, I would stay at home. 如果明天下雪的话，我就留在家里。 （可能性较小）
If it were to snow tomorrow, I would stay at home. 如果明天要下雪的话，我就留在家里。（可能性最小）