怎么学好英语语法：“时过境迁”的过去时态

　　《慎用过去完成时》一文介绍了使用过去完成时的基本原则，就是看某个动作是否发生在“过去时间点”之前(即是否表示“过去的过去”)。看一道试题：

　　--- Why didn't you come to your brother's birthday party?

　　--- I _______ to, but I had an unexpected guest.

　　A. had wanted

　　B. wanted

　　C. want

　　D. was wanting

　　答案是A。因为“想去(生日宴会)”发生在“had an unexpected guest"这个”过去时间点“之前。

　　上面的试题涉及到过去时态的一个特定用法：时过境迁。“原计划因后来的某种变故而未能如愿”就是其中的一种情形。再如：

　　I had wished to become a doctor, but I studied law at college. 我本想成为医生，但在大学却学了法律。

　　同样的意思也可以表达成：

　　I wished to have become a doctor, but I studied law at college.

　　可以这样使用的动词多表示“意愿、计划、打算”。常见的有： want, expect, wish, hope, intend, plan, 等。

　　更多例句：

　　1. She had wished to be alone, but then came her brother, asking her to help him with his math problems. 她本不想有人打扰，但是，她弟弟来向她请教数学题。

　　= She wished to have been alone, but her brother came for her help with his math problems.

　　2. They had intended going into the country for the day, but were put off by reports of traffic jams. 他们本来打算那天到乡下去，但听说交通拥挤只得作罢。

　　3. I intended to have arranged them, but I forgot it. 我原来倒是想整理一下，可就是忘了。

　　一般过去时与过去进行时，可以用来表示“瞬间的情形变化”。看下面的例句：

　　1. Oh, it's you! I didn't expect to see you here. 啊，竟然是你啊!没想到会在这儿碰到你。(not expect只存在于“见到你”之前。)

　　2. I didn't know you were here in Nanjing. (not know存在于“见到你”之前。现在知道你在南京了。)

　　3. I thought you were ill. 我原以为你生病了。(现在知道了你没生病。)

　　4. A. Hi, Jane!

　　B. Sorry, I don't think I know you.

　　A. But you knew me well ten year ago. I'm Kate.

　　B. Kate! Sorry, dear, I didn't recognize you(刚才没认出来，现在认出来了).

　　5. A. Hey! Mind where you go! 嘿，当心点!怎么走路呢?

　　B. Sorry. I wasn't noticing. (听到你说话之前我没有注意。)

　　6. I was wandering if I might talk to you for a moment. (说话前我在想。)

　　所谓“时过境迁”，表示情形有所变化。变化之前的动作，当然应当使用过去时态。这一点，中国学生常常忽略，容易出错。这是因为中文没有词形的变化。

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作者：苏北(公众号 苏北教育)