The present perfect used with forand since 8 page

290 Form

A The present subjunctive has exactly the same form as the infinitive; therefore the present subjunctive of to beis befor all persons, and the present subjunctive of all other verbs is the same as their present tense except that s is not added for the third person singular:

The queen lives here, (simple present tense)

Long live the queen! (subjunctive)

В The past subjunctive has exactly the same form as the simple past except that with the verb bethe past subjunctive form is either I/he/she/it was or I/he/she/it were.In expressions of doubt or unreality wereis more usual than was:

He behaves as though he were the owner. (But he is not the owner.) In conversation, however, wasis often used instead of were(see also 225). Past subjunctives are often known as 'unreal pasts'.

291 Use of the present subjunctive

A The present subjunctive is used in certain exclamations to express awish or hope, very often involving supernatural powers: (God) bless you! God save the queen! Heaven help us! Curse this fog! Come what may, we 'II stand by you!

Notice also the phrase if need be,which means 'if it is necessary': If need be we can always bring another car.

В It is sometimes used in poetry, either to express a wish or in clauses of condition or concession:

STEVENSON: Fair the day shine as it shone in my childhood. (May

the day shine/I hope it will shine.)

SHAKESPEARE: If this be error, and upon me proved ... (if this is

error)

BYRON: Though the heart be still as loving . . . (though the heart is)

С As seen in 235 certain verbs are followed by should+ infinitive constructions. When the infinitive is be,the shouldis sometimes omitted:

He suggested that a petition (should) be drawn up. The infinitive thus left alone becomes a subjunctive.

292 as if/as though+ past subjunctive

The past subjunctive can be used after as if/as thoughto indicate unreality or improbability or doubt in the present (there is no difference between as ifand as though):

He behaves as if he owned the place. (But he doesn't own it or

probably doesn't own it or we don't know whether he owns it

or not.)

He talks as though he knew where she was. (But he doesn't know or

he probably doesn't know or we don't know whether he knows

or not.)

He orders me about as if I were his wife, (but I am not) The verb preceding as if/thoughcan be put into a past tense without changing the tense of the subjunctive:

He talks/talked as though he knew where she was.

After as if/as thoughwe use a past perfect when referring to a real or imaginary action in the past:

He talks about Rome as though he had been there himself. (But he

hasn't or probably hasn't or we don't know whether he has or not.) Again, the verb preceding as if/thoughcan be put into a past tense without changing the tense of the subjunctive:

He looks/looked as though he hadn't had a decent meal for a month.

293 it is time+ past subjunctive (unreal past)

it is time can be followed by the infinitive:

It's time to start or by for + object + infinitive:

It's time for us to go or by subject + a past subjunctive:

It's time we went. It's time we were leaving. There is a slight difference in meaning between the forms. itis time+ infinitive merely states that the correct time has arrived; it is time+ subject + past subjunctive implies that it is a little late. highcan be added to emphasize this idea:

It's high time we left. it is time + I/he/she/itcannot be followed by were:

It's time I was going.

(For past subjunctives/unreal pasts in conditional sentences, see 222; after would rather/sooner,see 297; after wish+ subject, see 300; in indirect speech, see 310.)

29 care, like, love, hate, prefer, wish

294 care and like

care is chiefly used in the negative and interrogative. A care for+ noun/gerund is very similar to like+ noun/gerund. We can

say:

(a) Does/Did Tom care for living in the country? or Does/Did Tom like living in the country?

(b) You don't care for science fiction, do you? or You don't like science fiction, do you?

(b) above could be answered:

I don't care for it or / don't like it much or Oh yes, I like it.

(care would not be possible here.) carein the interrogative sometimes carries a hint of doubt:

Does Ann care for horror movies? (The speaker thinks that she

probably doesn't, or is surprised that she apparently does.) The feeling of doubt is more noticeable with would you care (for) . . . ?

В would care and would like

would care for + noun and would care+ infinitive are similar to would like+ noun/infinitive. But would care (for)is not normally used in the affirmative, and offers expressed by would you care (for) . . . ?are less confident than would you like . . . ?offers:

(a) TOM: Would you care for a lift, Ann? (Perhaps his car is uncomfortable and she likes comfort.)

(b) TOM: Would you care to see my photos, Ann? (He isn't sure that she'll want to see them.)

A favourable answer to (b) above would be: I'd like to see them very much.

As in the affirmative, would likereplaces would care.

Similarly in negative statements:

/ wouldn't care to live on the 35th floor ~ Oh, I'd rather like it.

would care for/would like can sometimes be used with gerunds.

(See 295 B.) С would have cared (for) and would have liked

Both here refer to actions which didn't take place:

ANN: I'd have liked to go with Tom. (I wanted to go but didn't get my wish. See also 296 D. carecould not be used here.) BILL: But he walked all the way! You wouldn't have cared for/have liked that, would you? or Would you have cared for/have liked that?

D Do not confuse careas used above with care for(= look after) and care (about):

1 care for(= look after) is used chiefly in the passive:

The old people were cared for by their families.

2 care (about) (= feel concerned) is used chiefly in the negative and interrogative.

I don't care (about) appears similar to I don't mind,which can often be used instead:

It will be very expensive. ~ / don't care/mind or

/ don't care about/mind the expense or

/ don't care/mind what it costs.

But note that I don't care (about)= 'I am indifferent (to)' while I don't mind= 'I don't object (to)', i.e. 'He/It doesn't worry/upset/ annoy me.'

I don't mind is much more polite than I don't care,which often sounds arrogant and selfish. In the negative interrogative either can be used:

Don't you care/mind what happens to him?

Didn 't you care/mind what happened?

But in the ordinary interrogative there is more difference between the two:

Do you care? = Are you concerned?/Do you feel concern? while Do you mind? usually means Do you object? (See also 263.)

295 care, like, love, hate, prefer

A When used in the conditional, these verbs are usually followed by the infinitive:

Would you care/like to come with me? (Would it please you to come with me?)

I'd like to (come) very much or I'd love to (come). I'd hate to spend Christmas alone. Here we are thinking of a particular action in the future.

В But would care for, would like can be followed by gerunds when we are not thinking of a particular action but are considering the subject's tastes generally. Note also that here would care for/would likeare replaceable by would enjoy:

She would like/would enjoy riding if she could ride better.

I wonder if Tom would care for/would enjoy hang-gliding.

hate and prefercan be used similarly but are less common.

С When used in the present or past tenses, care for, like(= enjoy), love, hate and preferare usually followed by the gerund: He doesn 't/didn 't care for dancing. They love/loved wind-surfing. He prefers/preferred walking to cycling.

But the infinitive is not impossible and is particularly common in American English:

They love/loved to run on the sands.

D Note however that likecan also mean 'think wise or right', and is then always followed by the infinitive:

She likes them to play in the garden. (She thinks they are safe

there.)

/ like to go to the dentist twice a year. (I think this wise.) Compare this with / like going to the dentist, which implies that I enjoy my visits. Similarly I don't like to go = 'I don't think it right to go' while / don't like going = 'I don't enjoy going'.

Notice also another difference between these two negative forms. / don't like to go usually means 'I don't go' (because I don't think it right). / don't like going usually means 'I go, although I don't enjoy it'. Similarly / didn't like to open the letter means 'I didn't open it because I didn't think it right to do so' but / didn't like opening the letter means 'I opened it reluctantly'.

E enjoy and dislike are always followed by noun/pronoun or gerund.

296 would like and want

A Sometimes either would likeor wantcan be used:

1 In requests and questions about requests (but would not likeis not used here: see Bl below):

CUSTOMER: I'd like some raspberries, please or / want some raspberries, please.

GREENGROCER: I'm afraid I haven't any. Would you like some strawberries?

CUSTOMER: No, I don't want any strawberries, thanks, (wouldn't like is not possible.) I would likeis usually more polite than I want.

would you like? is much more polite and helpful than do you want? would you like?can imply a willingness to satisfy the other person's wishes, do you want?doesn't imply this. Someone dealing with a customer or client, therefore, will normally use would you like?:

CALLER: I'd like to/I want to speak to Mr X, please. TELEPHONIST: Mr X is out. Would you like to speak to Mr Y?

2 When we are not making requests, but merely talking about our wishes, we can use either would likeor wantin affirmative, interrogative or negative. There is no difference in meaning, though / want usually sounds more confident than / would like and / want is not normally used for unrealizable wishes:

/ would like to live on Mars.

В would like and want are not interchangeable in the following uses:

1 In invitations we use would you like? not do you want?

Would you like a cup of coffee? Would you like to come to the theatre? do you want? used here would be a question only, not an invitation.

2 wouldn't like and don't wantare different.

don't want = 'have no wish for', but wouldn't like= 'would

dislike'.

wouldn't like cannot therefore be used in answer to invitations or

offers, as it would be impolite. Instead we use don't wantor some

other form:

Would you like some more coffee? ~ No, I don't want any more,

thanks or No, thanks.

С In the past the two forms behave differently. In indirect speech wantbecomes wanted, but would likeremains unchanged:

Tom said, 'I would like/want to see it' =

Tom said he would like/wanted to see it.

But if we don't use a reported speech construction we have to say Tom wanted to see it. (We cannot use would likehere, as Tom would like to see it has a present or future meaning.)

D would like has two past forms: would like+ perfect infinitive or would have liked+ infinitive/noun/pronoun. These forms express unrealized wishes only:

I'd like to have gone skiing or

I'd have liked a day's skiing. (But I didn't get my wish.)

297 would rather/sooner and prefer/would prefer

There is no difference between would rather and would sooner, but would ratheris more often heard.

A would rather/sooner is followed by the bare infinitive when the subject of would rather/sooneris the same as the subject of the following action:

Tom would rather read than talk.

1 would rather/sooner + infinitive can be used instead of prefer+ gerund for present actions:

Tom prefers reading to talking.

Note: would rather+ infinitive + than+ infinitive, but prefer+ gerund + to + gerund.

prefer can also be followed by a noun, but would ratheralways requires a verb:

He prefers wine to beer =

He would rather drink wine than beer.

1 prefer tennis to golf =

I'd rather play tennis than golf.

Some statements with prefer+ noun have no exact would rather

equivalent: He prefers dogs to cats and He would rather have dogs than cats are not exactly the same.

о would rather + infinitive cannot express preferences in the past, so the past equivalent of Tom would rather read than talk would be Tom preferred reading to talking/liked reading better than talking. But see 4 below.

3 would rather+ infinitive can also be used instead of would prefer+ infinitive:

I'd rather fly than go by sea/I'd prefer to fly.

Note that with would prefer,only the preferred action is mentioned; see above. If, therefore, we want to mention both actions we must used would rather.Similarly with nouns:

Would you like some gin? ~ I'd prefer a coffee or

I'd rather have coffee than gin.

4 Both would rather/sooner and would prefercan be followed by the perfect infinitive:

We went by sea but I'd rather have gone by air/I'd prefer to have gone by air. (I wanted to go by air, but didn't get my wish.)

This is somewhat similar to would like+ perfect infinitive, which

expresses an unfulfilled wish. (See 296 D.)

В Subject + would rather/sooneris followed by subject + past tense (subjunctive) when the two subjects are different:

Shall I give you a cheque? ~ I'd rather you paid cash. Note the use of would rather+ subject + didn'tfor a negative preference:

Would you like him to paint it? ~ No, I'd rather he didn't (paint it).

Ann wants to tell Tom, but I'd rather she didn't (tell him). prefer, however, like like,can take object + infinitive:

I'd prefer you to pay cash.

I'd prefer him not to paint it.

I'd prefer her not to tell Tom.

298 More examples of preference

A / like hot weather better than cold =

I prefer hot weather to cold = I'd rather/sooner have hot weather than cold. I like skiing better than skating = I prefer skiing to skating = I'd rather/sooner ski than skate.

В / liked playing in matches better than watching them =

I preferred playing matches to watching them. (would rather/sooner could not be used here.)

С Would you like to start today or would you rather wait/would you

prefer to wait till tomorrow? —I'd rather go today (than wait till tomorrow). I'd rather not wait. Or I'd prefer to start today. I'd prefer not to wait. I'd rather deliver it by hand than post it. He says he 'd rather go to prison than pay the fine. I'd rather pay his fine for him than let him go to prison. rather than . . . would + infinitive is possible in formal English: Rather than let him go to prison I would pay his fine myself.

D Do you want Ann to repair it herself? ~ I'd prefer her to ring/I'd

rather she rang the electrician or I'd rather she didn 't try to repair it herself. They want to camp in my garden but I'd rather they didn't. I'd rather they camped by the river.

He usually has a pub lunch, but she 'd prefer him to come home for a meal/she 'd rather he came home for lunch. She 'd rather he didn't spend money in pubs.

299 wish, want and would like

wish, want and would likeall mean 'desire'.

wish is the most formal. For wantand would like,see 296.

A wish can be followed directly by an infinitive or by object + infinitive: Why do/did you wish to see the manager? ~ I wish/wished to make a complaint.

The government does not wish Dr Jekyll Hyde to accept a professorship at a foreign university.

In less formal language we would use wantor would like:/ would like/want to speak to Ann. I wanted to speak to Ann.

She doesn't/didn't want the children to stay up late. (If we used likehere instead of want, it would mean that she doesn't/didn't approve of the children staying up late.)

В want and would likecan be followed directly by nouns:

/ want/would like a single room.

He wanted a single room. wish has a more restricted use: We can wish someone luck/success/a happy Christmas etc.:

He said, 'Good luck!' = He wished me luck. We can also send someone 'good/best wishes':

With all good wishes, yours, Bill (at the end of a letter)

Best wishes for the New Year (on a New Year card) Except in greetings of this kind, wishis not normally followed by a noun object. wish+ forcan be followed by a noun/pronoun, but usually implies that

the subject has little hope of obtaining his wish. It is chiefly used in exclamations:

How he wished for a drink! (Presumably he had no hope of getting

one.)

What he chiefly wished for was a chance to explain. (It seems

unlikely that he was going to get this chance.)

300 wish + subject + unreal past

A wish (that) + subject + a past tense (subjunctive; see 290 B) expresses regret about a present situation:

/ wish I knew his address = I'm sorry I don't know his address.

I wish you could drive a car = I'm sorry you can't drive a car.

I wish he was coming with us = I'm sorry he isn't coming with us. wish can be put into the past without changing the subjunctive:

He wished he knew the address =

He was sorry he didn't know the address. Unreal past tenses do not change in indirect speech:

7 wish I lived nearer my work,' he said =

He said he wished he lived nearer his work.

В wish (that) + subject + past perfect (subjunctive) expresses regret about a past situation:

/ wish (that) I hadn 't spent so much money =

I'm sorry I spent so much money.

I wish you had written to him = I'm sorry you didn't write to him. wished can replace wishwithout changing the subjunctive:

/ wished I hadn't spent so much money =

I was sorry I had spent so much money. These verbs will be reported unchanged:

I wished I had taken his advice,' she said =

She (said she) wished she had taken his advice.

С if only can be used in exactly the same way. It has the same meaning as wishbut is more dramatic:

If only we knew where to look for him! If only she had asked someone's advice!

301 wish (that) + subject + would

A wish + subject + past tense can express regret for a present situation, as shown in 300 above:

/ wish that he wrote more regularly = I'm sorry he doesn't write more regularly.

В wish + subject + wouldcan be used similarly, but only with actions which the subject can control, i.e. actions he could change if he wished.

wish + would here can express interest in the subject's willingness/unwillingness to perform an action in the present. This is usually a habitual action.

/ wish he would write more often =

I'm sorry he isn't willing to write more often.

I wish he would wear a coat = I'm sorry he refuses to wear a coat. The subject of wishcannot be the same as the subject of would,as this would be illogical. We cannot therefore have I wish + I would.

С wish + subject + wouldcan also be used to express dissatisfaction with the present and a wish for change in the future:

/ wish he would answer my letter. (I have been waiting for an

answer for a long time.)

I wish they would change the menu. (I'm tired of eating sausages.)

/ wish they would stop making bombs.

But the speaker is normally not very hopeful that the change will take place, and often, as in the third example above, has no hope at all. As in В above, wish+ subject + wouldhere is restricted to actions where change is possible, and wish and wouldcannot have the same subject.

When there is a personal subject, the action is in the subject's control and the idea of willingness/unwillingness is still present, but wish + subject + wouldhere can sometimes be used with inanimate subjects:

/ wish it would stop raining. I wish the sun would come out.

I wish prices would come down. I wish the train would come. wish + subject + wouldhere is rather like would like, but would likeis not restricted to actions where change is possible and does not imply dissatisfaction with the present situation. Also the would likeconstruction does not imply any lack of hope:

/ would like Jack to study art. (I want him to study art/I hope he will

study art.)

/ wish Peter would study art. (Peter has presumably refused to do

this.)

D I wish you would is a possible request form. Here there is no feeling that the person addressed will refuse to perform the request, but there is often a feeling that this person is annoying or disappointing the speaker in some way: / wish you would help me often implies 'You should have offered to help me', and / wish you would stop humming/interrupting/asking silly questions would imply that the speaker was irritated by the noise/the interruptions/the silly questions. However, the expression I wish you wouldcan be used in answer to an offer of help, and does not then imply any dissatisfaction:

Shall I help you check the accounts? ~ I wish you would. (I'd be

glad of your help.)

E if only + would can replace wish + wouldin В and С above. It cannot be used for requests as in D. if onlyis more dramatic than wish: If only he would join our party!

30 The passive voice

302 Form

A The passive of an active tense is formed by putting the verb to beinto the same tense as the active verb and adding the past participle of the active verb. The subject of the active verb becomes the 'agent' of the passive verb. The agent is very often not mentioned. When it is mentioned it is preceded by by and placed at the end of the clause: This tree was planted by my grandfather.

В Examples of present, past and perfect passive tenses:

Active We keep the butter here.

Passive The butter is kept here.

Active They broke the window.

Passive The window was broken.

Active People have seen wolves in the streets.

Passive Wolves have been seen in the streets.

С The passive of continuous tenses requires the present continuous forms of to be, which are not otherwise much used: Active They are repairing the bridge. Passive The bridge is being repaired. Active They were carrying the injured player off the field. Passive The injured player was being carried off the field. Other continuous tenses are exceedingly rarely used in the passive, so that sentences such as:

They have/had been repairing the road and

They will/would be repairing the road are not normally put into the passive.

D Auxiliary + infinitive combinations are made passive by using a passive infinitive:

Active You must/should shut these doors. Passive These doors must/should be shut. Active They should/ought to have told him.

(perfect infinitive active) Passive He should/ought to have been told.

(perfect infinitive passive)

E Other infinitive combinations

Verbs of liking/loving/wanting/wishing etc. + object + infinitive form

their passive with the passive infinitive:

Active He wants someone to take photographs.

Passive He wants photographs to be taken.

With verbs of command/request/advice/invitation + indirect object +

infinitive we form the passive by using the passive form of the main

verb:

Active He invited me to go.

Passive / was invited to go.

But with advise/beg/order/recommend/urge+ indirect object +

infinitive + object we can form the passive in two ways: by making the

main verb passive, as above, or by adviseetc. + that . . . should +

passive infinitive:

Active He urged the Council to reduce the rates.

Passive The Council was/were urged to reduce the rates or

He urged that the rates should be reduced.

Date: 2015-12-18; view: 702