Q:在 I would rather you went now. 這句中,went 是假設語氣用法嗎?

A:一點都沒錯。在 I would rather you went now. (我寧願你現在去) 這句中,went 的確是假設語氣的用法。這種 would rather (寧願,寧可) 句型在英文中頗為常見,其中 would 是句子的動詞,被副詞 rather 所修飾,而其後的子句是省略 that 的名詞子句,當 would 的受詞。雖然它們是指現在或未來的事件,但名詞子句的動詞要用過去式,表示「與現在事實相反」或「未來不太可能發生的事件或不太可能實現的願望」。茲再舉數例以加深讀者對此種句型的瞭解:

  • A: Shall we go out for dinner tonight? (今晚我們外出吃晚餐好嗎?)
    B: No, I’d rather we ate at home, if you don’t mind. (不,如果你不介意,我寧可在家用餐) — 不太可能在家用餐。
  • A: Shall I write to dad and tell him that we’ve sold the car? (我寫信告訴爸爸我們已賣掉車子好嗎)
    B: I’d rather you didn’t. (我寧願你不要寫) — 不寫信的可能性微乎其微。
  • My mother would rather we caught the bus, rather than walk home after the party. (我媽媽寧願我們在宴會後搭公車而不是走路回家) — 事實上,我們是走路回家的。

附帶一提的是,would rather 亦可寫成 had rather (但前者比後者常用多了),所以 I’d rather 可能是 I would rather、也可能是 I had rather 的縮寫,但意思是一樣的。

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