高考英语考查虚拟语气的三类重点
一、考查直接条件类虚拟语气
所谓直接条件类虚拟语气，就是指句子中含有if引导的条件句，并且这个条件与事实是不相符的，同时注意主句与从句所对应的时间（即是与现在时间不符还是与过去或将来时间不相符），从而确定主、从句谓语的动词形式。如：
If Mr. Dewey ________ present, he would have offered any possible assistance to the people there. (2014湖南卷)
A. were B. had been C. should be D. was
本题考查直接条件类虚拟语气，句子的条件由if直接引出，句子大意为：要是
二、考查间接条件类虚拟语气
所谓间接条件类虚拟语气，就是指句子中不直接出现if引导的条件句，而是将这个if所表示的条件隐含在某些词语或表达中。此时考生就要做以下三步工作：第一步是分析这个if引导的条件句隐含在什么词语或表达里；第二步是分析如何将这个“隐性”的条件转变为“显性”的条件（即将间接条件转化为直接条件）；第三步是根据直接条件类虚拟语气确定答案。比如下面这道题：
They were abroad during the months when we were carrying out the investigation, or they ________ to our help. (2014浙江卷)
A. would have come B. could come C. have come D. had come
本题的关键信息是or（要不然），“要不然”是什么意思，就是“如果不是那样的话”，可见这个or就是表示隐含条件的词语。根据句子前半部分的时态可知，本句是在谈论过去的情况，即这个or是指“过去如果不那样的话”，联系上文内容，这个or在此相当于if they hadn’t been abroad（如果他们当时不在国外的话）。比较四个选项，显然只有A符合要求or后面的句子可以改写为：If they hadn’t been abroad, they would have come to our help. 即答案选A。
三、考查固定句式类虚拟语气
英语中有些固定句式通常要与虚拟语气连用，如but for, would rather, it is time that…, I wish…, If only…等。但要注意这些句式所连用的虚拟语气格式不尽相同，如it’s time that…中的从句谓语通常用过去式；would rather后接从句时，从句谓语通常用过去式表示现在或将来，用过去完成时表示过去；等等。请看一道高考真题：
We would rather our daughter ________ at home with us, but it is her choice, and she is not a child any longer. (2014陕西卷)
A. would stay B. has stayed C. stayed D. stay
本题答案为C，与句中的would rather有关，即would rather后接句子时，用一般过去时表过现在的情况。句意为：我们宁愿我们的女儿和我们一起待在家里，但是那是她的选择，她已经不再是一个小孩子了。
【边学边练】（参考答案BBDBC）
1. I’d certainly tell you if I _______ anything, but I don’t. What you’re saying is news to me.
A. know B. knew C. was knowing D. had known
2. If the new safety system _______ in use, the accident would never have happened.
A. was B. had been C. would be D. would have been
3. We were delayed at the airport. Otherwise we _______ here by lunch time.
A. was B. had been C. would be D. would have been
4. If you don’t have anything constructive to say, I’d rather you _______ quiet. (www.hxen.com)
A. keep B. kept C. would keep D. had kept
5. I wish the people in the next flat _______ down their radio. You can hear every word.
A. turn B. had turned C. would turn D. would have turned