什么是 “on condition that”?
“on condition that” 是一个引导条件状语从句的连词短语,意为“只要……就……”或“在……条件下”。它常用于正式或书面语中。
例如:
- I’ll lend you the book
on condition thatyou return it by Friday. - You can join the trip
on condition thatyou pay your own expenses.
“on condition that” 与虚拟语气
当主句表达的愿望、建议、要求等具有非现实性(即说话人认为该情况不太可能发生或纯属假设)时,“on condition that” 引导的从句可使用虚拟语气。
虚拟语气在现代英语中通常表现为动词原形(尤其在美式英语中),或使用过去时态表示对现在的虚拟。
1. 表示现在或将来的虚拟(美式英语常用动词原形)
- She agreed to help us
on condition thathebepresent at the meeting. - The teacher allowed the exam reschedule
on condition thatthe studentsubmita medical note.
2. 表示对现在的虚拟(英式英语常用 should + 动词原形)
- He will sign the contract
on condition thattheyshould guaranteethe delivery date.
3. 表示对过去的虚拟(使用过去完成时)
- They would have invested
on condition thatthe companyhad disclosedits financial risks.
常见误区
- 并非所有 “on condition that” 从句都需用虚拟语气——只有在表达非真实条件、主观意愿强烈时才使用。
- 日常口语中,很多人直接使用陈述语气,如:
on condition that you pay me back,这在非正式场合完全可以接受。
小结
“on condition that” 本身不强制要求虚拟语气,但在正式文体或强调假设性、非现实性时,可搭配虚拟语气以增强语言的准确性与地道程度。