発展 · Unit 79
仮定法 — if の省略
仮定法の文で if を省略すると were / had / should を主語の前に持ってきて倒置します。格式体・文語体でよく使われ、意味は if をそのまま使った文と同じです。
概念の説明
仮定法の文で if を省略すると were / had / should を主語の前に持ってきて倒置します。格式体・文語体でよく使われ、意味は if をそのまま使った文と同じです。
A. Were + 主語 — 仮定法過去の倒置
If I were / If he were のような be動詞の仮定法過去は、if を消して Were を主語の前に移動させます。公式は If I were = Were I。倒置しても be動詞は were のまま文頭に来ます。
| if のある文 | 倒置した文 |
|---|---|
| If I were you | Were I you |
| If he were rich | Were he rich |
| If it were possible | Were it possible |
| If they were here | Were they here |
- Were I in your position, I would apologize. (私があなたの立場なら、謝るのに。)
- Were she more careful, this wouldn't happen. (彼女がもう少し慎重なら、こんなことは起きないのに。)
- Were it not so cold, we could go out. (そんなに寒くなければ、出かけられるのに。)
B. Had + 主語 + 過去分詞 — 仮定法過去完了の倒置
If I had known / If she had studied のような仮定法過去完了は、if を消して Had を主語の前に移動させます。公式は If I had p.p. = Had I p.p. で、主節は would / could / might + have + 過去分詞が続きます。
| if のある文 | 倒置した文 |
|---|---|
| If I had known | Had I known |
| If she had studied | Had she studied |
| If they had arrived earlier | Had they arrived earlier |
| If it had not rained | Had it not rained |
- Had I known the truth, I would have told you. (私が真実を知っていたら、あなたに話したのに。)
- Had she taken the train, she would have arrived on time. (彼女が電車に乗っていたら、時間通りに到着したのに。)
- Had we left earlier, we wouldn't have missed the flight. (私たちがもっと早く出発していたら、飛行機を逃さなかったのに。)
- Had it not been for the delay, we would have met him. (その遅延がなかったら、私たちは彼に会えたのに。)
C. Should + 主語 — 未来の可能性の倒置
If you should ~ のように未来に「もしも〜することがあれば」という低い可能性を表すときは、Should を主語の前に移動させます。格式ばった案内文・ビジネス文書でよく使われ、後ろには命令文・アドバイス・please の文が続きます。
| if のある文 | 倒置した文 | 意味 |
|---|---|---|
| If you should need help | Should you need help | もし助けが必要でしたら |
| If you should have questions | Should you have questions | もしご質問がおありでしたら |
| If anything should happen | Should anything happen | もし何かあれば |
- Should you need further information, please contact us. (さらに情報が必要でしたら、ご連絡ください。)
- Should you change your mind, let me know. (もしお気が変わりましたら、お知らせください。)
- Should there be any problem, call this number. (もし問題がありましたら、この番号にお電話ください。)
- Should he arrive late, we will start without him. (もし彼が遅れて到着したら、私たちは彼なしで始めます。)
重要ポイント
- 1仮定法で if を省略すると were / had / should を主語の前に倒置します。(例: If I were → Were I)
- 2この倒置構造は格式体・文語体で主に使われ、意味は if を使った文と同じです。会話では依然として if を使います。
- 3否定文で短縮形(wasn't / hadn't)は倒置できず、not を主語の後にほどいて書きます。(X: Hadn't I known / O: Had I not known)
- 4Should + 主語は未来に対する低い可能性「もし〜すれば」を表す格式体表現で、案内文・ビジネス文書によく使われます。(例: Should you need help)
- 5倒置が起こるのは助動詞(were / had / should)で、一般動詞ではありません。If I knew は倒置せずそのまま維持します。
例文
Were I you, I would accept the offer.
私があなたなら、その申し出を受け入れるのに。
Were I in your position, I would apologize.
私があなたの立場なら、謝るのに。
Were she more careful, this wouldn't happen.
彼女がもう少し慎重なら、こんなことは起きないのに。
Were it not so cold, we could go out.
そんなに寒くなければ、出かけられるのに。
Had I known earlier, I would have called you.
もっと早く知っていたら、あなたに電話したのに。
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こんな間違いに注意
Were I you, I would apologize.
Had I known earlier, I would have called.
Had I not known, I wouldn't have said it.
If I knew the answer, I would tell you.
Should you need help, call me.