Were they here now， they could help us. =If they were here now， they could help us.他们现在在的话，就会帮助我们了。
Had you come earlier， you would have met him. =If you had come earlier， you would have met him.你来得早一点，就碰到他了。
Should it rain， the crops would be saved. =Were it to rain， the crops would be saved.假如下雨，庄稼就有救了。
注意：在虚拟语气的从句中，动词'be'的过去时态一律用"were"，不用was，即在从句中be用were代替。例如：
If I were you， I would go to look for him. 如果我是你，就会去找他。
If he were here， everything would be all right. 如果他在这儿，一切都会好的。
典型例题
_____ to do the work， I should do it some other day.
A. If were I B. I were C. Were I D. Was I
答案C. 在虚拟条件状语中如果有were， should， had这三个词，通常将if省略，主语提前， 变成 were， should， had +主语的形式。但要注意，在虚拟条件状语从句中，省略连词的倒装形式的句首不能用动词的缩略形式。如我们可说 Were I not to do， 而不能说 Weren't I to do.
（责任编辑：）