had been supposed to和was supposed to主要是时态方面的区别,前者为过去完成时,后者为一般过去时。另外,前者有时还可表示“本来应该”,相当于was supposed to have done。
关于suppose的用法,本人在金盾出版社出版的《英语常用词多用途词典》上查到了以下用法,本来是摘录下来自己和的,现与你分享:
1. 其后习惯上不接带疑问词的宾语从句,遇此情况,将疑问词移到主句句首:
Where do you suppose he has gone? 你估计他去哪里了呢?
Who do you suppose has stolen the money? 你认为是谁偷了这钱呢?
2. 其后通常不直接跟不定式作宾语,遇此情况可改为宾语从句,如:
通常不说:He supposed to have left his umbrella in the bus.
可改为:He supposed that he had left his umbrella in the bus. 他以为把雨伞忘在公***汽车上了。
3. 后接不定式作宾语补足语时,不定式通常为to be。如:
I supposed him to be about forty.=I supposed that he was about forty. 我估计他大约40岁。
若是to be之外的其他动词,则通常为完成式或进行式。如:
He was supposed to have left for home. 大家以为已动身回家了。
4. 有时可用于引导条件状语从句,相当于连词if,但此时与之相对应的主句通常(但不绝对)为疑问句。如:
Suppose he doesn’t agree, what shall we do? 假如他不同意,那怎么办?
这样用的suppose有时还可用于虚拟语气。如:
Suppose you were given a chance to study in America, would you accept? 假如给你一个到美国学习的机会,你会接受吗?
5. be supposed to do sth为习语,表示“应该(理应)做某事”。如:
They are supposed to arrive before dark. 他们应该在天黑 前到。
Everybody knows, but nobody is supposed to know. 本来谁也 不该知道这事,但人人都知道了。
注:其中的不定式有时可能是进行式或完成式。如:
He’s supposed to be doing his homework at home now. 他现在应该在家里做作业。
He is not supposed to have left the hospital so soon. 他本不该这么早就出院的。
另外,现在分词形式的supposing可用作conj.,表示“假如”,如:
Supposing he does not come, shall we go without him? 如果他不来,是不是不带他去? /
Supposing he can’t come, who will do the work? 如果他不来,谁来干这工作?
这样用的supposing与if用法相似,用以引导条件状语从句,但与之相对应的主句通常(但不绝对)为疑问句。有时还可用于虚拟语气。如:
Supposing there was a war, what would you do? 假如发生战争,你怎么办?
Supposing you fell in love with your boss, what would you do? 假定你爱上了你的老板,你会怎么办?
注:suppose也有类似用法:Suppose [Supposing] we miss the train, what shall we do? 假如我们误了火车,我们将怎么办?