08811 未完成

未完成式表達了動作、過程或狀態是未完成的, 它有
很多意思:

1a) 用來敘述過去的單一 (與重複相對) 動作; 跟完
    成式不一樣之處, 在於未完成式更有生氣、更生
    動。完成式表達了「事實」, 未完成式暗示著「
    過程」即將完成, 因此增色不少, 也加上動作。
    
     他伸出手準備開門
     事情半途中止
     我漸漸聽到

1b) 「誰找你?」這樣的說法, 指的不只是現在, 也
    假設尋找的動作已經持續一段時間了。

     你為何哭泣?
     為什麼不肯吃?
     你為何憂傷?

   與其說這些句子講的是一個時刻, 不如說講的是
   持續的狀態。

2) 進行、未完成是與尚未完成的這一類動作可能在
   於屢次重複。

    2a) 現在:

        今天有人這麼「說」
        睿智的兒子會「取悅」父親

    2b) 過去:

        「他如此作」 - 定期地, 年年如此
        「以前常起的」霧
        「我們以前常吃」的魚
        「降下」嗎哪   - 定期地
        他「說」- 不斷地

3) 未完成式用來表達未來, 指的不但是即將完成的
   動作, 也是還沒開始的動作

    3a) 從現在式真正的觀點來看, 這可能是未來式;
        如:

          好了, 「你走著瞧」
          「我們要燒掉」你的房子

    3b) 從任何其他假設的觀點來看, 這可能是未來
        式; 如:

          他把「即將就任王位」的兒子帶走了
          她留下來看還有什麼是「應該做的」

4) 3b 的用法可以視為常用的未完成及物動詞,表達
   的行為和思想之間的各種關係,英語喜歡用條件
   語氣表達。這裡提到的假定關係完全是「未來」,所以用
   簡單的未來語氣足以表達; 例如

       你「可以吃」任何樹上的果子
       「我們能不能知道」
       他「會」說

5a) 未完成跟在質詞/語助詞後面, 表達的是「變
    遷」、「目的」、「結果」等等, 還有「為了」
    ,「免得」; 例如

       說你是我妹妹,「這樣對你比較好」
       讓我們睿智治國,「免得國民增多」

5b) 然而, 當「目的」的感覺很強烈, 或當它需要
    特別強調時, 那麼當然就要使用語氣了; 例如

       高舉我,「我好回報他們」
       他要引誘亞哈王「上去」
       我們要怎麼做,「海浪才會平靜下來」

    我們也會用語氣來表達未來動作的等級, 這動
    作我們是用「祈願語態」表達的

       「讓我死了好了」
       「願」主「堅立」祂的話
       「願」這孩子「活下去」

08811 Imperfect

The imperfect expresses an action, process or condition which is
incomplete, and it has a wide range of meaning:

1a) It is used to describe a single (as opposed to a repeated) action
    in the past; it differs from the perfect in being more vivid and
    pictorial. The perfect expresses the "fact", the imperfect adds
    colour and movement by suggesting the "process" preliminary to its
    completion.

     he put forth his hand to the door
     it came to a halt
     I began to hear

1b) A phrase such as "What seekest thou?", refers not only to the
    present, but assumes that the search has continued for some time.

     Why do you weep?
     Why refuse to eat?
     Why are you distressed?

   These relate not so much as to one occasion, as to a
   continued condition.

2) The kind of progression or imperfection and unfinished condition
   of the action may consist in its frequent repetition.

    2a) In the present:

        it is "said" today
        a wise son "maketh glad" his father

    2b) In the past:

        "and so he did"        -  regularly, year by year
        a mist "used to go up"
        the fish which "we used to eat"
        the manna "came down"  - regularly
        he "spoke"             - repeatedly

3) The imperfect is used to express the "future", referring not only
   to an action which is about to be accomplished but one which has
   not yet begun:

    3a) This may be a future from the point of view of the real
        present; as:

          Now "shalt thou see what I will do"
          "We will burn" thy house

    3b) It may be a future from any other point of view assumed; as:

          he took his son that "was to reign"
          she stayed to see what "should be done"

4) The usage of 3b may be taken as the transitive to a common use of
   the imperfect in which it serves for an expression of those shades
   of relation among acts and thoughts for which English prefers the
   conditional moods. Such actions are strictly "future" in reference
   to the assumed point of relation, and the simple imperfect
   sufficiently expresses them; e.g.

       of every tree thou "mayest eat"
       "could we know"
       he "would" say

5a) The imperfect follows particles expressing "transition",
    "purpose", "result" and so forth as, "in order that", "lest"; e.g.

       say thou art my sister, "that it may be well with thee"
       let us deal wisely with the nation, "lest it multiplies"

5b) When however there is a strong feeling of "purpose", or when it
    is meant to be strongly marked, then of course the moods are
    employed; e.g.

       raise me up "that I may requite them"
       who will entice Ahab "that he may go up"
       what shall we do "that the sea may be calm"

    The moods are also employed to express that class of
    future actions which we express in the "optative"

       "may I die"
       "may" the LORD "establish" his word
       "may" the child "live"