unreal past tense
wishes about the present
Like a second conditional sentence, these wishes use a past tense form to express a feeling about the
present.
t wish t knew the enswet: (= If I knew the answer, it would be better.)
t wish it wasn't raining! (= If it wasn't raining, it would be better.)
t wish they were arriving earlier.
t wish I was / were Iying on the beach at this moment!
I wish I was Iyiny on a
neacn.
Wishes with could also express a feeling about the present.
t wish f could get a better job. (now)
wishes about the past
Wishes about the past use past perfect in the same way as a third conditional
t wish t had brought an umbref/a with me.
( = If I had brought an umbrella with me, it would have been better.)
t wish we'd left earlier.
( = If we had left earlier it would have been better.)
sentence.
hope
Wishes about the future are expressed wit h hope.
t hope you enjoy your trip. (future)
I hope I can / will be able to get a better job.
(future)
wishes with would / woukin't
•
•
Wishes with would / wouldn't are about general behaviour or habits, often bad ones which we
would change.
I wish everyone would /eave me a/one.
t wish you'd stop interrupting me. I wish you wouldn't do that.
Using unreal past tense can give the same meaning in some contexts.
it didn't rain 50 much. (it may or may not be raining now)
I wish it wouldn't rain sa much. (it's probably raining now)
t wish
•
To wish someone would do something can also mean that we would like them to do it.
I wish you would ask for my advice more often.
-
~
vere you for giving advice. Note that I and you are stressed more heavily than were.
come at the beginning ar at the end.
_~ r toudi that wite, if I were you.
re you, rd go to the police.
use would rather / would saoner + infinitive
you rather stay at home?
er have tea than coffee.
ł
e ii-
to express choice.
rather / would saoner + person + unreal past are used to show what we would like sameone
o do ar not to do.
rether you didn't tell anyone. (lt would be better if you didn't tell)
sooner she went to university than got a job naw
prefer
(see Unit 16)
can use would prefer + to-infinitive to express a preference.
J want to go out? No, I think I'd prefer to stay at home.
can compare preferences with rather than.
refer to go out for a meal tonight rather than stay in and cook.
u/d prefer + that + unreal past ar would prefer it if + unreal past can be used to show what we
uld like someone else to do ar not to do.
prefer that you didn't mention this to anyone.
prefer it if you didn't mention this to anyone.
e can also use would prefer + person + to-infinitive
prefer you not to mention this to anyone.
with the same meaning.
_ se it's time + unreal past to express what we think we ought to do.
shoes are wearing out. tt's time (that) I bought same new ones.
5 already 8.00. I think it's time (that) we /eft.
J
e also often say tt's time we were going .
. , as
though
eal comparisons with as it, as though use look; seem, appear etc with present or future meaning.
He /ooks as if he wants to leave. (real)
t seems as though City are going to win. (real)
It doesn't /ook as if /'1/ever repay my debts. (real)
Unreal comparisons with as if and as though use was / were to refer to the present if the comparison
seems unreal or imaginary.
She acts as if she was / were queen! (unreal - she isn't)
Underline the correct form.
a Parents who also work often wish they have / had more time to spend with their children.
b
o doubt the prime minister now wishes he listened / had listened to what other people were
saying before he made his decision.
c Local councillors say they wish more people could / would let them know what they think
about the new anti-smoking laws.
d Many people wish that fast-food companies would stop / had stopped targeting children with
advertising.
e Local residents generaUy wish that tourists didn't leave / hadn't left so much litter behind in
the town.
f
I have had nothing but trouble with this computer, and I now wish that I didn't buy / had not
bought it.
g When we grow older, with hindsight we all wish that we spent / had spent our time at school
more profitably.
h We wish we knew / would know how to solve the problem of van dalism, but so far we haven't
come up with a perfect solution.
Doctors say they wish that more people pa id / had pa id attention to the amount of salt they
consume.
I hope / wis h I could believe what politicians say, but I'm afraid I can't.
2 Choose the correct option, A, B or C, to complete the sentences about the generation gap.
a It's time that older peoplei.C
b
Same
listening to what younger people say.
older people treat teenagers as if they
c
all dangerous criminals.
Same older people wish there
more police officers on the street, and blame all bad
behaviour on the young.
d Perhaps it's time that young people
more responsibly towards other people.
HHH
e Generally speaking, young people
spend their time with other young people.
Many older people
the world to be just the same as it was when they were young.
gOlder people also wish that young people
more politely.
f
h Some people think
that 16-year-olds were given the vote.
Many young people, however, have no faith in politics, and just wish the world
different.
Some of them
if everyone just left them alone and stopped asking them for their
opinions.
a
A would start
B start
C started
b Awere
B would
Cprefer
c
B had been
C are
d A acted
B would act
C act
e Awish
f A rather
B would rather
C hope
B would
g
B didn't behave
C would behave
B it's time
C they wouldn 't prefer
Ais
B had been
C were
A would rather
B as though
C would prefer it
A were
A had behaved
h A as if
prefer
C as though
· e a new sentence
with the same meaning,
beginning
as shown.
It seems that mare and more young people will go into higher education
It seems as ....i-f./\t9r~.g~cł/\t9C~./:l9.l:lt\q
_ Iost parents
want their children
_ Iost parents
would rather ..
..P?()pl~ ..lAJillq9..jt\.±() ...~iqh?r.?cI~~q±i()t.tjt.t.±~~:f~±~Ce-·
to study a useful subject leading to a good job.
.
tudents,
however,
usually want their parents
Students,
however,
usually wish .
to let them make their own choices.
.
Later on, though,
some students
regret not having
Later on, though,
same students
wish
.niversity
in future.
.
chosen their courses more carefully.
.
advisers don 't usually want students
to choose a subject simply because they think
zhey are good at it.
.niversity
advisers usually prefer students
..
.
.
The usual advice is: 'Think about what kind of wark you want to do in the futurę.'
The usual advice is: IIf I.
_ Some students
Some students
......
seem fram their behaviour
to be only interested
in having
behave as..
a good time.
..
'hen they leave university,
many students
regret not having worked harder.
, 'hen they leave university,
many students
wish ..
They also think they will never repay their student
.
.
loans.
It also seems to them as ..
Universities
should
now pay more attention
to students'
financial
It's ..
prablems.
.
.
4 Complete the text using one word in each gap.
Neighbours and noise
Do you ever wish that your neighbours a
lA!o~lcł
tum down their
music? Perhaps you're trying to sleep and you wish that the people
next-door b
not holding an all-night barbecue party
in their garden. Or do you feel it is ci...
uninhabited
. you moved to an
island? Don't worry - you are just another victim of noise
pollution. Of course, most people would prefer d
e
no noise at all, neighbours f
mice, and nob2-dy g
windows and high-powered
h
if cars
as quiet as
about the streets in cars with open
sound systems. You may even wish you
stop chrldren from playing in the street, or planes
from passing overhead. But in the end, ifl i
you l jjust
windows, buy some earplugs, laugh and tum up your own stereo. Just act k
I
simply not there! Who knows, perhaps it will go away!
get used to it. Close the
if the noise
11
12
13
14
15
A: Paul has bought Tania a present.
B: Yes, but we'd better
(not/mention) it. It
might be ci surprise.
A: Did you enjoy the party last night?
B: Yes, but I would rather we
(stay) alittle
longer.
A: Shall we spend the evening together?
B: Well, actually,.I'd
prefer
(spend) some
time alone.
A: That meal was terrible. I'd rather
(eat) at
home.
B: It was very expensive, too.
A: lt's the company's office party tomorrow.
B: Yes. To be honest, I'd rather ""'"''''''''''
(not/go).
The past simple can be used to refer to the present
(unreal present) when we talk about imaginary, unreal
or improbable situations which are contrary to facts in
the present.
The past perlect can be used to refer to imaginary,
unreal or improbable
situations which are contrary to
facts in the past (unreal past).
The past simple
is used with:
•
Type 2 Conditionals
•
suppose/supposing
20
1
Underline the correct tense.
I'd rather you did/had done your homework before
go out.
Supposing you had heard/had been heard telling lJ1
what would have happened?
3 He acted as if he owns/owned the house.
4 I wish I went/had gone to the library yesterday.
5 I would have made a cake if I know/had known
we re coming.
6 lt's about time we employed/had employed s
new staff.
7 If she had won/won the competition, she would h
had a party.
8 I'd rather you didn't interrupt/hadn't interrupted
when I'm talking.
9 Suppose you saw/had seen a crime being commi
what would you do?
10 If only you tOld/had told me, I would have underst
11 He would have sent a card if he realised/had reali
it was your birthday.
12 If you met/had met John now, you wouldn't recog
him.
1311's high time you leamt/had leamt how to drive.
14 I'd rather you hadn't misbehaved/didn't misbehave
the party last night.
15 They spoke as if they knew/had known each other
years.
2
e.g. If he had the money, he would buy a new car.
e.g. Suppose/Supposing he stood you up,
what would you do?
•
wish/if
only
e.q. I wish/lf only I had a better job.
•
would
e.g. I'd rather Nick drove me to the station.
•
•
e.g. Mary talks as if/as though she knew everything.
3
it's (about/high)
time
e.g. /t's (about/high) time you went to bed.
4
is used with:
Type 3 Conditionals
e.g. If she hadn't fallen down the stairs, she woutdn't
have broken her arm.
•
suppose/supposing
e.g. Suppose/Supposing you had been invited, would
you have gone?
•
2
as if/as though
The past perfect
•
1
rather (present)
wish/if
5
6
7
8
only
e.g. I wish/lf only I hadn't argued with him.
•
would
rather
(past)
9
e.g. I'd rather you had kept it a secret.
•
as if/as though
e.g. He had never been abroad, but he spoke about
New Yorkas if/as though he had been there many
times.
10
Would you rather ... come ... (come) shopping with
or stay at home?
If only I
(not/confide) in
now everybody knows my problems.
Amy says she would rather
(organ'
the event herself.
I'd rather you
(get) a full-time job t
a part-time job.
Supposing I invited you to a party,
.
(you/accept)?
I wish I
(ask) my parents for so
advice before I made up my mind.
Suppose you
v. (meet) a film s
what would you say?
She didn't understand the question, but she lookec
though she
,
(understan
Liz studied Art at university, but she says she w
rather
(study) Hist
I wish Alan
(not/rnove) away, as
miss him a lot.
11. It seemed as if she
the meeting.
12 If you hadn't left early, you
(forget) ab
(meet) Ti
IN OTHER WORDS
Study these examples. The second sentence
as a similar meaning to the first sentence.
I don 't think it's a good idea to lie to your parents about
what happened.
were
If I were you, I wouldn't lie to my parents
about what happened.
2 If you sit next to the fireplace, you'lI get too hot.
else
Don't sit next to thefireplace or else you'lI
get too hot.
3 It rained heavily all day, so they didn't go out.
for
But for the heavy rain, they would have
gone out.
4 If you don't act quickly, you may find yourself in trouble.
unless
You may find yourself in trouble unless
you act quickly.
5 Sam ran out of time; that's why he didn't go shopping.
would
If Sam hadn't run out of time, he would
have gone shopping.
6 If Helen gets a grant, she will be able to continue her
studies.
provided Helen will be able to continue her
studies provided she gets'a grant.
7 Tony wants to buy a new car, but he hasn't got
enough money.
wishes
Tony wishes he had enough money to
buy a new car.
a Jack would prefer to learn Italian rather than learn
German.
rather
Jack would rather learn Italian than
German.
9 Mary regrets not studying hard for her exams.
wishes
Mary wishes she had studied hard for her
exams.
10 You should join a gym.
better
You had better join a gym.
11 Why don't you make an effort to improve your life?
would
I wish you would make an effort to improve
your life.
1211's a pity I missed your graduation.
wish
I wish I hadn't rnlssed your graduaticin.
Complete each sentence wit h two to five
words, including the word in bold.
1 You will be late for school unless you leave now.
if
You will be late for school ...if you don't:
teev»... nowo
2 If you touch the iron, you will burn your fingers.
else
Don't touch the iron,
.
burn your fingers.
3 I don't think it's a good idea to buy that jacket.
were
If
, I wouldn't buy that jacket.
4
I want to have a party, but my fiat isn't big enough.
wlsh
I
.
big enough for me to have a party.
5 You shouldn't go out tonight; you have to go to school
tomorrow.
better
You
out
tonight; you have to go to school tomorrow.
6 John would prefer to eat pizza rather than chips.
rather
John
pizza than chips.
7 Jane regrets spending all that money on new clothes.
wishes
Jane
.
all that money on new clothes.
8 lt's a pity I didn't make it to your wedding.
wish
I
it to your wedding.
9 Colin wishes he hadn't missed the bus; now he is late
for work.
missed
If Colin
the bus,
he wouldn't be late for work.
10 If the weather gets better, we'lI go on a sailing trip
tomorrow.
provided We'lI go on a sailing trip,
.
......:
better tomorrow.
11 You should write a letter to your pen-friend.
better
You ..~
to your pen-friend.
12 Samantha wants to be a model, but she isn't tall enough.
wishes
Samantha
.
to be a model.
13 Why don't you wipe your feet when you come back
from the park?
would
I
your feet
when you come back from the park.
14 If you don't stop being naughty, I will tell the
headmaster.
else
Stop being naughty,
.
the headmaster.
15 Sam would prefer to go out rather than stay at home.
rather
Sam
_
.
than stay at home.
1611's a pity I didn't go to that party.
wish
I
.
that party.
17 I didn't know your address; that's why I didn't send you
a postcard.
•
would
If I had known your address, I
.
................,
you a postcard.
18 He wouldn't have finished his report if you hadn't
helped him.
for
But
, he wouldn't
have finished h'is report.
19 If you exceed the speed limit, you'lI have to pay a fine.
else
Don't exceed the speed limit,
.
..
have to pay a fine.
20 If you don't practise daily, you will never learn to play
the piano.
unless
You will never learn to play the piano
.
............................................................. daily.