In this Lesson we are going to learn how to talk about hypothetical situations using the so called unreal past.
Video lesson 5:26, comprehension test 5:00
The unreal past is used to talk about imaginary situations in the past. You can describe what you would have done differently or how something could have happened differently if circumstances had been different.
We use wish + past simple to talk about things we would like to be different in the present. For example, “I wish (that) I were famous.”
We use wish + past perfect to talk about things that happened in the past that we wish hadn’t happened. For example, “I wish I had asked her out before she moved away.”
We use if only for emphasis, or to emphasize something. For example, “If only I had paid my bill on time. Now I owe more money!”
We use wish + would to talk about things we want to stop because we find them annoying. For example, “I wish the dog would stop barking!”
EXPRESSIONS |
DEFINITION |
| Supposing an elephant and a mouse fell in love. | The expressions if, supposing, if only, what if can be used to introduce hypothetical situations and followed by the simple past tense to indicate that the condition they introduce is imaginary. |
| What if we painted the room yellow? | |
| If you went to the movies, I would babysit. | |
| If only I had more money, I could go to the movies too. | |
| If only I hadn’t kissed the frog. |
These expressions can also introduce hypothetical situations in the past and then they are followed by the past perfect. |
| What if the elephant had stepped on my phone? | |
| I wish I had more money. | The verb to wish is used with the unreal past when we want to talk about situations in the present that we are not happy about but cannot change. |
| She wishes she was beautiful. | |
| We wish we could come to your party. |
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| I wish I hadn’t said that. | When we want to talk about situations in the past that we are not happy about or actions that we regret, we use the verb to wish followed by the past perfect. |
| He wishes he hadn’t bought the car. |
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| I wish I had taken that job in New York. | |
| I wish he would stop smoking | When we want to talk about situations we are not happy about and where we want someone else to change them, we use to wish followed by would + infinitive. |
| I wish you would go away | |
| I’d rather you went. | I’d rather and it’s time are also followed by the unreal past. The verb is in the past tense, but the situation is in the present. When we want to talk about a course of action we would prefer someone else to take, we use I’d rather + past tense. Similarly, when we want to say that now is a suitable moment to do something, either for ourselves or for someone else, we use it’s time + past tense. |
| I’d rather you didn’t hunt helephants | |
| It’s time you paid the bill | |
| It’s time I went home |
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