9

English
Quarter 1 – Module 2 Lesson 4
If We Could Turn Back the Time
(Using Past Unreal Conditionals)

English – Grade 9

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Quarter 1 – Module 2 Lesson 4: If We Could Turn Back the Time

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Regional Director: Gilbert T. Sadsad

Assistant Regional Director: Jessie L. Amin

Development Team of the Module

Writers: MARK CHRISTIAN SARICAL

Editors: DAISY E. ELEN

Reviewers: EMMA V. DASCO

Illustrator: JANELLE S. LAZARO

Layout Artist: DAN MICHAEL M. ABARCA

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MODULE 2 Lesson 4

I. Different circumstance

As a person, we often say, “No one’s perfect.” It’s because of the fact that
humans are susceptible to committing mistakes, and have regrets. With these,
we usually imagine what or how we would have done something differently
instead of our past actions. In this module, you will learn how to express
arguments in past unreal conditional.

II. Objectives

Competency: Use conditionals in expressing arguments.

Objectives:

a. Use the correct structure in using past unreal conditional;

and
b. Use past unreal conditional in writing sentences.

III. Vocabulary List

1. Unreal – noun: lacking in reality, substance, or genuineness: artificial.

2. Circumstance – noun: an event that constitutes a detail.
3. Past perfect – noun: (grammar) third form of the verb (e.g. written,
spoken)
Source: Merriam-Webster, Inc. 2020, Mobile phone application

IV. Pre-Test
Direction: Encircle the letter with the correct verb tense in each of the following
sentences.

1. If my friend had come to the party, I _______________________ too.

a. Went b. would have gone c. had gone
2. If you ______________ me the money, I wouldn’t have bought the concert
ticket.
a. didn’t lend b. don’t lend c. hadn’t lent
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 3. I wouldn’t have eaten that food if you _______________________ it to me.
a. hadn’t recommended b. don’t recommend c. didn’t recommend
4. If you ______________ me, I would have helped you.
a. ask b. asked c. had asked
5. If I had had the chance, I _________________ her to dance with me.
a. asked b. had asked c. would have asked

V. Learning Activities

Direction: Read the following sentences and answer the guide questions:
1. If I had had million pesos, I would have bought a mansion. But I didn’t
have that much money.
2. If I had owned a bike, I would have ridden to school. But I didn’t own one,
so I walked.
3. If the ambulance hadn’t arrived late, the victims would have been saved.
But it was too late when it arrived.

Guide questions:
1. Which part of the sentence contains the condition?
2. Which part of the sentence contains the result?
3. What do you call the words in boldface?
4. What is the tense of the words in boldface in the if-clause?
5. What is the tense of the words in boldface in the main clause after “would
have”?
6. What is the time significance of the italicized sentence to the first sentence?
7. Which sentence is real?
8. Which sentence is unreal?

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 Key Points
PAST UNREAL CONDITIONAL

USE:

The Past Unreal Conditional is used to talk

about imaginary situations in the past. You can
describe what you would have done differently or
how you could have done something differently if
circumstances had been different.

FORM:

[If . . . past perfect . . ., . . . would have + past participle . . . ]

[. . . would have + past participle . . . if . . . past perfect . . .]

Examples:

 If we had owned smart phone and internet, I would have studied online.
past perfect would have + past participle
 I would have passed the test If I had studied.
would have + past participle past perfect

Remember: We use past unreal conditional to express that something could have
happened differently if the situation had been different. Take a look at this example:

Source: Oliveira, Shayna, Lesson 7-Unreal Conditionals, www.espressoenglish.net

The sentence for that imaginary situation would be:

If I hadn’t eaten the stew, I wouldn’t have gotten sick.

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 I wouldn’t have gotten sick if I hadn’t eaten the stew.

We can also use past unreal conditional to express regrets.

If I hadn’t cheated on her, she should have been with me until now.
If I had had the courage, I should have told her my feelings.

NOTE: Only the word “if” is used with the past unreal conditional because you are
discussing imaginary situations.

Source: Englishpage.com, Past Real Conditional,

https://www.englishpage.com/conditional/pastconditional.html

VI. Practice Tasks

Task 1
Let’s put into practice what you have learned. Read the
conditional sentences below and answer the questions that
follow each one.

Example: If it hadn’t rained yesterday, we would have

had a picnic.
a. Did it rain yesterday? _Yes_
b. Did we have a picnic? _No_

1. If you had come to the party, you would have met my cousin.
a. Did you come to the party? _______
b. Did you meet my cousin? _______
2. I wouldn’t have gone to the movie if I had known it was scary.
a. Did I go to the movie? _______
b. Was the movie scary? _______
c. Do I like scary movie? _______
3. If I had known he was a careless rider, I wouldn’t have lent him my motorcycle.
a. Is he a careless rider? _______
b. Did I lend him my motorcycle? _______
4. If teacher Mark had taught English subject, I would have enjoyed it.
a. Did teacher Mark teach English subject? _______
b. Did I enjoy it? _______

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 5. Jack wouldn’t have married Rose if he hadn’t loved her.
a. Did Jack marry Rose? _______
b. Did Jack love Rose? _______
Source: ESLlibrary.com, Grammar Practice Worksheets, PDF online.

Task 2
Match the first part of the sentence on the left with the correct ending on the
right. Write the letter of your answer in each number.

1. I would have said hello … A. if I hadn’t looked at my calendar.

2. I would have mailed the letter …
3. If I had seen the accident, …
4. If I had planned a trip to France, …
5. I would have forgotten your
birthday…
6. I would have been much quieter...
7. If I had brought my rash guard, …
8. I wouldn’t have overslept…
9. You could have been a doctor…
10. If they’d taken my advice, …
B. if I had seen you.
C. I would have tried to learn some
French.
D. if I had had some stamps.
E. I would have called an ambulance.
F. I would have gone swimming.
G. they wouldn’t have had so my
problems.
H. if you had studied medicine.
I. if my alarm clock had gone off.
J. if I had known the baby was sleeping.

Sources: ESLlibrary.com, Grammar Practice Worksheets, PDF online.

www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglishteens

Task 3
Determine the correct form of the given verb inside the parenthesis to complete
the past unreal conditional sentences.
Example: 1. If he had worked (work), he would have fixed (fix) the problem.

1. If it ____________________ (rain) yesterday, I ______________________

(stay) home.
2. I _____________________ (go) to the movie with you last week if I
__________________ (not/be) sick. Why don’t we go today?
3. That was a very bad accident. If he _______________________ (be) more
careful, it _____________________ (not/happen).

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4. I didn’t know you were coming home last night. If you ________________ (tell)
me, I ____________________ (pick) you up at the bus station.
5. If I _________________(win) the 6/55 lottery, I _____________________
(bring) fortune to my family.
6. She _________________ (not/take) the job if she ______________________
(know) that the boss was so unfriendly.
7. I ___________________ (stay) longer if I ___________________ (have) the
time off from work.
8. If her parents _____________________ (not/move) to this country, she
____________________ (be) born in Canada.
9. If I ____________________ (be) fitter, I ____________________ (finish) the
race.
10. If I ____________________ (answer) this module correctly, I
_________________ (take) the next lesson.

VII. Post Test

A. Complete the following sentences with your own result or

condition.

Example: If I had woken up earlier today, I would have gone to the gym.

1. I would have lent you some money __________________________

___________________________________________________________

2. If I had known it was going to rain, ___________________________

___________________________________________________________
_
3. If she hadn’t missed so many classes, ________________________
___________________________________________________________

4. If yesterday had been a holiday, _____________________________

___________________________________________________________

5. I would have called you ___________________________________

___________________________________________________________

B. Read the given sentences and ask yourself, “What would you have done if you
had been in the situation?” Write your answer in a complete sentence following
the correct form of past unreal conditional.

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 Example:
 Mark saw a woman drowning in the river. He went to look for help.

Answer: If I had seen the woman drowning, I would have jumped and
rescued her.

1. Jimmy saw his friend cheating on a test. He told the teacher.

___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

2. Betty went to a new restaurant. She didn’t like her meal, so she didn’t leave
a tip.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

3. Sam saw a snake in the garden, and he started to shout.

___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

4. When Sheldon heard someone breaking into their house last night, he hid
under his bed.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

5. Leonard found a wallet with P10,000 cash in it, but without any identification.
He kept it.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

Source: ESLlibrary.com, Grammar Practice Worksheets, PDF online.

VIII. Assignment

Write down five (5) things/actions that you wish you would have done
differently in the past if the situation had been different. Express them using
the past unreal conditional and how could it affect you in the present.

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List of Sources
ESLlibrary.com, Grammar Practice Worksheets, PDF online.
www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglishteens
Merriam-Webster, Inc. 2020, Mobile phone application

Oliveira, Shayna, Lesson 7-Unreal Conditionals, www.espressoenglish.net

Englishpage.com, Past Unreal Conditional,
https://www.englishpage.com/conditional/pastconditional.html

IX. Answer Key:

Pre-Test

1. B
2. C
3. A
4. C
5. C

Learning Activities
Guide Questions:
1. If-clause
2. Main clause
3. Verbs
4. Past perfect
5. Past perfect
6. It is the real action/situation
7. The italicized/second sentence
8. The conditional/first sentence

Practice Tasks

Task 1.

1.
a. No

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 b. No
2.

a. Yes
b. Yes
c. No

3.
a. Yes
b. Yes

4.
a. No
b. No

5.
a. Yes
b. Yes

Task 2

1. B
2. D
3. E
4. C
5. A
6. J
7. F
8. I
9. H
10. G

Task 3

1. had rained . . . would have stayed

2. would have gone . . . hadn’t been
3. had been . . . wouldn’t have happened
4. had told . . . would have picked
5. had won . . . would have brought
6. wouldn’t have taken . . . had known
7. would have stayed . . . had had
8. hadn’t moved . . . would have been
9. had been . . . would have finished

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 10. had answered . . . would have taken

Post Test

A. Answer varies
B. Answer varies

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