UNIT 22

CONDITIONALS;
OTHER WAYS TO
EXPRESS
UNREALITY
Objective: To describe hypothetical
results of unreal present and past
situations.
 Unit 22: Achievements
Definition of conditionals and inventions
• Conditional sentences have two clauses – a condition clause and a result clause. For
example:

If you have a card, you don't have to carry a lot of cash.

• The condition clause can come before or after the result clause. For example:

You don't have to carry a lot of cash if you have a card.

• There are two types of conditional sentences, real and unreal.

 Unit 22: Achievements
Present real conditionals and inventions
• Real conditionals describe situations that occur
regularly or situations that are likely or possible in the
present and the future.

• For example:

If you have a card, you can use cash machines.

 Unit 22: Achievements
Future real conditionals and inventions
• When we talk about conditions that are likely or possible in the future, we use
a present tense in the condition clause. The present tense has a future
meaning. We use will or another future form in the result clause. For example:

What will happen if I lose my card?

If I lose my card, I won't be able to get cash.

• Remember! Don't use will in the conditional clause.

What will happen if I forget my PIN number?

• Not: What will happen if I will forget my PIN number?

 Unit 22:
Present and Future unreal conditionals Achievements
and inventions
• My real present situation is this: I live in Lima, but I'm thinking about
an imaginary situation:

If I lived in Tokyo, I'd feel happier.

• Notice: I'd is short for I would.

• Unreal conditionals describe situations that are unreal, untrue,

imagined, or impossible.
 Unit 22:
Achievements
Present and Future unreal conditionals and inventions
• When we use unreal conditionals in the present or future, we use a
past tense in the condition clause. The past tense has a present or
future meaning. We use would in the result clause.

• For example, these sentences are about the present:

If I lived here, I'd feel healthier.
If I didn't live in Chicago, I wouldn't see my friends very often.

• And here is an example of a future unreal conditional:

If I stayed until next week, I would lose a week's pay.
 Unit 22:
Present and Future unreal conditionals Achievements
and inventions
• In formal English, if you are using the verb be in the
condition clause, use were for all persons. For example:

If you were here, it would be great.

or
If she were here, it would be great.
or
If they were here, it would be great.
 Unit 22: Achievements
Past unreal conditionals and inventions
• When we talk about unreal conditions in the past, we use the past perfect in the
condition clause. We use would have plus the past participle of the verb in the result
clause. For example:

If the line at security hadn't been so long, I wouldn't have missed my flight.

I wouldn't have had to spend the night at the airport if I hadn't missed my flight.

• We can use could have or might have instead of would have if we want to talk about
possibility. For example:

I could have gotten a room at the airport hotel if I had wanted to.

If I had gotten to the airport 15 minutes earlier, I might not have missed my plane.
 Unit 22: Achievements
Mixed conditionals and inventions
• The times of the conditional clause and the result clause are
sometimes different. The time in the condition clause can be
past while the time in the result clause is present. For example:

If I hadn't missed the plane, I'd be home now.

Or the time in the condition clause may be present while the

time in the result clause is past. For example:

If I woke up early every day, I wouldn't have missed the plane.

 Unit 22: Achievements
Wish and Hope + noun clause and inventions
• We use hope and the present for real situations in the present or
future. For example:
I hope you have a good flight.

• We use wish with the past for imagining impossible or less likely
situations. For example:
I wish (that) I were going with her.

• Use the past perfect after wish to express a wish about the past. For
example:
I wish (that) I had gone with you last week.
 Unit 22: Achievements
If only + Noun clause and inventions
• If only is similar to I wish, but stronger.

For example:
'If only I weren't so busy these days' means I am busy, but I wish I
weren't busy.

• I'm still talking about the present but I use the past tense weren't.

• Use the past perfect after if only to talk about something you wish
had happened differently in the past. For example:
If only I had gone with you last week.