Conditionals; Other Ways to Express Unreality

Experiences of an International Traveller

9

Tired TravellerTired Traveller

If only I had found a taxi.If only I had found a taxi.

I wish I could brush

my teeth right now.

I wish I could brush

my teeth right now.

If the airport hadn’t lost my

luggage, I wouldn’t have been delayed.

If the airport hadn’t lost my

luggage, I wouldn’t have been delayed.

If I had more money, I

would stay at better hotels.

If I had more money, I

would stay at better hotels.

Real ConditionalsReal Conditionals

Real conditionals are sentences that describe situations that occur regularly or are likely or possible in the future.

If we don’t get to the station on time, the

train will leave without us.

If we don’t get to the station on time, the

train will leave without us.

In present-time situations, use the simple present in both clauses to

describe habitual or regularly

occurring actions.

In present-time situations, use the simple present in both clauses to

describe habitual or regularly

occurring actions.

In future-time situations, use the simple present in the if clause and

the future with will or be going to in the result clause.

In future-time situations, use the simple present in the if clause and

the future with will or be going to in the result clause.

If I don’t put sun lotion on,

I get a bad sunburn.

If I don’t put sun lotion on,

I get a bad sunburn.

Unreal ConditionalsUnreal Conditionals

Unreal conditionals are sentences that describe situations that are untrue, unlikely, or impossible in the present or the past.

In present-time situations, use the simple past in the

if clause and would, could, or might plus the

base form of the verb in the result

clause.

In present-time situations, use the simple past in the

if clause and would, could, or might plus the

base form of the verb in the result

clause.

If I had enough money, I would

visit Paris.

If I had enough money, I would

visit Paris.

She doesn’t have enough money and she won’t

visit Paris.

She doesn’t have enough money and she won’t

visit Paris.

He didn’t travel with a map, so he got lost.

He didn’t travel with a map, so he got lost.

Present Unreal ConditionalsPresent Unreal Conditionals

Use the simple past in the if clause. If the verb is be, use were for all persons. Use could, might, or would + base form in the result clause.

If I were a better planner I wouldn’t

travel without a map.

If I were a better planner I wouldn’t

travel without a map.

Where’s my wallet?

Where’s my wallet?

If he were more careful, he would notice that his

wallet was missing.

If he were more careful, he would notice that his

wallet was missing.

Past Unreal ConditionalsPast Unreal Conditionals

Use the past unreal conditional for past unreal, untrue, imagined, or impossible conditions and their unreal results. Use the past perfect in the if clause. Use could, might, or would + have + past participle in the result clause.

If I had looked at a map, I wouldn’t

have got lost.

If I had looked at a map, I wouldn’t

have got lost.

He didn’t look at a map, so he got lost.

He didn’t look at a map, so he got lost.

Where’s my wallet?

Where’s my wallet?

If he had been more careful, he might have noticed his wallet was

missing.

If he had been more careful, he might have noticed his wallet was

missing.

Practice 1Practice 1Look at the chart and complete the conditionals with your own ideas.

If + past perfect

AND

would/could/might

+ have

+ past participle verb

If + simple past

AND

would/could/might

+ base form verb

If + simple present

AND

will + base form verb

If + simple present

AND

simple present

Past UnrealUnrealReal

Examples:

If I have enough money, I will travel to Asia.

If I had enough money, I would travel to Asia.

If I had had a lot of money, I would have travelled to Asia.

I will travel to Asia.

I would travel to Asia.

I would have travelled to Asia.

Wish 1Wish 1

Use wish + could / would + base form to express a wish about the future.

I wish that baby would stop crying.

I wish that baby would stop crying.

This is what he wants, but he is not sure if the baby

will change his behaviour.

This is what he wants, but he is not sure if the baby

will change his behaviour.

Wish 2Wish 2

Use wish + the simple past to express a wish about the present.

I wish I caught an

earlier flight.

I wish I caught an

earlier flight. I wish I had

more leg room.

I wish I had more leg

room.

Wish 3Wish 3

I wish I hadn’t eaten that plane

food.

I wish I hadn’t eaten that plane

food.

The man ate the plane food.

The man ate the plane food.

Use wish + the past perfect to express a wish about the past.

Hope and WishHope and Wish

Don’t confuse hope and wish.

I hope I get to the plane on

time.

I hope I get to the plane on

time.

I wish (that) I didn’t have so much luggage.

I wish (that) I didn’t have so much luggage.

Use hope to express a desire about events that

are possible or probable.

Use hope to express a desire about events that

are possible or probable.

Use wish to express regrets about things that are unlikely or

impossible to change.

Use wish to express regrets about things that are unlikely or

impossible to change.

If OnlyIf Only

If only can also be used to express wishes.

If only they wouldn’t leave me here for the rest of my life.

If only they wouldn’t leave me here for the rest of my life.

If only they could see me.

If only they could see me.

PresentPresentFutureFuture