Mastering Hypothetical Situations: Advanced Techniques

1. Hypothetical situations Success Advanced Chapter 5

2. Possibilities We can use different constructions for hypothetical/imaginary/unreal situations • If sentences • I wish/If only • I’d rather/I’d prefer • It’s high time/it’s about time • As if/as though

3. General rule • We use Past simple to talk about unreal situations in the present • We use Past Perfect to talk about unreal situations in the past • I wish they didn’t have to drive so far to get home. (but they do) • I wish I had gone to France last year. (but I didn’t)

4. I wish/if only • I wish/if only are used to express regret or irritation about a situation that is hard/impossible to change. • If only is more dramatic • If only I had known, I would have helped you. (but you didn’t) • I wish I knew where my sister was at the moment (but I don’t)

5. Now you try • I wish you (call) sooner. He has just left. • I wish you had called sooner. He has just left. • Ifonly he (marry) her, she wouldn’t have killed herself. • Ifonly he had married her, she wouldn’t have killed herself. • I wish I (know) where to go, I’m lost. • I wish I knew where to go, I’m lost.

6. Would rather/would prefer ‘d rather/’d prefer with Past Perfect are used to express regret or irritation. • I’d rather you hadn’t told me (but you did) ‘d rather/’d prefer with Past Simple are used to make a strong request or suggestion. • I’d prefer it if you didn’t pay. (I really don’t want you to pay)

7. Now you try • I’d rather you (not leave) your wet umbrella in the corridor. • I’d rather you didn’t leave your wet umbrella in the corridor. (strong request) • I’d rather you (not paint) the house green. • I’d rather you hadn’t painted the house green. (but you did) • Would you rather we (go) somewhere else? • Would you rather we went somewhere else? (suggestion)

8. It’s about time/it’s high time • It’s about time/it’s high time are used with the past simple to suggest that something should be happening now, but isn’t • It’s about time you cleaned your room! • It’s high time they bought a new car.

9. As if/as though (1) As if/as though are used to make an unlikely comparison about something. • He treats us as if we were idiots (we are not, only his treatment suggests we are) • She looked as though she had just seen a ghost (It’s unlikely this happened)

10. As if/as though (2) As if/as though can be used with other tenses to make realistic comparisons • He looks as though he’s French. (he probably is) • She sounds as if she loves the guy. (she probably does)

11. Now you try • They act as if they (be) drunk. At this hour! • They acted as if they were drunk. (they probably aren’t) • They look as though they (be) brothers. • They look as though they are brothers. (they probably are) • It looked as if the little boy (kill) the baby, not his father. • It looked as if the little boy had killed the baby, not the father.(it is very unlikely)