The unreal past and wish

1. The Unreal Past and ‘Wish’

2. What happens to a ‘ condition ’ when it moves into the past?

3. 1). The condition was verified

4. 2 ). We don’t know if the condition was verified

5. 3). The condition wasn’t verified

6. If you do your homework, you’ll be able to do this exercise.

7. If you do your homework, you’ll be able to do this exercise. 1). The condition was verified

8. You did your homework , and you were able to do that exercise. 1). The condition was verified

9. You did your homework , and you were able to do that exercise, or now you are able to do it. 1). The condition was verified

10. If you do your homework, you’ll be able to do this exercise. 2). We don’t know if the condition was verified

11. If you have done your homework, you’ll be able to do this exercise. 2). We don’t know if the condition was verified

12. If you do your homework, you’ll be able to do this exercise. 3) . The condition wasn’t verified

13. If you had done your homework, you would have been able to do that exercise. 3) . The condition wasn’t verified

14. this form is called the 3 rd conditional it describes the ‘unreal past’

15. Present or future hypothesis Past unrealised hypothesis If Brazil wins, nobody will be surprised. If Brazil had won, nobody would have been surprised. If I won the lottery, I’d buy a Ferrari. If I had won the lottery, I woul d have bought a Ferrari. If John were rich, he’d buy a Ferrari. If John had been rich, he would have bought a Ferrari.

16. Present or future hypothesis Past unrealised hypothesis NB always the same form If Brazil wins, nobody will be surprised. If Brazil had won , nobody would have been surprised. If I won the lottery, I’d buy a Ferrari. If I had won the lottery, I woul d have bought a Ferrari. If John were rich, he’d buy a Ferrari. If John had been rich, he would have bought a Ferrari.

17. Present Subjunctive Past Subjunctive Past Perfect Subjunctive I be were (was) had been he / she / it we were you they

18. Present Subjunctive Past Subjunctive Past Perfect Subjunctive I take do have arrive give etc took did had arrived gave etc had taken did had arrived given etc he / she / it we you they

19. the ‘unreal past’ works like this

20. past fact Brazil didn’t win 1. + ive <-> - ive Brazil won 2. go one tense back (past perfect subjunctive ) Brazil had won 3. add context If Brazil had won , nobody would have been surprised. I wish (that) Brazil had won.

21. past fact Spain won 1. + ive <-> - ive Spain didn’t win 2. go one tense back (past perfect subjunctive) Spain hadn’t won 3. add context If Spain hadn’t won , the Basques would have celebrated. They wish (that) Spain hadn’t won.

22. Present Subjunctive Past Subjunctive Past Perfect Subjunctive I be were (was) had been he / she / it we were you they

23. Present Subjunctive Past Subjunctive Past Perfect Subjunctive I take do have arrive give etc took did had arrived gave etc had taken did had arrived given etc he / she / it we you they

24. create unreal past sentences from these: I wasn’t at home. I wanted to go with them. We didn’t have her address. She didn’t speak perfect Spanish. You weren’t listening to me. I knew the answer. He had to work hard. You were there. He wasn’t there. This class was supremely intelligent. I didn’t pay attention to the other cars. She didn’t see her friend. It was Monday. I didn’t come to university by scooter.

25. what about ‘wish’?

26. 3 possible constructions:

27. I wish it were Friday.

28. I wish I had known about the party.

29. I wish my neighbours would shut up.

30. unreal present I wish it were Friday. unreal past I wish I had known about the party. possible but remote future desire I wish my neighbours would shut up.

31. unreal present past subjunctive I wish it were Friday. unreal past perfect subjunctive I wish I had known about the party. possible but remote future desire ? I wish my neighbours would shut up .

32. compare

33. I hope my neighbours (will) shut up. I want them to shut up maybe they will.

34. I wish my neighbours would shut up. I want them to shut up but I expect that they’ll continue to make a noise.

35. I wish my neighbours would shut up. ?

36. what is the present situation?

37. M y neighbours won’t shut up. won’t = they don’t want to shut up

38. present fact My neighbours won’t shut up. 1. + ive <-> - ive They will shut up . 2. go one tense back (past subjunctive) They would shut up . 3. add context I wish (that) t hey would shut up .

39. I wish my neighbours would shut up. ‘would’ is the past subjunctive of ‘will’ IT IS NOT the conditional!

40. summary

41. zero conditional If you pour oil on water, it floats. 1 st conditional If Brazil wins, nobody will be surprised. 2 nd conditional If I won the lottery, I’d buy a Ferrari. If John were rich, he’d buy a Ferrari. 3 rd conditional If you had done your homework, you would have been able to do that exercise.

42. NB don’t confuse ‘the conditional sentences’ (or ‘the conditionals’) ie . sentences with “If A; B” with ‘the conditional (tense)’ eg . “I would/could/should/might go”

43. notice the symmetry in the constructions

44. present / subjunctives ‘will’ / ‘would’ 1 st If Brazil wins , nobody will be surprised. 2 nd If I won the lottery, If John were rich, I woul d buy a Ferrari. he’d buy a Ferrari. 3 rd If you had done your homework, you would have been able to do that exercise.