UNREAL TIME AND SUBJUNCTIVES

The 2 form of the verb (played, went; was, did; had, etc.) is sometimes used in English to refer to an unreal situation. Although the tense looks like the past, we are usually talking about the present, e.g. in a Type 2 conditional sentence: If dogs had wings, they would be able to fly. Although had looks like the past tense, we are not referring to the past - we are talking about a hypothetical situation. This is unreal time. Some words and expressions can introduce either real or unreal worlds. Others (in bold) always signal unreal worlds: after conditional conjunctions such as: if unless if only what if in case as long as since in the that+subject+verb" clause after I wish; Id prefer, Id [rather/sooner] etc. in the that+subject+verb" clause after the expressions provided/providing suppose/supposing/Lets suppose etc. (Lets) imagine Its time/Its high time/Its about time etc.
What is a that+subject+verb clause?
Look at the que+subject+verb phrases in Catalan: Espero que plogui Tant de bo que no hagus menjat tant. Preferia que aquells homes paressin de fumar! There are two main differences in English: We must say who the subject is (in Catalan you usually know who the subject is because of the ending of the verb) We dont need to say that because we recognise its a that+subject+verb clause as soon as we hear the subject: I wish (that) she lived in Girona. Its time (that) you went home
nd

It's time/Its about time/its high time

You can say Its time to go [es hora de marxar] when it is obvious in the context who has to go, but if you use a that+subject +verb clause [es hora que marxis] you must use the the 2nd form. Its time we left. Its about time I was going. It's high time you began revising for your exam in June.

wish/if only (= magic. It is not real!)

The verb wish is followed by that+subject+2nd verb form The conjunction if only is followed by subject+2nd verb form When you want to magically change the present or the future: I wish (that) I had a motorbike. (I dont have one now.) If only you werent leaving. (You are leaving.) When you want to magically change the past: I wish (that) my parents had bought me a motorbike when I was 18. (They didnt buy me one.) If only she had gone to university. (She didnt go to university and now she cant find a good job.) If only I hadnt eaten so much. (but I did. I ate too much and now Im sick) When you want to magically change somebodys habits (but you dont think they will change) or change some horrible situation (but you dont think it will change) we use would (the second form of will) I wish he would stop smoking. (but he wont) I wish it would stop raining. (but it will probably continue to rain) I wish you wouldnt make such a mess. (but they are teenagers!)
But remember: Hope Our hopes for the future are expressed with the verb hope and real (1st form) tense. This contrasts with Catalan & Spanish, where you use a subjunctive: Espero que plogui. Hope, in English, is not unreal.

I hope it doesnt rain tomorrow. I hope you have a lovely time in Portugal next week.

Id prefer
prefer is a verb, so = = = = = Preferia anar al cine
NO CATALAN EQUIVALENT

Id prefer to go to the cinema Id prefer you to go to the theatre. Id prefer that you went to the theatre Id prefer that you didnt go Id prefer that Mary had gone But we also say:

Preferia que anessis al teatre Preferia que no marxessis Preferia que Mary hagus anat

Id prefer it if you went / Id prefer it if she had gone. And of course, Id prefer tea to coffee. Shed prefer some biscuits.

rather (preferentment) and sooner (ms aviat) are not verbs. They are adverbs.
present: Id rather play football than tennis. Shed sooner read a book than watch TV past: Id rather have lived in Ancient Greece than Ancient Rome. Shed sooner have married George Clooney than me But, an old use of would (meaning wish or want) has survived when combined with rather & sooner and that+subject+verb in the 2nd form So:

Id rather you didnt smoke in here. Id rather the President resigned.

Id sooner she stayed in a hotel.

As if, as though Real and unreal

The verb form used with as if/as though depends on whether the situation is true or unreal. You look as if youre having second thoughts. (True. He is having second thoughts.) He acts as if he were in charge. (Unreal. He isnt in charge) Note, however, that the more colloquial like does not require this verb form change. Compare: You look like you have just seen a ghost. You look as if you had just seen a ghost.

Suppose and imagine Understood conditions

The conditional part of these sentences is often understood but not stated. Imagine we won the lottery! Suppose/supposing someone told you that I was a spy! Imagine we had never met! (we have met) As with conditional sentences, if the event referred to is a real possibility, rather than imaginary, a present verb form is possible: Suppose it starts raining, whatll we do?

Formal Subjunctives - Insisting, demanding, etc.

After verbs such as demand, insist, suggest, require which involve an implied obligation, the subjunctive may be used in formal style. This has only one form, that of the infinitive, and there is no third person s, or past form. The verb be has be for all forms. They demanded that he leave at once. (not he leaves) The school Principal suggested that he be awarded a scholarship. (not he is)

Formulaic Subjunctives
These are also a lot of fixed expressions (from more archaic language) that use the subjunctive. Typical expressions are: God save the Queen! Be that as it may Come what may . Suffice it to say . Far be it from me So be it.

UNREAL TIME AND SUBJUNCTIVES Practice I Underline either hope or wish in each sentence: 4) I hope/wish you didnt have to go. 5) I hope/wish youd stop shouting so much. 6) I hope/wish nothing goes wrong.

1) I hope/wish Ill see you again soon. 2) I hope/wish the weather improves soon. 3) I hope/wish I knew the answer.

II Put each verb in brackets into an appropriate verb form. 1) Id rather you ____________________ (not/watch) television while Im reading. 2) Its high time you __________________ (start) working seriously. 3) I wish I __________________ (spend) more time swimming last summer. 4) Helen is bossy. She acts as if she ______________ (own) the place. 5) I wish you ________________ (not/keep) coming late to class. 6) Suppose a complete stranger _______________ (leave) you a lot of money in their will! 7) I wish I _______________ (not/go) to your party after all. 8) Id rather you _______________ (sit) next to Susan, please. 9) You are lucky going to Italy. I wish I ______________ (go) with you. 10) She wishes her parents _______________ (approve) of her boyfriend. III Correct the errors in each sentence. 1) I wish I bought that old house. ______________________________________________________ 2) Id rather you dont eat all the bread. _________________________________________________ 3) Its time I go. ___________________________________________________________________ 4) I wish I own a motorbike. __________________________________________________________ 5) I wish we are not leaving in the morning. ______________________________________________ 6) Sue would rather reading than watching television. ______________________________________ 7) Come what comes, Ill be on your side. _______________________________________________ 8) I hope it would stop raining. ________________________________________________________ 9) Id prefer if you didnt wait. ________________________________________________________ 10) I wish I didnt listen to you before. ___________________________________________________ IV For each sentence, write a new sentence as similar as possible in meaning to the original sentence, but using the words given in brackets. 1) Please, hurry up! (wish) 2) Its very late. We really ought to be leaving. (time) 3) It would be nice to know his opinion. (wish) 4) Please keep it a secret for the time being. (rather) 5) Its a pity that youre going away so soon. (wish) 6) Would you mind not smoking at table? (rather) 7) He really should find himself a regular job. (time) 8) My parents would prefer us to live in the country. (rather) 9) When is the weather going to improve? (high time) 10) Please stop making so much noise! (wish)

V Complete each sentence with a suitable word or phrase. 1) I wish you _______________________ making so much noise late at night! 2) Id rather the children _________________ on the television without permission. 3) Suppose ___________________ half the money I owe you. Would that satisfy you? 4) I hope __________________ get into trouble on my account? What do you think theyll say? 5) This is an awful hotel. I wish we ______________________ to the Grand instead. 6) Id rather you _________________________ talk so loudly, if you dont mind. 7) If he __________________________ so self-righteous, hed realise he was wrong. 8) I think its high time we _________________________ locking all the windows at night. 9) Would you rather I _____________________ the lunch, if you feel tired? 10) Id prefer you ____________________ smoke in here, if you dont mind. VI Add one of these common phrases to each of the sentences. come what may so be it a c e f suffice it to say far be it from me be that as it may God forbid

If, .., you were to die, whod run the business? If you really want to drop out of college, then . . to tell you what to do, but youd be mad to marry him. This medicine tastes horrible! ., it will cure your cough.

b I dont want to explain. .. Aunt Sarah is coming to stay after all. d ., Im determined to finish decorating my room this weekend.

VII Now what do you prefer? A holiday at the seaside or in the mountains? Id rather spend my holidays at the seaside than in the mountains. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) Working from home or from the office? Travelling by car or by public transport? Going to the cinema or to the theatre? Meat or fish as a main course? Winter fashion or summer fashion? Reading or watching television? A dog or a cat? Learning vocabulary or grammar?

UNREAL TIME AND SUBJUNCTIVES Practice I

answers

Underline either hope or wish in each sentence: 4) I hope/wish you didnt have to go. 5) I hope/wish youd stop shouting so much. 6) I hope/wish nothing goes wrong.

1) I hope/wish Ill see you again soon. 2) I hope/wish the weather improves soon. 3) I hope/wish I knew the answer.

II Put each verb in brackets into an appropriate verb form. 1) Id rather you ____________________ (not/watch) television while Im reading. 2) Its high time you __________________ (start) working seriously. 3) I wish I __________________ (spend) more time swimming last summer. 4) Helen is bossy. She acts as if she ______________ (own) the place. 5) I wish you ________________ (not/keep) coming late to class. 6) Suppose a complete stranger _______________ (leave) you a lot of money in their will! 7) I wish I _______________ (not/go) to your party after all. 8) Id rather you _______________ (sit) next to Susan, please. 9) You are lucky going to Italy. I wish I ______________ (go) with you. 10) She wishes her parents _______________ (approve) of her boyfriend. III Correct the errors in each sentence. 11) I wish I bought that old house. ______________________________________________________ 12) Id rather you dont eat all the bread. _________________________________________________ 13) Its time I go. ___________________________________________________________________ 14) I wish I own a motorbike. __________________________________________________________ 15) I wish we are not leaving in the morning. ______________________________________________ 16) Sue would rather reading than watching television. ______________________________________ 17) Come what comes, Ill be on your side. _______________________________________________ 18) I hope it would stop raining. ________________________________________________________ 19) Id prefer if you didnt wait. ________________________________________________________ 20) I wish I didnt listen to you before. ___________________________________________________ IV For each sentence, write a new sentence as similar as possible in meaning to the original sentence, but using the words given in brackets. 11) Please, hurry up! (wish) 12) Its very late. We really ought to be leaving. (time) 13) It would be nice to know his opinion. (wish) 14) Please keep it a secret for the time being. (rather) 15) Its a pity that youre going away so soon. (wish) 16) Would you mind not smoking at table? (rather) 17) He really should find himself a regular job. (time) 18) My parents would prefer us to live in the country. (rather) 19) When is the weather going to improve? (high time) 20) Please stop making so much noise! (wish)

V Complete each sentence with a suitable word or phrase. 11) I wish you _______________________ making so much noise late at night! 12) Id rather the children _________________ on the television without permission. 13) Suppose ___________________ half the money I owe you. Would that satisfy you? 14) I hope __________________ get into trouble on my account? What do you think theyll say? 15) This is an awful hotel. I wish we ______________________ to the Grand instead. 16) Id rather you _________________________ talk so loudly, if you dont mind. 17) If he __________________________ so self-righteous, hed realise he was wrong. 18) I think its high time we _________________________ locking all the windows at night. 19) Would you rather I _____________________ the lunch, if you feel tired? 20) Id prefer you ____________________ smoke in here, if you dont mind. VI Add one of these common phrases to each of the sentences. come what may so be it g i j l suffice it to say far be it from me be that as it may God forbid

If, .., you were to die, whod run the business? If you really want to drop out of college, then . ., Im determined to finish decorating my room this weekend. This medicine tastes horrible! ., it will cure your cough.

h I dont want to explain. .. Aunt Sarah is coming to stay after all.

k . to tell you what to do, but youd be mad to marry him.

VII Now what do you prefer? A holiday at the seaside or in the mountains? Id rather spend my holidays at the seaside than in the mountains. 9) Working from home or from the office? 10) Travelling by car or by public transport? 11) Going to the cinema or to the theatre? 12) Meat or fish as a main course? 13) Winter fashion or summer fashion? 14) Reading or watching television? 15) A dog or a cat? 16) Learning vocabulary or grammar?