Look at these examples to see how we use different tenses to talk about unreal time.
If only there was something I could do to help.
It's high time we stopped using plastic bags.
I'd rather you didn't mention this to Sam for now.
Try this exercise to test your grammar.
- Grammar test 1
Read the explanation to learn more.
Grammar explanation
Imagined, wished for or unlikely situations are considered 'unreal' time. When we are talking about these situations, we often shift the verb form backwards. For example, the present changes to the past, and the past changes to the past perfect. The tense change suggests a distance from reality.
Wish and if only
We use wish and if only to talk about things that we would like to be different in either the present or the past. If only is usually a bit stronger than wish.
The present
We can use wish/if only + a past form to talk about a present situation we would like to be different.
I wish I knew more people my own age.
If only drivers paid more attention to cyclists.
Would is used when the speaker wants someone or something else to change. It often expresses annoyance.
I wish people wouldn't eat noisily at the cinema.
The past
We can use wish/if only + a past perfect form to talk about something we would like to change about the past.
I wish I hadn't stayed out so late last night. I'm really tired today.
If only we'd known this company was going to close, we wouldn't have recommended them.
The future
Note that we don't use wish to talk about our wishes for a future event.
I wish you pass the exam.
This is not talking about an unreal time; it's a wish for the future. We usually use I hope to express wishes for the future.
I hope you pass the exam.
It's (high) time
We can use the expression it's (high) time + subject + past verb form to say it is time to do something now that should have been done a long time ago.
It's high time we went to bed.
It's time we took responsibility for our planet.
As if/as though
We can use as if and as though to talk about how a situation appears or seems. As if is more common than as though.
Some people behave as if their actions had no consequences.
It was as though she hadn't heard me.
When we follow as if/as though with an unreal tense, we are saying we don't think the statement is really true.
Would rather
Would rather is used to express preference about actions.
I'd rather buy less, but better quality.
When the subjects of the two clauses are different, we often use unreal tenses.
They would rather we didn't wait too long before letting them know our decision.
I'd rather you didn't eat dinner on the new sofa.
Do this exercise to test your grammar again.
- Grammar test 2
Hello ,
I have two questions:
I wanted to ask about the difference between when as if is followed by a past tense and a present tense
and also if these two scentences have different meaning: (1-she scolded me as if she were the principal )
and ( 2-she scolded me as if she was the principal ) , because some sources mentioned that (1) means that she is not the principal in the real time and (2) means that she maybe was the principal in the past , and other sources mentioned different meaning , so i could confused , Can you please explain to me ?
Thanks in advance,
Retaj
Hello Retaj,
The answer here is it depends! Sometimes a past tense after if can describe an unreal/hypothetical/unlikely event in the present or future, but it can also describe a real/likely event in the past, for example. A present form can describe a real/likely event in the present or future, but it can be a single event or something repeated and typical. The answer depends on the particular example and the context which it creates.
You can read more about constructions with if here:
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/b1-b2-grammar/conditionals-zero-first-second
and also if these two scentences have different meaning: (1-she scolded me as if she were the principal )
The past form is used here to describe an unreal situation: she is not the principal. We don't know from this sentence if she was the principal in the past or not, though if she had been the principal once and was no longer the sentence would probably say '...as if she was still the principal'. Still, the only thing we can say with certainty from this sentence is that she is not the principal now.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Sir,
If only we had known which airport she was arriving at, it would be easy to pick her up.
The correct answer in test 2 should be like this? I do not get the answer.
Thank you.
Hello Aung Qui,
You can see the correct answer by pressing Finish and then See Answers. The correct answer is:
In your answer, the mix of a past time ('we had known') and a present or future time ('would be') doesn't make sense.
The two most likely combinations are the correct answer above or a third conditional structure:
Best wishes,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team
Hello dear instructors,
I've got a question from Grammar test 2:
"He'd rather we didn't start work on this until the order is confirmed."
As far as I know, we use either 'to' or '-ing' form after 'start'. Could you please explain me more on how we use the sentence stucture in the test ("start work on this")?
Hello NTS,
In this case, 'work' is a noun rather than a verb. This is often used to speak about the start of a project or assignment of some sort ('Tomorrow we start work on the new project'), or one's job ('I start work at 7am').
Best wishes,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team
Hello,
I think that in this case "work" is not a verb or a gerund it is a noun (work = task). I guess it's confusing because work can be both a verb and a noun.
Hello The LearnEnglish Team,
Is the sentence incorrect either grammatically or semantically because I used "now"?
"Now it's time you wrote a short composition."
Hello Sep80,
That looks fine to me, though I'd probably say 'It's time to write a composition now'.
Best wishes,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team
first , I would like to thank you all for all the efforts you have made to support and define these fruitful website.
I have one question regarding unreal tense and when we can use it especially after as if. could you please explain to me why we did not use unreal tense with the below sentences extracted from previous page although the statement is not really true.
You look as if you've seen a ghost.
I felt as if I was floating above the ground.
You talk as though we're never going to see each other again.