Joy English
Joy English

C2 Gramática

C2Pasado irreal25 min

Pasado irreal y condicionales invertidos

Unreal past forms and inverted conditionals

Usa formas de pasado para la irrealidad en el presente o el futuro, y omite if invirtiendo should, were y had.

El inglés usa formas de pasado para hablar de cosas que no son reales ahora (past forms to talk about things that are not real now). Este «pasado irreal» aparece después de it's time, would rather, as if, suppose y wish. La escritura formal también reduce los condicionales omitiendo if e invirtiendo el primer verbo.

EstructuraEstructuraEjemplo
It's (high / about) time+ subject + past simpleIt's high time the council repaired the road.
would rather / sooner+ subject + past simple (now or future)I'd rather you kept the windows closed.
would rather+ subject + past perfect (past)I'd rather you hadn't told anyone.
as if / as though+ past perfect for past unrealityShe spoke as if she had led the project.
suppose / supposing+ past simple for a hypothetical caseSuppose you were given the chance, what would you do?
but for / were it not for / had it not been for+ noun phraseBut for his help, I would have failed.
Should / Were / Had + subjectreplaces ifHad we known, we would have called.

Cada una de las tres formas invertidas sustituye a if en un tipo de condicional. Should + subject (Should you need help, ask) sustituye a if you should need, una posibilidad cortés o poco probable. Were + subject (+ to) (Were she to accept, she would move) sustituye a if she were to accept. Had + subject + past participle (Had it not been for the warning, many would have suffered) sustituye a if it had not been for.

  • It's about time we started thinking about a long-term solution.
  • I'd sooner you didn't mention it to anyone.
  • Were it not for his constant encouragement, I would have given up long ago.
  • Should the printer fail again, call the technician.
  • Had the budget been approved earlier, the bridge would be finished by now.

Ejercicio 1 de 2

Elige la forma correcta

Elige la opción que completa correctamente cada oración.

  1. It's high time the council _____ the road before someone is injured.

  2. I'd rather you _____ the windows closed while the paint dries.

  3. At the meeting she spoke as if she _____ the project herself, although it was her predecessor's.

  4. _____ for the generosity of a few donors, the museum would have closed.

  5. _____ it not been for the early warning, many more people would have been affected.

  6. _____ you require further information, please contact the office.

  7. Suppose you _____ the chance to live anywhere, where would you choose?

  8. Were Nadia _____ see the final report, she would be astonished.

0 de 8 respondidas

Ejercicio 2 de 2

Completa la oración

Escribe la palabra o palabras que faltan.

  1. It's about time we (start) thinking about a long-term solution.

  2. I'd rather you told anyone about the results before the announcement; it's too late now.

  3. The lecturer spoke as though the audience already read the paper, which few had.

  4. it not for his constant encouragement, I would have given up long ago.

  5. the budget been approved earlier, the bridge would be finished by now.

  6. Were the company (close) its factory, hundreds of workers would lose their jobs.

  7. But the quick thinking of the pilot, the flight would have ended badly.

  8. Supposing you (win) a large prize tomorrow, what would you do with it?

0 de 8 respondidas

Fuente

Lección original de Joy English.

Los niveles son orientativos. ¿Has encontrado un error? Cuéntanoslo en la página de Contacto.