Joy English
Joy English

C2 Grammar

C2Unreal past25 min

Unreal past forms and inverted conditionals

Use past forms for present or future unreality and drop if by inverting should, were and had.

English uses past forms to talk about things that are not real now. This "unreal past" appears after it's time, would rather, as if, suppose and wish. Formal writing also reduces conditionals by dropping if and inverting the first verb.

StructurePatternExample
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.

The three inverted forms each replace if in one type of conditional. Should + subject (Should you need help, ask) replaces if you should need, a polite or unlikely possibility. Were + subject (+ to) (Were she to accept, she would move) replaces if she were to accept. Had + subject + past participle (Had it not been for the warning, many would have suffered) replaces 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.

Exercise 1 of 2

Choose the correct form

Choose the option that completes each sentence correctly.

  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 of 8 answered

Exercise 2 of 2

Complete the sentence

Type the missing word or words.

  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 of 8 answered

Source

Original lesson by Joy English.

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