if clause 2 unreal conditionals: present, future, and past

IF CLAUSE 2

Unreal Conditionals:

Present, Future, and Past

Forming Present and Future Unreal

Conditionals(Type 2)Simple Past/Past Progressive, could/might/would

(IF CLAUSE) (MAIN CLAUSE)

If I studied every day, I could pass all my tests.

(But I don’t study every day, so I can’t pass all my tests.)

Formal language = I/ You/ We/ They/ He/ She were

Informal language = I/ He/ She/ It was

If I were better at math, I would become an engineer.(FORMAL)

If I was better at math, I would become an engineer.(INFORMAL)

Using Present and Future Unreal

Conditionals(Type 2)

If clause = An imagined situation

The main clause = possible result.

If all public schools worked well, parents wouldn’t choose private schools.

(But some public schools don’t work well, so parents choose private schools)

if clause + could/the past progressive

an imagined possible situation.

If the school could hire more teachers, we would have smaller classes.(But they can’t hire more teachers, so we have large classes.

Time words to show present or future time.

We wouldn’t have a place to learn if our school closed next year.

If classes were smaller today, students might be more motivated.

If I were you , I would ……. = ADVICE

If I were you, I’d study harder.

(My advice is to study harder)

I wouldn’t drop out of school if I were you.

(You should stay in school)

Forming Past Unreal

Conditionals (Type 3)

Past Perfect, may/might/could/would have + V3

(IF CLAUSE) (MAIN CLAUSE)

If the city had hired more teachers, the schools might have improved.

Using Past Unreal Conditionals(Type 3)

Not true in the past

If the hurricane had missed our city, the schools wouldn’t have received money from the government.

(But the hurricane didn’t miss our city)

We can use past unreal conditional to express regrets or sadness.

If I hadn’t quit school, I would have become an engineer.

If I had been, I would have… =INDIRECT ADVICE

If I had been you, I wouldn’t have quit school.

(ADVICE FOR PAST SITUATION)

WISH CLAUSE

Wishes About Present, Future, and Past

Wishes About Present

Wish + Past Simple/Past Progressive/Could

I wish we had more classrooms.

(NOW We don’t have).

Wishes About Future

Wish + Was/Were going to/could/would

I wish I were going to have time to meet you tonight

(But I am not going to)

Wishes About Past

Wish + Past Perfect

We wish we had had more time to study for the test.

(We didn’t have more time)