Talking about unreal and imaginary situations.
Just as in last week's post, when I looked at using 'will' for the present, this week I am going to show how we use unexpected verb forms to talk about unreal or imaginary situations.
When we have an unreal or imaginary situation we change the verb form to indicate this. This is a type of 'distancing' . Most learners of English will have encountered the 2nd Conditional:
'If I was/were in his situation, I would get another job'.
The sentence refers to now but we use the past tense in the first part (the 'If' clause) and would in the second clause.
If I was/were in his situation, I would get another job.
Past would+1st form/inf
In the second clause we can also use also use: could/may/might/should etc.
*A common mistake (to be aware of) is to put 'would' in both clauses.
Listen to the following to become more familiar with the 2nd Condtional:
Listen to the following to become more familiar with the 2nd Condtional:
I wish... & If only...
Similar to this conditional is the use of I wish/If only.....
These expressions are used to express imaginary or unreal situations and just like in the first example- The sentence refers to now but we use the past tense.
I wish (or If only) I could find another job.
wish + past
wish + past
The sentence refers to now/future but we use the past tense.
* 'If only...' works the same as 'I wish...' but is more emphatic.
Last week I looked at how 'will' is used to express an annoying habit e.g.
'She will talk when I'm trying to write this blog'.
We can use I wish (or If only) to say that you want this annoying habit to stop
Now you just put 'will' into a past form.
Now you just put 'will' into a past form.
I wish she would not talk, when I'm trying to write this blog
wish + would + 1st form/infinitive
Next week I will continue looking at how verb forms normally used in one tense are used in other ways.
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