Unreal past

The Past Simple can be used to talk about imaginary, unreal or improbable situations in the present and Past Perfect can be used to talk about imaginary, unreal or improbable situations in the past. This is called Unreal Past. Unreal past is used as follows:

Past Simple

Past Perfect

Conditionals Type 2(unreal in the present) If I were you, I would leave now. Wish(present) I wish she worked more efficiently. I’d rather/sooner….(present) I’d rather you left the files here, please. Suppose/supposing Suppose you won the lottery, what would you buy? As if/ as though ….. (untrue situation in the present) He acts as if he were a genius. It’s (about/high) time… It’s about time you learnt to drive.

Conditionals Type3(unreal in the past) If I had known before, I wouldn’t have come. Wish (past) If only he hadn’t lied to me. I’d rather/sooner….(past) I’d rather you had not spoken like that yesterday. Suppose/supposing Suppose she hadn’t reminded you, would you have remembered? As if/ as though ….. (untrue situation in the past) She looked at me as if she had never seen me before.

1. Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the verb in brackets.

1. Suppose they __________ (not/turn up) to meet you, what would you have done? 2. If only I _____________ (not eat) last night. 3. If she ___________ (tell) me it was a secret, I wouldn’t have told anyone. 4. Suppose you ____________ (miss) your connection, how would you have got home? 5. Suppose he ____________ (catch) you smoking, what would you do? 6. If you _________ (stop) complaining, we would be able to get some work done today. 7. If only I ____________ (not/stay) so late last night. 8. It’s high time you___________ (take) some responsibility for your actions. 9. Supposing you __________(fail) your exams, what would you have done? 10. It’s time you__________ (light) the fire – it’s getting cold. 11. She spends money as if she __________ (have) loads of it, but I know she is in debt. 12. If we __________ (install) a burglar alarm, this wouldn’t have happened. 13. I’d rather we __________ (go) home now. 14. I wish she ___________ (study) harder instead of watching TV. 15. I’d rather she _________ (not/wear) my dress last night. She’s ruined it. 16. I’d rather we _____________ (leave) now.

2. Underline the correct tense.

1. It’s about time she learnt / had learnt how to cook. 2. I d rather you didn’t touch / had not touch my favourite vase. You may break it. 3. If she heard / had heard the news, she would have called us by now. 4. They would have opened the door if they knew / had known who was there. 5. It’s high time they made / had made some changes. 6. I wish I saved / had saved some money last month. 7. Ben would have taken up sport if he realised / had realised how much fun it was. 8. Tom speaks to everyone as if he knew / had known everything. 9. He would rather you didn’t open / hadn’t opened the letter. He wanted to do it by himself. 10. Suppose you met / had met him, what would you say to him? 11. If only he called / had called me last night, we could have gone out. 12. I’d rather Mary spent / had spent the night with us. It’s snowing too heavily for her to drive home. 13. If you knew / had known what she did yesterday, you would be very surprised. 14. Supposing she were seen / had been seen leaving early, what would have happened?

Дата добавления: 2015-08-18