UNREAL TENSES AND SUBJUNCTIVES

Its time

Its time, Its high time

These are followed by past simple or continuous, though the time referred to is unreal.

Its time we left. Its high time I was/were going.

Was or were

As in conditional sentences, were can be used for all persons of be, though was is more common in everyday speech.

Wishes

Present

These are wishes where you want to change a present state.

I wish I had a motorbike. (I dont have one now.)

I wish you werent leaving. (You are leaving.)

I wish I was going on holiday with you. (I am not going.)

Would and could

If the verb is an event verb, the reference is to the future. We use would or could after wish. Would here means decided to.

I wish you would leave.

I wish I could come on holiday with you next year.

The use with would is often used to describe an annoying habit.

I wish you wouldnt make such a mess.

Past

These are wishes referring to a past event, which cannot be changed.

I wish I hadnt eaten so much.

This use is common after if only to express regrets.

Hope

Wishes about simple future events are expressed with hope.

I hope it doesnt rain tomorrow.

I hope hell stop talking soon!

Id rather/I prefer (followed by a clause)

Id rather

It is followed by past tenses in the same way as wishes about the present. It expresses a personal preference about actions.

Id rather you didnt smoke in here.

Id sooner works in the same way.

Both Id rather and Id sooner are used with normal tenses when comparing nouns or phrases.

Id rather be a sailor than a soldier. (present)

Id rather have lived in Ancient Greece than Ancient Rome. (past)

Id prefer

Id prefer can be used as part of a conditional 2 sentence. Note that prefer in this type of sentence has an object it.

Id prefer it if you didnt go.

Id prefer is not followed by an unreal tense.

Id prefer tea to coffee.

Id prefer you not to go.

As if, As though

Real and unreal

The tense here depends on whether the comparison is true or unreal.

He acts as if he were in charge. (He isnt in charge.)

He acts as if he is in charge. (He is in charge.)

The difference is clearer with obviously unreal comparisons.

You look as if you had just seen a ghost!

In everyday speech, there is often no obvious difference made.

Present and past reference

Present and past reference are both possible.

I feel as if I were flying. (Im not.)

I feel as if an express train had hit me. (It didnt.)

Suppose and imagine

Understood conditions

The conditional part of these sentences is often understood but not stated.

Imagine we won the prize! (Imagine what we would do if)

Suppose someone told you that I was a spy! (What would you say?)

As with conditional sentences, if the event referred to is a real possibility, rather than imaginary, a present tense is possible:

Suppose it starts raining, whatll we do?

Present or past

Present and past reference are both possible.

Imagine wed never met!

Suppose we went to Wales for a change.

Formal subjunctives

Insisting, demanding etc

After verbs such as demand, insist, suggest, require which involve an implied obligation, the subjunctive may be used in formal style. This has only one form, that of the infinitive, and there is no third person s, or past form. The verb be has be for all forms.

They demanded that he leave at once.

The same applies after expressions such as it is necessary/essential/important that

It is essential that you arrive before six.

Less formal usage

Less formally, should can be used, and colloquially no tense change is made, or an infinitive construction is used.

They demanded that he should leave.

They demanded that he left. (informal)

It is essential for you to arrive before six.

Formulaic subjunctive

These are fixed expressions all using subjunctive. Typical examples are:

God save the Queen!

Be that as it may

Come what may

Activities

Put each verb in brackets into a suitable tense.

a)      I would say it was time you started (start) working seriously.

b)      Id rather you (not watch) television while Im reading.

c)      I wish I (spend) more time swimming last summer.

d)      Helen is so bossy. She acts as if she (own) the place.

e)      I wish you (not keep) coming late to class.

f)       Suppose a complete stranger (leave) you a lot of money in their will!

g)      I wish I (go) to your party after all.

h)      Id rather you (sit) next to Susan, please.

i)        The government demanded that the ambassador (be) recalled.

j)       You are lucky going to Italy. I wish I (go) with you.

Complete each sentence with a suitable word or phrase.

a)      I wish you would stop making so much noise late at night!

b)      Id rather the children on the television without permission.

c)      I rather not go by bus, if possible.

d)      that as it may, it doesnt alter the seriousness of the problem.

e)      I wish Carol be here to see you all.

f)       We both wish you staying longer.

g)      You as if you had played in the match instead of watching it!

h)      they offered you the job of managing director!

i)        I really wish we married.

j)       I you didnt mind my phoning so late.

Rewrite each sentence so that it contains the word in capitals, and so that the meaning stays the same.

a)      Do you ever regret not going to university? WISH

Do you ever wish you had gone to the university?

b)      I should really be leaving. TIME

c)      Id rather have beer than wine. PREFER

d)      Jack doesnt know all the answers, though he pretends to. ACTS

e)      Id love to be able to go with you to the opera. WISH

f)       I wish I hadnt sold that old painting. PITY

g)      It would be better if you didnt stay long. RATHER

h)      The management insisted on our wearing dark suits. WEAR

i)        Why do you have to complain all the time? WISH

j)       I dont want to go to the meeting. RATHER

Rewrite each sentence, beginning as shown, so that the meaning stays the same.

a)      It would be nice to be able to fly.

I wish I could fly!

b)      I wish I hadnt heard that!

Id rather you .

c)      Everyone wished they had listened more carefully to the lecture.

Everyone regretted .

d)      Unfortunately Ive got to work late tonight.

I wish .

e)      Is it better for me to leave?

Would you .

f)       Its a pity I cant borrow your car.

I wish you would

g)      We really must discuss this again.

Its important that ..

h)      Its a pity you were driving so fast.

I wish you ..

i)        May the President live a long time!

Long

j)       Jack prefers me not to say anything about the missing money.

Jack would rather