Look at the A and B sentences below Find out why B is correct and A is wrong in the Grammar Points section.
GRAMMAR POINTS
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' /GRAMMAR POINTS
We use the simple past tense or the past continuous tense in the if clause, and would with the base form of the verb in the main clause to refer to actions or situations which are imaginary or for situations which are impossible.
EXAMPLES: Simple PastTense + would + base form of verb
If I owned this beautiful + I would have a large pool on the top floor to mansion, relax in and enjoy the view. (imaginary) If I were the president, r I would allocate more money to help the poor
and needy. (impossible situation)
Note: We can also use other modal verbs like could, might and should in place of would.
We use the simple past tense in the if clause and would with the base form of the verb in the main clause when we give or ask for advice.
DGMPLES: SimplePastTense Ifthe buyers offered you a good price for the house, If you were in my position,
+ would (or other modal) + base form of verb + you should sell it. (offer aduice)
+ what would you do? (ask for aduice) 62
lA If I had enough money, I travel to places I have always dreamed of seeing.
1B If I had enough money, I would travel to places I have always dreamed of seeing.
If they giving you the chance to work in Geneva, vou should accept it.
If they gave you the chance to work in Geneva, you should accept it.
Tom would never get into such trouble with the directors if vou had explained the situation.
Tom would never have got into such trouble with the directors if you had explained the situation.
Mrs Heng wishes she can afford a new car to replace the old model she drives.
Mrs Heng wishes she could afford a new car to replace the old model she drives.
We use the past perfect tense in the if clause and the perfect conditional would have with the past participle of the verb in the main clause to refer to actions which never took place or results which rvould have been achieved if the actions had taken place.
Er<IMPLES: Past Perfect Tense + would have + past participle of verb If we hadn't been so busy + we would have come to see you in hospital.
at the office, (action neuer took place)
If our business partners + our company would not have lost so much had been honest, money. (what the result might haue been
if the action had taken place)
We use wish + simple past tense to refer to an imaginary situation or event which we would Iike to happen now.
EXAMPLE: I wish I was tall and slim so I could wear those elegant suits.
wish + sinlple past tense
\\4ren we want to refer to an event in the past which we think should have turned out differently, we use wish + past perfect tense .
EXAMpLE: We wish we had remembered to buy a birthdav gift for Anne last week.
wish + past perfect tense (we didn't buy a gift because we forgot)
@ A ] c i r c l e t h e n u m b e r s o f t h e S e n t e n c e S w h i c h a r e c o r r e c t . I If he had sufficient funds, he would set up a home for abused children.
2 If I am you, I would postpone the wedding until Dad recovers from his illness.
3 The second team could have won the match if they had had more stamina.
4 Developing countries will progress rapidly if they had effective economic planning.
5 I wish we reported to the personnel manager about the problems last week.
6 Iason would have been surprised if he had seen the letter the income tax authorities had sent him.
7 We would have gladly helped with you if you had asked for our support.
B The logs would have fell from the lorry if an alert motorist hadn't informed the driver of the danger.
9 If ioan were more thrifty, she will put aside enough money to buy a car.
l0 If James had spent more time with his famill', his children might have heard more -l =':
about about their family's history. ryl
lr" 'H ttlntGlt€ Underline the correctverb forms in the brackets.
I If there had been a jam on the highway, we ( would be / would have been ) late for the reception.
2 If people of different backgrounds ( had learned / learned ) to live in harmony, we would have a happier society.
3 Mark ( would tell / would have told ) Sarah of his admiration for her tennis skills if he had not been so shy.
4 If I were Janet I ( fought / would fight ) for freedom of expression in my newspaper column.
5 I wish I (am / were ) more organised and meticulous in mywork.
6 Iulie ( would come / would have come ) to the party if she had the free time.
7 He ( will become / would become ) the first athlete to win all the track and field events if he won the 200-metre hurdles.
B If you ( woke / had woken ) me up earlier, we would not have missed the train.
9 The doctors (would not postpone / would not have postponed ) the operation if there had been three compatible blood donors.
l0 The crowd would have been terribly disappointed if their favourite stars ( hadn't appeared / wouldn't appear ) for the concert.
@!JFillintheblankswiththecorrectformsoftheverbsinthebrackets.
I If the workmen had waited for instructions from the supervisor, they (do) a better job.
2 Tessa would protest if she (know) that she was almost chosen to represent our group at a public debate.
(be) a much more interesting place if animals (work) on my car all day yesterday, it would have been ready by now
5 I f I (be) the education minister, I would propose that schools commence with lessons at nine in the morning.
If man respected the environment, we effects of pollution.
I wish we
(not suffer) the (buy) more food for our trip last night. Somehow the quantity doesn't seem enough for our four-day stay.
B W e (reach) the island resort by now if we had taken the coastal road instead of the busv expresswav.
I If the board (grant) her the scholarship, Barbara would do her best to achieve all that was expected of her.
l0 Kate wishes she (have.) a more adventurous
spirit like her sister Megan.
Some of the sentences below contain incorrect verb forms. Underline them and write the correct verbs in the boxes provided.
Those people would win their independence by now if they had taken a united stand against their rulers.
The world would talked.
If the mechanic
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I wish I had the patience my mother has to sew beautiful quilts.
The women of our great-grandmothers' time would be utterly amazed if they see the fashions of today.
I would have forgot this unfortunate incident if I were you.
If that heavy crane fell , it would do a great deal of damage.
If Sally bought this rare antique vase, she would have made a wise investment.
Household chores would be so much lighter if we had robots to do the work.
We wish we notice that the lady in the stationary car had required medical attention.
The air control tower should have advised the pilot to delay take-off if the weather had been so bad.
Iane would be pleasantly surprised if we took her
out for dinner on her birthday. -r::YOUR SCORE I
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Rewrite the sentences below without changing the meaning. Use the given words and make changes to the tense of the verbs where necessary.
I If Tom were here, he would know what was wrong with the car.
IfTom had been here
2 The distinguished visitors would have been delighted if they had watched the tribal dances.
The distinguished visitors would be delighted
3 I wish I had understood this problem. Then I would have been able to help you.
. Then I would be able to help you.
4 Sue might remember the password if you reminded her earlier.
Sue might have remembered
5 If the prosecution lawyers agreed, we If the prosecution la\.eyers had agreed
would call the children to be witnesses.