DESTINATION B2

UNIT 25: GRAMMAR

*Unreal past, wishes/contrast

Unreal past

Past tenses do not always refer to past time, In some sentences and with some verbs or

phrases we use a past tense to refer to the present or the future or to a general situation.

These include sentences that contain.

Structure

Example

A second conditional

I’d buy that top if I had more cash on me

Suppose/ what if/

imagine

I know it’s probably not going to happen but suppose/ imagine/

became a famous super model!

I know it’s probably not going to happen but what if/ became a

famous super model!

Would rather + you/he/

she/we/they

I’d rather you didn’t come with me to the fashion show tomorrow.

It’s (high/ about) time

It’s (high/about) time that hats came back in fashion.

Polite questions

Did you want me to send you our new catalogue when it comes out?

Wish/if only

If only/I wish/had something to wear tonight.



Suppose, what if and imagine can also be followed by a present tense.

A present tense indicates that the situation is more likely to actually happen.

A past tense indicates that the situation is less likely to actually happen.



What if you are accepted into art college? (more likely to happen)



What if you were accepted into art college? (less likely to happen)

Wishes

We use different structures with wish/if only, depending on exactly what we want to express.

Use

Structure

Example

Expressing wishes about the

present, future or generally.

Wish/ if only +past simple/

continuous

I wish I was studying history

of fashion instead of biology!

Watch

out