Professional Documents
Culture Documents
PRESENT
PAST
Sentences using the words when, as soon as, the moment, etc., are formed like future
conditionals:
I will tell him if I see him.
I will tell him when I see him.
The verb to be will ALWAYS appear as were in the present conditional:
If I were you, I wouldn't do that.
She wouldn't say so if she weren't sure.
NOTE: Not all sentences containing if are conditionals. When if appears in the meaning of
whether, it may take the future:
I don't know if he will be there. (I don't know whether he will be there.)
Examples
INCORRECT
CORRECT
INCORRECT
CORRECT
INCORRECT
CORRECT
INCORRECT
CORRECT
Example:
I had hoped that I would pass the exam.
Expressions with wish are formed as follows:
PRESENT
FUTUR
PAST
I wish he had come. (or could have come, would have come, might have come)
NOTE: As in conditionals, the verb to be will ALWAYS appear as were in the present:
I wish she were here.
INCORRECT
CORRECT
I wish I had heard (or could have heard or would have heard) that story
about him before I met him.
INCORRECT
CORRECT