Five

of these sentences contain grammatical mistakes. Tick (✓) the correct

sentences, then find and correct the mistakes.

Example: If only we can see the situation through his eyes.

________________could________________________

1. It is high time the country were told of the Prime Minister’s

intentions
2. I wish I would have green eyes like Elizabeth Taylor.
3. The regulations require that each defendant in turn submit a sworn
statement to the court
4. If you only paid more attention!
5. It’s high time we didn’t act so impulsively.
6. If only the car would have been going more slowly!
7. Long lives the President!
8. If only that I had known.

Circle the best explanation (a or b).

Example: I’d sooner you paid me cash.

a I expect you to pay me soon.

b I prefer to be paid in cash.

9. If only I was as tall as my brother.

a I used to be as tall as my brother.

b I am shorter than my brother.

10.Get a move on! It’s high time we left for the airport.

a We are late.

b We have just left.

11.Suppose we win the competition.

a I think we have a chance of winning.

b Winning is extremely unlikely.

12.He bosses everyone around as if he owned the place.

a He owns the place

b He doesn’t own the place.

13.She wishes she had a home of her own.

a She likes living in her own place.

b She would like to live in her own place.

14.If only I could wear such bright clothes.

a Bright clothes don’t suit me.

b I’m the only one who can wear bright clothes.

Complete each sentence so that it means the same as the preceding

sentence(s).

Example: I regret leaving the children with her.

==> I wish I hadn’t left the children with her.

15.You ought to start doing your homework.

It’s high time you _____________________

16.Would you have gone if you had been invited?

Supposing you______________________________

17.I don’t want you to bring that smelly dog into this house.

I’d rather you_____________________________________

18.I prefer wearing natural fabrics.

I’d sooner________________________________________
 19.He sounds quite convincing. Perhaps he knows what he is talking
about.

He sounds as though__________________________________________

20.You are always talking with your mouth full. I want you to stop doing
it.

I wish you____________________________________________________

FURTHER:

PRACTICE EXERCISE
Q 1.

Study the following extracts. Two of them use appropriate language but
four of them use forms which have an incorrect degree of formality. Tick
(✓) the two correct extracts and rewrite the remaining four using
subjunctives (note you may need to use passive forms).

1. It is vital that claims are submitted to the committee with full

supporting documentation.
2. and then, can you imagine, the boss insisted that I took little James
to lunch,. I mean, it’s not my job to look after the, boss’s children, is
it?
3. Clause 25.6 of the Treatment of Offenders Act suggests that each
offender receives a monthly visit from a probation officer.
4. May the President have a long life!
5. 7.30 BBC1. Trudy Trouble. In tonight’s hilarious episode Sam
suggests that Trudy visits the doctor, with predictably comical
results!
6. It is imperative that ear protectors are worn at all times when
operating the machine lathes.

Q 2.
 Rewrite these sentences using a suitable phrase from the box. Use each
phrase only once.

as if she as though I’d rather it’s time it’s about time you

suppose I I’d sooner they’d rather what if

1. Taking the later flight would be preferable for me. ==> I’d sooner
take the later flight.
2. You look awful. Have you been unwell?
3. Please don’t wipe your feet on the carpets.
4. What on earth will happen if they don’t accept your explanation?
5. We really ought to pay the bill now.
6. If I complained to the police, how would they react?
7. If they had the choice, I think they’d prefer us to go with them.
8. She isn’t a member of the club, but she acts like someone who is.
9. You should give your parents a call, they must be getting worried by
now.

Q 3.

Read the information in the box then match each statement (1-15) below
with one of the speakers Alan (A), Mary (M) or Teresa (T). You can match
five statements to each speaker.

A – Alan loves swimming but he doesn’t have a pool in his house.

M – Mary has a swimming pool in her house.

T – Teresa used to own a house with a swimming pool.

1 I wish we had a house with a pool.

2 Supposing we got rid of the pool?

3 It’s high time we changed the water in the pool.

4 If only the pool hadn’t been so expensive to maintain.

5 Suppose we hadn’t had a pool for all those years?

6 I’d rather we had our own pool.

7 People say I sometimes talk as if I had my own swimming pool

8 What if we’d never had a pool?

9 If only the children would use our pool more often.

10 I wish I could go back to the days when we had our own pool.

11 If only we didn’t have that great big pool in the back garden.

12 I’d sooner we used solar power to heat our pool.

13 I wish we could have used our pool more.

14 It’s about time we built a pool.

15 What if we installed a pool in the basement?

Q 4.

For each of the sentences below, write a new sentence as similar as

possible in meaning to the original sentence. Use the words given in bold
letters. The words must not be altered in any way. There is an example (0)
at the beginning.

1. I regret the fact that we didn’t see the band play.

could ………..I wish we could have seen the band play…………….

1. It’s a pity that you didn’t tell us that you were leaving.

wish …………………………………………………………………….

2. What would have happened if they hadn’t got a receipt?

suppose …………………………………………………………………….
 3. We really should go now.

went …………………………………………………………………….

4. Unfortunately, I’m not as agile as I used to be.

only …………………………………………………………………….

5. I’d love to be able to play the piano.

could …………………………………………………………………….

6. Her constant criticism of me really gets on my nerves.

stop …………………………………………………………………….

7. Treat my home in the same way that you would treat your own.

though …………………………………………………………………….

8. I regret not going to university when I was younger.

gone …………………………………………………………………….

9. She would love to have more friends.

had …………………………………………………………………….

10.Please don’t let the dog sit in the front of the car.

I’d …………………………………………………………………….

Q 5.

Some of these sentences contain mistakes. Tick (✓) the correct sentences;
then underline and correct the mistakes.

1 I had rather you didn’t take the car; it’s just been
cleaned. ,

2 It’s high time our employer listens to our grievances.

3 Supposing I took out my own insurance cover, what did you do about
it?

4 If we only knew where he was getting the information from.

5 I wish I would be a child again.

6 He’s only a student but sometimes he acts as if he is the teacher.

7 I’d sooner die than go out with that creep.

8 What if you’ll see him at the party?

9 It’s about time I didn’t stay at home; I am twenty-five after all!

10 What a mess; you look as though you’ve been in a fight!

Q 6.

Complete the letter with appropriate forms of the words in brackets.

Dear Mrs Grenfell,

I am writing to you in your position as secretary of Cliveden Mansions

Residents’ Association in connection with the problem of residents leaving
bicycles in the common hallway.

My wife and I have yet again been having a lot of trouble with Steve and
David Brown, the tenants of flat 16 on the first floor, and we feel it is high
time this persistent source of dispute (l) ________ (finally/resolve). These
tenants own two bicycles which they insist on leaving in the entrance
corridor. No doubt you are aware that the eases of all the flats in our
budding require that the entrance (2)__________ ( keep clear) of obstruction
at all times. The local fire officer has also pointed out to me that under the
building regulations the common entrance corridors to flats must be
treated as if they (3) ____________ (be) exits of a public building, and are
therefore subject to the same restrictions as those in force in theatres,
cinemas, etc. Supposing the corridor (4)__________ (block) with bicycles and
there was a serious fire? We might all be trapped in our flats.
Apparently last month you told the Browns that they could keep their
bicycles there for a temporary period. Well, I certainly wish you (5)________
(not/agree) to that because they continually use this as an excuse when we
ask them to remove the bikes. I have pointed out to them that there is space
to store bicycles in the back yard, although I would sooner they (6) ________
(keep) the bikes in their own flat as the presence of two mountain bikes
might attract thieves. They say that there isn’t any space in their flat and I
wish I (7) _________ (able to) offer them somewhere else. But, as you know,
all the space in the bicycle shed is now allocated. Unfortunately they still
seem unwilling to move their bikes, and their intransigence is beginning to
seem deliberate. It isn’t as though we (8) ___________ (not/tell) them about
this on numerous occasions. In fact it has now reached a stage where I feel
I must insist that the chairman of the residents’ association (9) __________
(demand) they remove the bicycles forthwith.

We would rather (10) _________ (not/have to/refer) this matter to our

solicitors but we feel that if the residents’ association is unable to resolve
the matter, we will have no alternative.

Yours sincerely,

Howard Blenkinsop