Unreal Past

A. I wish / If only +
a) S(1) + Past Simple (Ved/V2 // didn’t + V1) = present or future wish,
depending on the speaker
Eg: I wish I spoke to him today. = Imi doresc să vorbesc cu el azi.
b) S(1/2) + Past Perfect Simple (had + Ved/V3) = past wish, depending
or not on the speaker
Eg: I wish I had seen them yesterday. = Imi doresc să ȋi fi văzut
ieri.
I wish you had seen us yesterday.
c) S(2) + would + V1 = future wish, not depending on the speaker;
annoyance:
Eg: I wish you wouldn’t come tomorrow. = Imi doresc să nu vii
mȃine.
Eg: I wish he would stop shouting at me.
d) S(1/2) + could + V1 = ability
Eg: I wish I could help you. = Imi doresc să te pot ajuta.
Eg: I wish you could swim better.
B. It’s (high / about) time + Past Simple
Eg: It’s high time we left. = Este timpul să plecăm.
C. Suppose:
a) + Past Simple (IF 2):
 Ex: Suppose he didn’t come, what would you do? = Presupunȃnd
că nu ar veni, ce ai face?
b) + Past Perfect Simple (If3)
Ex: Suppose they hadn’t helped you, would you have succeeded? =
Presupunȃnd că nu te-ar fi ajutat, ai fi reusit?

D. …………………….. as if / as though:
a) + Past Simple (present reference):
Ex: You act as if you saw a ghost. = Te comporti de parcă ai vedea
o fantomă. (acum)
b) + Past Perfect Simple (past reference)
Ex: You acted as if you had seen a ghost. = Te comportai de parcă
ai fi văȃut o fantomă. (atunci)
E. I’d rather (= I would rather): preference
a) V1 (present preference, same subjects):
I’d rather leave now. = Prefer să plec acum.
b) have + Ved/V3 (past preference, same subjects)
I’d rather have left yesterday. = Prefer să fi plecat ieri.
c) S2 + Past Simple (present preference, different subjects):
I’d rather you left now. = Prefer să pleci acum.
d) S2 + Past Perfect Simple (past reference, different subjects):
I’d rather you had left yesterday. = Prefer ca tu să fi plecat atunci.
e) V1 + than + V1:
I’d rather live in Cȃmpina than (live) in Bucharest.
I’d rather watch the movie than read the book.
f) I prefer + Ving / noun + to + Ving / noun (general preference)
I prefer watching movies to reading books.
I prefer orange juice to apple juice.
g) I prefer + to-V1 + rather than + V1 (specific preference)
I prefer to watch this movie rather than read this book.
h) I would prefer to-V1 + rather than + V1 (specific preference)
I would prefer to live in Cȃmpina rather than live in Bucharest.
F. had better (should / ought to) + V1 (present / future reference –
advice)
You had better see a lawyer.

 It would have been better if you had seen a lawyer. (past reference)