Hypothetical expressions

Conditional sentences
(referring to the present): 2’nd: If + subj + v2 …, subj + would/could/might + v1
(referring to the past): 3’rd: If + subj + had + v3 …, subj + would/could/might have + v3

Describing preference
(referring to the present): subj + would rather + v1
(referring to the past): subj + would rather have + v3 … subj + would rather + subj + had + v3 …

Expressing wishes and regrets

(referring to the present): If only … / I wish … subj + v2 (past simple) subj + could/would + v1 …
(referring to the past): If only … / I wish … subj + had + v3 (past perfect) … subj + could have + v3 …

Subjunctive mood
(referring to the present): It is about/high time … subj + v2 / to + v1 …
(referring to the past): It was high time … subj + v2 / to + v1 …

Modals of lost opportunities

(referring to the past): subj + could/should/might have + v3

Discuss the difference in meaning between the pairs of sentences below.

1. If only we had more time to visit.

If only we’d had more time to visit.

2. I would rather take the train than fly to New York.

I would rather have taken the train than fly to New York.

3. My brother wishes he could climb Mount Everest.

My brother wishes he could have climbed Mount Everest.

4. If you didn’t miss the bus, you wouldn’t arrive late to work.
If you hadn’t missed the bus, you wouldn’t have arrived late to work.

Talk about the following:

a) A bad day that you had in the past.

Think about: - What went wrong and why
- What you could have done to prevent it
- Any regrets you have about what took place

Discuss to what extent you would wish for each of the following:

eternal life fame and fortune global environmental sustainability

long-lasting personal happiness world peace prosperity for your nation

Which of these would you wish for most vociferously?

One of the worst days of my life

Emma Wyatt
I’d been looking for a new job for a while, as I really hated the one I had at the time. I didn’t get on at all
with my boss and I felt like I was being significantly undervalued. (1) … However, it had also been two
years since I started there, and I needed a new challenge. (2) … I had seen an advert in the local paper for
a position that sounded absolutely perfect for me. I set my sights on getting hired for the job. I spent a
long time on my CV and wrote a really convincing cover letter. You can guess what happened… On the
day of the interview I overslept! My alarm clock didn’t go off. (3) … As soon as I glanced at the clock, I
jumped out of bed, quickly put some clothes on and rushed out the door but I was never going to make it
in time. I couldn’t believe that I had put myself in that position when I’d been so excited for the interview
to take place.

I don’t like taking the tube, because it’s so cramped and uncomfortable, but as I was running late, I
decided it might get me there more quickly. (4) … Regardless, I ran down the escalators and jumped onto
the train just as the doors were closing. I breathed a sigh of relief – I might just make it after all. After a
couple of minutes, I noticed that other people on the train were looking at me strangely. Suddenly, I had
a dreadful feeling. I looked down at my feet. I still had my slippers on! I had left the house in such a rush
that I must have forgotten to put my smart black shoes on. (5) What would the interviewer think of me? I
still really wanted the job, so even though there wasn’t time for me to purchase a new pair of shoes, I
decided to carry on. I got off the train and rushed outside. It had started to rain, and I had forgotten my
umbrella. (6)

As it was, I decided to take a taxi so as not to get too wet. I stood at the edge of the road waiting for a taxi
when a huge truck drove past. I had been standing right next to a big puddle and I was now completely
covered in dirty water! (7) Reluctantly, I decided to turn back and go home. (8) Feeling very upset, I
crossed the road to the tube station. I obviously wasn’t looking, because the next thing I knew, I was
waking up in a hospital bed with lots of cuts and bruises and a broken leg! (9)

Complete the hypothetical statements which are missing from the text.

1 If I …………………………………….……… a better boss, I ……………………………………… my work more.

2 It ……………. high time …………………………………….. the job.

3 I ………………………………………….……. if it was working properly the night prior,

but it hadn’t occurred to me that there …………………………………….. an issue.

4 Ordinarily, I ………………………………………….. the bus.

5 I pondered how I ………………………………………… such a stupid mistake.

6 If I ………………………………….. it with me, I ……………………………………… for the rest of the journey.

7 I ……………….................…. to the interview looking like that.

8 I wished that ………………………………………………… in time and started the day all over again.

9 Looking back, I ………………… rather they ………………………….……… me the interview in the first place.

Discuss mistakes, regrets, lost opportunities and past preferences based on the images below.
If he … would(n’t) have If only he had(n’t) … He could(n’t)/might have …
He should(n’t) have … He wishes he had(n’t)/could have… He’d have rather … / He’d rather that …

Choose some of the topics below for discussion using hypothetical forms: