UNREAL PAST AND FORMULAIC SUBJUNCTIVES

The past tense is sometimes used in English to refer to an unreal situation. Although the tense is the past, we
are usually talking about the present, e.g. in a Type 2 conditional sentence:

If dogs had wings, they would be able to fly.

Although had is in the past tense, we are not referring to the past - we are talking about a hypothetical
situation. We call this the unreal past.

Other situations where this occurs are:

 After other words and expressions like ‘if’ (suppose/supposing, if only, what if,
imagine)
 After the verb ‘to wish’
 After the expressions I’d rather; I’d prefer; It’s time….

It's (high) time

The above expression is followed by past simple or continuous, though the time referred to is unreal.

It’s time we left. It’s high time I was going.

It's high time you hung up your trainers and started exercising your mind, not your body.

Wishes
 Present/Future time
The verb to wish is followed by an unreal past tense when we want to talk about situations in the present that
we are not happy about and would want to change a present/future state.

I wish I had a motorbike. (I don’t have one now.)

I wish you weren’t leaving. (You are leaving.)

 Would
Would is used when the speaker wants somebody or something else to change, or to describe an annoying
habit.

I wish he would stop smoking.

I wish it would stop raining.
I wish you wouldn’t make such a mess.

 Past time
As with present wishes, when we refer to situations in the past we are not happy about or about actions that
we regret, the verb form after wish is one stage further back in the past, so we use wish followed by the past
participle. Same is used after if only to express regrets.

I wish I hadn’t said that.(but I did)

If only I hadn’t eaten so much. (but I did)

 Hope
Wishes about simple future events are expressed with hope.

I hope it doesn’t (won’t) rain tomorrow.

I hope you(‘ll) have a lovely time in Portugal (on your holiday next week).
I’d rather/I’d prefer (followed by a clause)
 I’d rather is followed by past verb forms in the same way as wishes about the present. It expresses
preference about actions.
I’d rather you didn’t smoke in here.

Both I’d rather and I’d sooner are used with normal verb forms when comparing nouns or phrases.
I’d rather be a sailor than a soldier. (present)
I’d rather have lived in Ancient Greece than Ancient Rome. (past)

 I’d prefer can be used in the same way, but note that prefer in this type of sentence has an object it.
I’d prefer it if you didn’t go.

However, I’d prefer is not followed by an unreal verb form in other situations.
I’d prefer tea to coffee.
I‘d prefer you to go swimming (rather than go jogging).

As if, as though – Real and unreal

The verb form used with as if/as though depends on whether the situation is true or unreal.
You look as if you’re having second thoughts. (True. He is having second thoughts.)
He acts as if he were in charge. (Unreal. He isn’t in charge)

Note, however, that the more colloquial like does not require this verb form change. Compare:
You look like you have just seen a ghost.
You look as if you had just seen a ghost.

Suppose and imagine – Understood conditions

The conditional part of these sentences is often understood but not stated.
Imagine we won the lottery!
Suppose/supposing someone told you that I was a spy!
Imagine we had never met! (we have met)

As with conditional sentences, if the event referred to is a real possibility, rather than imaginary, a present
verb form is possible:
Suppose it starts raining, what’ll we do?

Formal Subjunctives - Insisting, demanding, etc.

After verbs such as demand, insist, suggest, require which involve an implied obligation, the subjunctive
may be used in formal style. This has only one form, that of the infinitive, and there is no third person –s,
or past form. The verb be has be for all forms.

They demanded that he leave at once.

The school Principal suggested that he be awarded a scholarship.

Formulaic Subjunctives
These are fixed expressions all using subjunctive. Typical expressions are:
God save the Queen!
Be that as it may …
Come what may ….
Suffice it to say ….
Far be it from me …
UNREAL TIME AND FORMULAIC SUBJUNCTIVES

Practice

I Underline either hope or wish in each sentence:

1) I hope/wish I’ll see you again soon. 4) I hope/wish you didn’t have to go.
2) I hope/wish the weather improves soon. 5) I hope/wish you’d stop shouting so much.
3) I hope/wish I knew the answer. 6) I hope/wish nothing goes wrong.

II Put each verb in brackets into an appropriate verb form.

1) I’d rather you ____________________ (not/watch) television while I’m reading.

2) It’s high time you __________________ (start) working seriously.
3) I wish I __________________ (spend) more time swimming last summer.
4) Helen is bossy. She acts as if she ______________ (own) the place.
5) I wish you ________________ (not/keep) coming late to class.
6) Suppose a complete stranger _______________ (leave) you a lot of money in their will!
7) I wish I _______________ (not/go) to your party after all.
8) I’d rather you _______________ (sit) next to Susan, please.
9) You are lucky going to Italy. I wish I ______________ (go) with you.
10) She wishes her parents _______________ (approve) of her boyfriend.

III Correct the errors in each sentence.

1) I wish I bought that old house. ______________________________________________________

2) I’d rather you don’t eat all the bread. _________________________________________________
3) It’s time I go. ___________________________________________________________________
4) I wish I own a motorbike. __________________________________________________________
5) I wish we are not leaving in the morning. ______________________________________________
6) Sue would rather reading than watching television. ______________________________________
7) Come what comes, I’ll be on your side. _______________________________________________
8) I hope it would stop raining. ________________________________________________________
9) I’d prefer if you didn’t wait. ________________________________________________________
10) I wish I didn’t listen to you before. ___________________________________________________

IV For each sentence, write a new sentence as similar as possible in meaning to the original
sentence, but using the words given in brackets.

1) Please, hurry up! (wish)

2) It’s very late. We really ought to be leaving. (time)
3) It would be nice to know his opinion. (wish)
4) Please keep it a secret for the time being. (rather)
5) It’s a pity that you’re going away so soon. (wish)
6) Would you mind not smoking at table? (rather)
7) He really should find himself a regular job. (time)
8) My parents would prefer us to live in the country. (rather)
9) When is the weather going to improve? (high time)
10) Please stop making so much noise! (wish)
 V Complete each sentence with a suitable word or phrase.

1) I wish you _______________________ making so much noise late at night!

2) I’d rather the children _________________ on the television without permission.
3) Suppose ___________________ half the money I owe you. Would that satisfy you?
4) I hope __________________ get into trouble on my account? What do you think they’ll say?
5) This is an awful hotel. I wish we ______________________ to the Grand instead.
6) I’d rather you _________________________ talk so loudly, if you don’t mind.
7) If he __________________________ so self-righteous, he’d realise he was wrong.
8) I think it’s high time we _________________________ locking all the windows at night.
9) Would you rather I _____________________ the lunch, if you feel tired?
10) I’d prefer you ____________________ smoke in here, if you don’t mind.

VI Add one of these common phrases to each of the sentences.

come what may suffice it to say be that as it may God forbid
so be it far be it from me
a If, …………………………….., you were to die, who’d run the business?
b I don’t want to explain. ……………….. Aunt Sarah is coming to stay after all.
c If you really want to drop out of college, then …………………….
d ………………………., I’m determined to finish decorating my room this weekend.
e ……………………………. to tell you what to do, but you’d be mad to marry him.
f “This medicine tastes horrible!” ‘………………………., it will cure your cough.’

VII

Put the expressions together to make conversations. Example:

'It's time we went out.' 'I'd rather we stayed at home./
I'd prefer it if we stayed at home./
I'd prefer us to stay at home.'

IT'S TIME
go out clean the car cook supper get a new fridge get your hair cut
go home invite the Parkers plan our trip to Scotland see the dentist

I'D RATHER / I'D PREFER

stay at home go on using the old one for a bit have something cold
invite the Johnsons keep it long not clean it today go to Wales
see her next year stay here for a bit longer