unreal past tense wishes about the present Like 3 second conditional sentence, these present, wish Lenew the answer. ( = If Iknew the answer, it would be better) I wish it wasn't raining! (= fit wasn't raining, it would he better) J wish they were aniing earlier J wish twas J were lying on the beach at this moment? 185 use a past tense form to express 2 feeling about the {wisi was tying on a beach, Wishes with could also express a feeling about the present. 1 wish Icould get a betterjoh (now) wishes about the past ‘Wishes about the past use past perfect in the same way as a third conditional sentence. I wish I had brought an umbrella with me. (210 had brought aut umbrella with ie, it would have been better) I wish we'd loft carl (= If we had left earlier it would have been better.) hope Wishes about the future are expressed with hope. ‘hope you enjoy your trip. (future) Thope t can / will be able to get a betier job. (future) wishes with would / wouldn't ‘© Wishes with would / wouldn't are about general behaviour or habits, often bad ones which we wist would chang ! wish everyone would feave me atone, wish you'd stop interrupting me.I wish you wouldn't do thet. {Using unreal past tense can give the same meaning in some contexts. {wish it didn’t rain so much, (it may or may not be raining now) 1 wish it wouldn't rain so much, (is prabably raining now) © To wish suineurre would do something van alsv mean thet we would like thein ty do it. I wish you would ask for my advice mare often.if were you We use if I were you for giving advice. Note that / and you are stressed more heavily than were, The if- dause can come at the beginning or at the end. | wouldn't touch thet wire, if | were you. If were you, 'd go to the police, would rather, would sooner 4 We can use would rather / would sooner + infinitive to express choice Would you rather stay at home? I'd rather have tea than coffee '* would rather | would sooner + person + unreal past are used to show what we would like someone else to do or not to do. I'd rather you didn’t tell anyone. (It would be better if you didn't tell) {I'd sooner she went to university than got a job now. would prefer (see Unit 16 Would) ‘# We can use would prefer + to-infinitive to express a preference. Do you want to go aut? No, I think I'd prefer to stay at home We can compare preferences with rather than. I'd prefer to go out for a meal tonight rather than stay in and cook. ‘# Would prefer + that + unreal past or would prefer it if + unreal past can he used to show what we would like someone else to do or not to do. ''d prefer that you didn’t mention this to anyone. ''d prefer it if you dicin’t mention this to anyone. ‘# We can also use would prefer + person + to-infinitive with the same meaning. 1'd prefer you not to mention this to anyone. it's time + unreal past Ye use its time + unreal past to express what we think we ought to do. ‘wy shoes are wearing out, It's time (that) 1 bought some new ones. ‘3 already 8.00. 1 think It's time (that) we left. ‘We also often say it's time we were going. as if, as though ‘© Real comparisons with as if, 2s though use look, seem, appear etc with present or future meaning. He looks as if he wants (0 leave. (real) Itseems as though City are yoing (a win, veal) It doesn't look as if Il ever repay my debs. (real) ‘© Unreal comparisons with as if and as though use was / were to refer to the present if the comparison seems unreal or imaginary. Site acl as if she was J were queen! (unreal - she isn't) © unreal past tense