Real and Unreal Tense Usage

[5.1] How to study this unit?

[5.2] Real and unreal tense usage

[5.3] Conditional sentences

[5.4] Hypothesizing

[5.5] Bibliographical references

5
UNIT
 Scheme

Real and Unreal Tense Usage

UNIT 5 – Scheme
Conditional sentences Hypothesizing

First conditional
Hypothesizing about the Hypothesizing
present and the future about the past
Second conditional

Third conditional

Mixed conditionals

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 English Grammar

Pay attention to…

5.1. How to study this unit?

In order to study this unit you should read:

Murphy, R. with Altman, R. (1998). Grammar in Use. Reference and Practice for
Intermediate Students of English. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (p.68, p.70,
p.72, p.74, p.76, p.78). Available at the virtual campus under the art. 32.4 of the
Spanish Intellectual Property Law.

In this unit we will study real and unreal tense usage.

» Firstly, we will explain the meaning of real and unreal tense usage, a meaning
which relates to the definition of tense and time in English.
» Secondly, we will define the types of conditional sentence. We will briefly
explain their form and use.
» And finally we will discuss hypothesizing about the present, the future, and
the past.

5.2. Real and unreal tense usage

When we examine real and unreal tense usage in English, we have to bear in mind that
tenses can refer to actions or events that are viewed as fact or non-fact. Fact is
something the speaker considers real or possible, it can be proved correct or wrong.
Non-fact is something that is unlikely or unreal, which is why it is supposed or wished.

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 English Grammar

Fact Non-fact
Rafael Nadal ended a seven-match losing
Besides, although she wished he were not
streak against Novak Djokovic in emphatic
going at all, he was evidently pleased that he
fashion by thrashing the world number two
would be able to spend time with his mother
6-2 6-4 on Saturday to reach the final of the
and old friends and she did not resent that
Madrid Open and move within a step of a
pleasure. (Boyle, 2000, p.153)
third consecutive clay-court title. (The
Independent, 2017)
If I waited for perfection, I would never
Ronaldo was in the crowd to watch Nadal's
write a word. (Atwood, M. qtd. in Huffington
victory. (The Independent, 2017)
Post, 2015)
Table 1. Facts and non-facts.
Tenses that refer to facts relate to real time, i.e. tense and time coincide.

The island served as a quarantine centre for prisoners in the 18th century.

Time: past (18th century); tense: past (served): real.

If you are interested in bird watching, you can reserve a boat trip to the island.

Time: present (now); tense: present (are interested, can reserve): real.

Non-facts are not related to real time. When speakers refer to non-facts, they usually
use “backshift”. Thus unreal time is expressed by shifting the verb “backwards”, e.g.
from present simple to past simple tense.

I wish London had become strategically important and heavily fortified in 100 AD.

Time: past (100 AD); tense - past perfect tense (had become): unreal.

If I were a writer, I would write a book about Dostoyevsky’s wife, Anna.

Time: present (now); tense: past simple / would + infinitive (were/would write):
unreal.

Rodney Huddleston and Geoffrey K. Pullum give an example of unreal use:

(a) I am glad they live nearby.

(b) I wish they lived nearby.

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They argue that “because of the contrasting meanings of glad and wish”, we
understand that in sentence (b) they don’t and “they lived nearby is thus interpreted
counterfactually, i.e. as contrary to fact, or false” (2005, pp. 46-47, italics and bold in
original).

The past tense in their example (b) I wish they lived nearby does not refer to real past,
but the present or future the speaker wishes for. The effect of using past tense for
unreal present time is that of distancing the meaning expressed with the verb live from
reality.
This idea of real and unreal tense usage is reflected in the typology of conditional
sentences in English. Linguists base their categorization on different parameters, hence
they also employ a variety of terms to identify the types they establish, such as content
conditional, epistemic conditional, speech-act conditional, etc. In this unit the
classification is built on the parameters factual and non-factual (hypothetical). Ron
Cowan offers the following definition of conditional sentences “sentences that express a
condition and the result of the condition” and adds that “[c]onditional sentences refer
to present, past, and future time. The contingencies they express divide them into two
major categories - real and unreal conditionals” (Cowan, 2008, p. 449, italics in
original). The terminology used in this unit to refer to the types of conditional
sentences corresponds to the terminology used in most general English textbooks.

Conditional
sentences

First Conditional Second conditional Third Conditional

(Real) (Unreal) (Unreal)

Mixed Conditionals
(Type 2 and type 3 mixed)

Figure 1. Types of conditionals

5.3. Conditional sentences

Type 1, or first conditional is based on fact and refers to real time. The condition is
viewed as possible and the result as probable. In some general English textbooks there

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is yet another type, called zero conditional. In some others, the zero conditional is
explained as a variation of the first conditional. This difference in classification does
not affect the essence of either of the structures (zero and first conditionals).

There are two parts in conditional sentences: the main clause and the if-clause. The
order of these two parts varies, depending on the speaker’s intention.

Zero Conditional

If clause Main clause

Present simple tense Present simple tense

The zero conditional refers to actions or events that are always true.

If I win, they give me a medal and a bunch of flowers. (always)

If it rains, there is a traffic jam in Rome. (always)
If I miss the first train to the city centre, I am late for work. (always)

The order of the two parts of the conditional sentence can change.

I have a headache if I don’t go to bed on time.

In the cases mentioned above, we can use when instead of if.

When I win, they give me a medal and a bunch of flowers. (always)

When it rains, there is a traffic jam in Rome. (always)

It is often used for scientific facts.

If you heat water to one hundred degrees, it boils.

If you heat ice, it melts.

The zero conditional is also used for habitual result. Can you finish these conditionals?

If I stay home alone on the weekend,…

If I do nothing for three days,…
If I find clothes sales,...

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 English Grammar

First Conditional

» Form

If clause Main clause

Future simple tense
Present simple tense
Will + infinitive

» Use

The first conditional is used when the speaker refers to a fact in real time. The
condition is possible.

If I meet the famous expert on Victorian culture at the conference tomorrow,

I will ask him about Mrs. Mortimer, the traveler.

As shows the example above, the result is probable.

If you change your perspective, you will enjoy your current job better.

The famous poem If by Rudyard Kipling provides a great number of examples of

conditional sentences. If each line of the poem represents the if-clause, which do you
think is the main clause?

If, (Kipling, 1895)

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;

If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools…

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Instead of future tense, we can use modal verb + infinitive.

If your home is damaged during a storm, you can call the insurance company.
If you want to have a piece of cake for breakfast, you should/must tell the
waitress.
If your bag is too heavy, you may leave it on the counter. (permission)

Instead of present simple tense in the if-clause, we can use present progressive and
present perfect simple tense.

If you are trying to find the man who formed this secret society, you’d better
look for him in Belgium.
If you have finished your homework, you can watch your favorite TV series.

In some sentences will + infinitive can also be used in the if-clause, meaning
willingness.

If you will let me help you, I will do my best.

Unless means if not. It is usually used with present tenses, i.e. we use it in the first
conditional.

Unless you start studying this week, you will fail the exam.

We use the expressions if you should or if you happen to to show that something is
unlikely to occur.

If you happen to see Tim, tell him to buy the property called Marble Hill House.

Second Conditional

» Form

if clause Main clause

Past simple tense Would + infinitive

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» Use

Both the first conditional and the second conditional refer to the present. In this sense,
there is no difference between them. However, the former is referred to as “real” and
the latter is referred to as “unreal”. The second conditional is not based on fact. To
show “unreality”, we have to use backshift as explained in section 1.3. Backshift means
that present becomes past in the if-clause and will becomes would in the main clause.
The speaker uses the past form to show that the action or event is less probable,
unlikely to happen, or imaginary.

If my neighbours were Spanish, I would speak to them. They are French and I
don’t speak French.
If you liked horror films, The Exorcist would be one of your favourite.

The action in the if-clause is unlikely to happen.

In formal speech we use If he/she/it were . . ., while in informal English we can say: If
he, she , it was . . .

If she were taller, she would be a model.

Were is often used instead of was in the expression If I were you . . .

If I were you, I would read a little bit about that issue.

Sometime the choice between the first and the second conditional can be difficult. In
such situations, our choice depends on the context.

If it rains tomorrow, I will stay in bed all day. (said in Belgium)

If it rained tomorrow, I would stay in bed all day. (said in the Atacama Desert)

We can use modal verbs might and could in the main clause, instead of would.

If it rained tomorrow, I might stay in bed all day.

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Less certain that used with would in the main clause.

Instead of would + infinitive, we can use would + progressive infinitive.

If I were you, I would be studying right now.

In the if-clause, we can use past progressive tense instead of past simple tense.

If my department were recruiting new teachers, I would let you know.

As we mentioned above, in some first conditional sentences will + infinitive can be

used in the if-clause, meaning willingness. In a similar way, in some second conditional
sentences, we can use would + infinitive in the if-clause to express willingness.

If you would tell me your preferences, I would be able to choose the colour of your
car.

Third Conditional

» Form

if clause Main clause

Past perfect tense Would have + past participle of the main verb

» Use

The third conditional is unreal, like the second conditional. The speaker refers to past
time. The action or event in the if-clause did not occur, so the result did not occur,
either.

If I had started writing fiction ten years ago,

I would have written a best seller and would have become a millionaire.
If I had seen Miss Gordon yesterday, I would have told her about your arrival.

We can use might and could instead of would in the main clause.

If he hadn’t broken off all contact with the outside world, we might have met
before.

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If he hadn’t broken off all contact with the outside world , I could have helped him
recover from his traumatic experience.

Mixed Conditionals

In some cases the two clauses in a conditional sentence refer to different time. When
this occurs, the result is a mixed conditional, i.e. one of the clauses refers to present
time and the other - to past time.

» Form

Second Conditional
If clause Main clause
(refers to the present/future time) (refers to the present/future time)
If I liked working with seriously-ill patients, I would be a doctor.

Third Conditional
If clause Main clause
(refers to the past time) (refers to the past time)
If I had studied medicine, I would have become a doctor.
Table 2. Mixed conditional sentences.

Mixed second/third conditional: If I liked working with seriously-ill patients, I would have
become a doctor.

Mixed third/second conditional: If I had studied medicine, I would be a doctor.

» Use: Learners of English as a foreign language can find it difficult to form and use
mixed conditional sentences, especially if the second conditional refers to the future,
instead of the present.

» Inversion in Conditional sentences. Inversion is sometimes used for emphasis.

If I were to choose a place to live, I would go to France.

Were I to choose a place to live, I would go to France.

If I had known about your problem, I would have never invited you to the party.
Had I known about your problem, I would have never invited you to the party.

Should you mention it again, I will leave the meeting.

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» Other expressions used in conditional sentences

o Even if: Even if I had enough money, I wouldn’t buy a new car right now.
o Whether: The art dealer didn’t know whether the picture was authentic or not.
o Provided that/ providing that: You can stay at my house, provided that you
look after my cat.
o Supposing: Supposing can be used in first, second, or third conditional
sentences.
Supposing you didn’t have any contact with native speakers,
would you look for a private English teacher for your children?

Suppose and imagine have similar meaning to supposing.

Imagine you were taller, would you play in a basketball team?

In case implies a precaution.

I will take my raincoat in case it rains.

5.4. Hypothesizing

Other structures, apart from the second and the third conditionals can express unreal
or hypothetical meaning. As explained in section 1.3, the speaker uses “backshift”.

Unreality Reality
I wish I knew French. I don’t know French.

Figure 2. Backshift to express a hypothetical meaning.

Hypothesizing about the Present and the Future

The most common way to express a hypothetical meaning is by using either I wish or if
only followed by a clause.

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Unreality/I wish Reality

I wish I liked my mother-in-law. I don’t like my mother-in-law.

I wish the company didn’t have the
right to spy on its employees.
I wish you weren’t talking about the
war.
If only the Prime Minister didn’t want a
system that focuses on short-term
business decisions.
I wish we weren’t using our savings to
pay off our mortgage.
If only I didn’t associate school with
hard work.
Table 3. Hypothesizing about the present.
The company has the right to spy on
its employees.
You are talking about the war.
The Prime Minister wants a system
that focuses on short-term business
decisions.
We are using our savings to pay off
our mortgage.
I associate school with hard work.

We can use I wish/If only + would + infinitive of the main verb to emphasise the
contrast between the reality and the wish.

I wish he didn’t smoke in the living room.

I wish he wouldn’t smoke in the living room.

Stronger contrast between the reality and the wish.

This structure can be used to refer to the present or to the future. When we refer to
future time, the use of this structure suggests that the speaker does not expect the
action to happen.

I wish the house prices in London would fall. (I don’t think they will fall)

Hypothesizing about the future

We can express wishes and regrets about the past by using “backshift”, e.g. fact in the
past time - non-fact in the past perfect tense, as shown in Table 4. The structure refers
to non-facts. The actions happened in the past and nothing we can do will change the
past. We can only wish it had/hadn’t occurred.

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Unreality/I wish Reality

I wish I had enjoyed the trip to Richmond. I didn’t enjoy the trip to Richmond.
I wish we hadn’t crossed the river in a boat. We crossed the river in a boat.
I wish there had been sufficient compensation There wasn’t sufficient compensation for
for breach of contract. breach of contract.
If only the rural workers hadn’t been
Two rural workers were arrested in China.
arrested.
If only she hadn’t decided to explore South
She decided to explore South Africa.
Africa.
If only I had booked a ticket on time. I didn’t book a ticket on time.
Table 4. Hypothesizing about the past

I wish in context

The examples below from The Moonstone (1927) by Wilkie Collins represent
hypothesizing about the present and about the past.

(1a) “I wish to God the diamond had never found its way into this house.” (p.
138)
(2a) “I wish you had brought Mr. Luker with you.” (p. 200)
(3a) “I wish I could describe in words the compassion I felt for this miserable
and misguided girl.” (p. 207)
(4a) “I wish I could drag the chair” (p. 249)
(5a) “And I wish, for your sake, the thing had not happened.” (p. 330)
(6a) “I wish I had never taken it out of the bank.” (p. 413)

They refer to unreal, imaginary situations, wishes, or regrets.

To understand the “backshift” used to make difference between real and unreal,
consider their real-time counterparts.

(1b) The diamond found its way into this house.

(2b) You did not bring Mr. Luker with you.
(3b) I can’t describe in words the compassion I felt for this miserable and
misguided girl.
(4b) I can’t drag the chair.
(5b) The thing happened.
(6b) I took it out of the bank.

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Here are some songs in which you will listen to conditional sentences in use. You can
think of many more!

» One Republic ft. Alesso: If I Lose Myself.

» Chicago: If You Leave Me Now.
» Beyoncé: If I Were a Boy.
» Gracie Fields: If I Knew You Were Coming I'd Have Baked a Cake.
» Townes Van Zandt: If I Needed You.
» Simply Red: If You Don't Know Me by Now.
» Yvonne Elliman: If I Can't Have You.
» Taylor Swift: If This Was A Movie.
» The SteelDrivers: If It Hadn't Been for Love.

5.5. Bibliographical references

Boyle, N. (2000). Goethe. The Poet and the Age. Volume II. Revolution and
Renunciation, 1790-1803. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Collins, W. (1927). The Moonstone. London: Chatto & Windus.

Cowan, R. (2008) The Teacher’s Grammar of English. Cambridge: Cambridge

University Press.

Huddleston, R. & Geoffrey, K. (2005). A Student’s Introduction to English Grammar.

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Kipling, R. (1895). If. Retrieved from: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-

poets/poems/detail/46473

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In Depth

Real and unreal tense usage

The master class offers a brief overview of the ways in which time is expressed through
tense and the difference between real and unreal usage. Real and unreal usage relate to
what is viewed by the speaker as a fact, i.e. real, and what is viewed as different from
the reality or unlikely to happen. Forms to express wishes and regrets are also
discussed in general terms.

This class is available in the virtual classroom

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Conditionals

This short video provides a quick review of the different types of conditional sentences.
Some of the most commonly taught examples are used to illustrate the grammar rules.
The video also offers the main rule for comma usage in conditionals.

Access to the video through the virtual campus or the following website address:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsG-dz1drgQ

Reasoning with “Unless” counterfactual conditionals

García-Madruga, J.A., Moreno-Ríos, S., Cuelhas, A. & Juhos, C. (2009). Reasoning with
“Unless” counterfactual conditionals. Psicológica 30, 217-243.

This article examines factual and counterfactual expressions containing “unless”.

Although “unless” is widely considered as semantically equivalent to “if not”, the
authors of the study argue that “unless” is more closely related to “only if”. They report
the results of two experiments they have made and discuss the implications of these
results for the mental representations of counterfactual “unless”.

Access to the article at UNIR virtual library.

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Classifying Conditionals: The Case of Metalinguistic If You Like

Elder, C. (2015). Classifying Conditionals: The Case of Metalinguistic If You Like.

Cambridge Occasional Papers in Linguistics 7(3), 61-82.

Chi-Hé Elder, claims that there is little consensus among linguists on whether
metalinguistic “if you like” introduces a conditional sentence or not. The author
attempts to demonstrate that sentences using metalinguistic “if you like” belong to the
class of conditional expressions. He also argues that “if you like” is comparable to other
if clauses.

Available at the virtual campus under the art. 32.4 of the Spanish Intellectual Property
Law.

A corpus-based study of if-conditional forms If I was/were as presented in

pedagogical materials

Novogradec, M. (2009). A corpus-based study of forms If I was/were as presented in

pedagogical materials. English Language Overseas Perspectives and Enquiries, 6 (1-
2), 63-78.

Marina Novogradec provides an overview of the most relevant research on conditional

clauses from corpus-based perspective. She argues that certain grammatical structures
are very difficult for students to understand and that it is essential to take this fact into
account when authors decide which grammatical features should be included in a
lesson or textbook. The author focuses on if-conditionals and their use in different
registers.

Available at the virtual campus under the art. 32.4 of the Spanish Intellectual Property
Law.

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Conditionals review

The website BBC Learning English features courses, videos, audios, a wide variety of
exercises to study grammar and vocabulary. The material on this website is well
organized and user-friendly. You can find texts for reading comprehension activities
adapted to the level of the learner (pre-intermediate, intermediate, upper-
intermediate) and clearly explained grammatical items

Access to the website through the virtual campus or the following link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/course/intermediate/unit-24/session

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Exercises

Task: The verbal group and the English tense system

Part 1

Classify the underlined verb forms below as finite or non-finite.

Example: Everyone arrested at the demonstration has now been released.

Everyone arrested (non-finite) at the demonstration has now been released (finite).

1. And every morning, when the day broke, I went boldly into the chamber, and spoke
courageously to him, calling him by name in a hearty tone, and inquiring how he had
passed the night.
2. So you he would have been a very profound old man, indeed, to suspect that every
night, just at twelve, I looked in upon him while he slept.
3. Upon the eight night I was more than usually cautious in opening the door.
4. Now you may think that I drew back — but no.
5. His fear had been ever since growing upon him.

Finite forms Non-finite forms

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Analyse the following verbal groups

Example: has been released

Has (operator) been (auxiliary) released (main verb)

6. Did not move

_________________
7. Had been saying
_________________
8. Had felt
_________________
9. Has welled up
_______________
10. Arises
_______________

Objective: learn the internal structure of the nominal, adjectival, and adverbial group.

Part 2

Answer the following questions.

Example: provide the progressive counterpart of the sentence I looked in upon him
while he slept.
I was looking in upon him while he was sleeping.

1. Provide the perfect counterpart of the sentence I loved the old man.
________________________________________________________
2. Provide the past tense equivalent of the following sentence I might not disturb the
old man.
________________________________________________________
3. Provide the progressive counterpart of the sentence I undid the lantern cautiously.
________________________________________________________
4. Provide the interrogative form of the sentence I turned the latch of his door and
opened it.
________________________________________________________

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5. Provide the affirmative form of the sentence He had never given me insult.
________________________________________________________
6. Provide the perfect counterpart of the sentence I was more than usually cautious.
__________________________________________________________
7. Provide the active voice counterpart of the sentence A shriek had been heard by a
neighbour during the night.
________________________________________________________
8. Provide the negative counterpart of the sentence The old man’s terror must have
been extreme.
___________________________________________________________
9. Provide the affirmative counterpart of the sentence Passion there was none.
________________________________________________________
10. Provide the interrogative form of the sentence I kept quite still and said nothing.
________________________________________________________

Objective: Learn the main characteristics of the verbal group and the tense system.

Assessment criteria: each correct answer counts 0.5 points.

*The examples in this exercises are adapted from “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan
Poe.

Poe, E. A. (1843). The Tell-Tale Heart. In J. C. Oates (1992). American Short Stories.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.

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Test

1. Choose the correct answer. Finish the sentence: If you brush your teeth,
A. you would keep the water running.
B. you will keep the water running.
C. don’t keep the water running.

2. Which conditional sentence means the same as I won’t come if they invite me:
A. I will come unless they don’t invite me.
B. I won’t come unless they invite me.
C. Both A and B are wrong.

3. Choose the correct sentence to express an excuse which means the same as I didn’t
remember your email address. That’s why I didn’t send you a message.
A. If I had remembered your email, I would send you a message.
B. If I had remembered your email, I would have sent you a message.
C. I had sent you a message if I would have remembered your email.

4. Choose the correct answer:

A. She wouldn’t fall in love with Tom, if they didn’t work in the same department.
B. She wouldn’t have fallen in love with Tom, if they didn’t work in the same
department.
C. She wouldn’t fallen in love with Tom, if they didn’t work in the same
department.

5. Choose the correct answer to finish the sentence: If only we didn’t argue all the time,
A. but we did.
B. but we do.
C. but we don’t.

6. Choose the correct answer:

A. Supposing you win the lottery, what will you do?
B. Supposing you won the lottery, what would you do?
C. Both A and B are correct.

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7. Which of the sentences below means the same as I regret I forgot my boyfriend’s
birthday:
A. I wish I hadn’t forgotten my boyfriend’s birthday.
B. I wish I wouldn’t have forgotten my boyfriend’s birthday.
C. I wish I didn’t forget my boyfriend’s birthday.

8. Choose the correct answer: I wish

A. it was summer.
B. it would be summer.
C. it is summer.

9. The sentence I wish I had a brother.

A. Refers to present real time.
B. Refers to past real time.
C. Refers to present unreal time.

10. Choose the correct answer: If only

A. he would drive more slowly.
B. he drove more slowly.
C. Both A and B are correct.

UNIT 5 – Test © Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)