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You are here: Home / Exercises / Talking about Hypothetical Past Situations

Talking about Hypothetical Past Situations

July 24, 2024 - pdf

Fill in the blanks.

1. It is time you ....................................... home.

Correct! Wrong!

A simple past is used after it is time to refer to the present or future.

2. It is time you ................................... a loan.

Correct! Wrong!

3. I would rather you ................................. money from him.

Correct! Wrong!

4. I would rather you .............................. so much on gadgets.

Correct! Wrong!

5. I would prefer ................................... with you.

Correct! Wrong!

Prefer is followed by a to-infinitive. Would rather is followed by a bare infinitive.

6. Do you wish you ............................. curly hair?

Correct! Wrong!

A past tense is used after I wish to talk about unrealistic hopes and aspirations.

7. If only I ............................... enough.

Correct! Wrong!

A simple past or past continuous can be used after if only with the same meaning.

8. If only I ................................... more careful.

Correct! Wrong!

9. I wish you ............................ act more sensibly.

Correct! Wrong!

10. If only she ............................. her mistake.

Correct! Wrong!

11. If only I ........................ a pay rise.

Correct! Wrong!

12. If only they .................................... us earlier.

Correct! Wrong!

A past perfect is used after if only to talk about wishes about the past.

Answers

  1. It is time you went home.
  2. It is time you got a loan.
  3. I would rather you didn’t borrow money from him.
  4. I would rather you didn’t spend so much on gadgets.
  5. I would prefer not to go with you.
  6. Do you wish you had curly hair?
  7. If only I was earning / earned enough.
  8. If only I had been more careful.
  9. I wish you would act more sensibly.
  10. If only she realized her mistake.
  11. If only I got a pay rise.
  12. If only they had informed us earlier.
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