CONDITIONALS

UNREAL CONDITIONTALKING ABOUT OUR DREAMS AND FANTASIES(PRESENT OR FUTURE)

If people were clever,

And all clever people were good,

The world would be nicer than ever …

William Wordsworth

Read and translate:

If I were a film star, I would be

popular all over the world.

Look at the pictures. Read and translate the sentences. Pay attention to the words in bold.

If I were a famous football player, I

would earn a lot of money.

Compare:It’s a pity I can’t play football well. I wish I were a famous football player.

Compare:It’s a pity I am not an actress. I wish I were a film star.

If I could go to the mountains, I would have a wonderful time there.

Compare:

It’s a pity I don’t have time to travel.

I wish I could go to the mountains.

Read and translate the sentence. Pay attention to the words in bold.

Study the table. Pay attention to the form of the verb in the if-clause

and in the main clause. Remember how to express a fantasy or how to speak about an imaginary situation.

1. I don’t have a camera. I wish I had one.

2. I have to take a bus to school. I wish I didn’t have to.

3. We are not good chess players. We wish we were.

1. If I had a camera, I would take pictures of the sights I visit when I travel.

2. If I didn’t have to take a bus to school, I wouldn’t get up so early.

3. If we were good chess players we would be the winners in this tournament.

The True Situation. Facts.Imaginary Situation.

Contrary-to-fact in the Present / Future

Study and remember

When we talk about an imaginary

situation which is contrary-to-fact in the

present or in the future, we use the past

verb form in the if-clause (had, knew,

were, could) and the form would +

Infinitive in the main clause.

If - clause Main clause

If it were not raining,If the weather were nice,If Mary were here,If I were you,

I would go swimming.we would go hiking.she would help us.I wouldn’t do it.

In an if-clause were is used

for all persons.

Read the proverb. What Russian equivalent could you give?

If my aunt were a man, she would be my uncle. (English proverb)

Use suitable tense forms to complete the sentences.1. If she …… (not complain) so much, she ……….. (be) easier to get along with.

2. If he ……………… (be) here, he …………… (tell) us what to do.

3. Life ……..……..(be) happier if people ……. (not quarrel or fight).

4. Jack …………….. (be) a better student if he …….. (not miss) classes so often.

5. If you …………. (take up) photography, you ……… (find) it a pleasure.

6. If I .. (have) an authority, I ..…….. (organize) more youth clubs in the city.

7. They ….…………… (admire) the music if they ……….………. (join) us and ……… (see) the performance.

8. If you …… (ask) me, I ………… (tell) you how to solve this problem.

9. If he ………. (be) more hard-working, he …………. (show) better results in his studies.

10. I …………. (see) the screen well if there ………………. (not be) so many people there.

didn’t complain

were

would be

would tell

would be didn’t quarrel or fight

would be didn’t miss

took up would find

had would organize

would admire joinedsaw

asked would tell

were would show

would see weren’t