UNIT 66 Unreal Conditionals:Present

Grammar Explanations

1.      Use present unreal conditional sentences to talk about unreal, untrue, imagined, or impossible conditions and their results.

The if clause presents the unreal condition.  The result clause presents the unreal result of that condition.

Examples

l   If I loved him, I would marry him

(But I don’t love him, so I won’t marry him.)

l   If I had more time, I would travel.

(But I don’t have time, so I don’t travel.)

2.      Use the simple past tense in the if clause.

Use would + base form of the verb in the result clause.

Be careful!

1. The if clause uses the simple past tense form, but the meaning is not past.
2. Don’t use would in the if clause in present unreal conditional sentences.
3. Use were for all subjects when the verb in the if clause is a form of be.

Usage note: You will sometimes hear native speakers use was in the if clause.  However, many people think that this is not correct.

  Examples

l   If they had money, they wouldn’t live there.

l   If I had more money now, I would take a trip around the world.

l   If she knew the answer, she would tell you.

NOT If she would know the answer…

l   If I were rich, I would travel around the world.

NOT If I was rich…

3.      You can also use a modal in the result clause.

Examples

l   If I had time, I could read more.

4.      You can begin conditional sentences with the if clause or the result clause.  The meaning is the same.

Use a comma between the two clauses only when the if clause comes first.

Examples

l   If I had more money, I would move.

l   I would move if I had more money.

5.      Statements beginning with If I were you,…are often used to give advice.

Examples

l   If I were you, I’d read “Peanuts.”

It’s really funny.

TRUE OR FALSE. Read each quotation from these “Peanuts” characters.  Write T (True) or F (False) for the statement that follows.

1.      Snoopy: If I were a human being, I wouldn’t even own a dog!

       Snoopy is a human being.

2.      Lucy to Snoopy: You wouldn’t be so happy if you knew what was going to happen.

       Snoopy is happy.

3.      Lucy to Linus: If I were you, I’d sleep underneath that tree.

       Lucy is giving Linus advice.

4.      Snoopy to Woodstock: What would you do if you had forty dollars?

       Woodstock has forty dollars.

5.      Snoopy: If I ate one more snowflake, I’d turn into a blizzard.

       Snoopy plans to eat another snowflake.

6.      Lucy: If we were married, Schroeder, I’d come in every morning and dust your piano.

       Lucy dusts Schroeder’s piano.

COMPLETE. Read part of an article about the comic strip “Peanuts.”  Complete it with the correct form of the verbs in parentheses.

PEANUTS

What makes “Peanuts” so popular?  Of course, if it 1. (not be) funny, people 2. (not like) it so much.  But “Peanuts” provides hope.  If the characters 3. (not be) so real, we 4. (couldn’t/identify) with them.  Take Lucy, for example.  In love with the piano-playing Schroeder, Lucy complains, “If we 5. (be) married, and you 6. (love) golf, I 7. (hate) your golf clubs!  If you 8. (drive) a sports car, I 9. (hate) your sports car!  If you 10. (be) a bowler, I 11. (hate) your bowling ball.”  Without looking up from his piano or missing a beat, Schroeder asks, “So?”  “I hate your piano!” shouts Lucy as she kicks it out from under him.  Recognizable behavior?  In “Peanuts” we see ourselves along with our weaknesses and hopes.  But we don’t have to analyze “Peanuts” to enjoy it.  If it

12. (not be) for comic strips like “Peanuts,” our lives 13. (might/be) a little less fun.

COMBINE. Read about these “Peanuts” characters.  What would happen if their situations were different?  Combine the two sentences into one, using unreal present conditional.

1.      Schroeder ignores Lucy.  She gets angry at him.

                                                                 

2.      Schroeder loves Beethoven.  He plays his sonatas all the time.

                                                               

3. Charlie Brown doesn’t have enough friends.  He feels lonely.

                                                              

4. Sally doesn’t know her teacher’s name.  She can’t send her a card.

                                                             

5. Linus is smart.  He finds clever solutions to life’s problems.

                                                              

6. Woodstock and Snoopy haave a close relationship.  Woodstock confides in Snoopy.

                                                              

7. Rerun’s parents refuse to let him have a dog.  He tries to borrow Charlie’s dog.

                                                             

8. Pigpen doesn’t take enough baths.  He’s filthy.

                                                                 

EDIT. Read this boy’s journal entry.  Find and correct six mistakes in the use of the present unreal conditional.  The first mistake is already corrected.

            I’ve got to stop staying up late reading “Peanuts”! If I weren’t always so tired.  I would be able to stay awake in class.  Whenever the teacher calls on me.  I don’t know what to say.  Then I get really embarrassed because of that cute red-haired girl that I like.  I would talk to her if I wouldn’t be so shy.  My friend Jason says, “If I was you, I’d ask her to a party,” but I’m too afraid that if I asked her, she would have said no.  After class, I played baseball.  Nobody wanted me on their team.  If I play better, I would get chosen sometimes.  Life is hard!  I can really understand that Charlie Brown character in “Peanuts.”  In fact, if I didn’t laugh so hard while reading “Peanuts,” I would cried!