5.5.2: Present Unreal (Second) Conditional
- Page ID
- 274393
\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)
\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
\( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\)
\( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\)
\( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)
\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}} % arrow\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}} % arrow\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)
\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Present Unreal Conditional (Hypothetical Statements)
| STATEMENT | |
|---|---|
|
We use special verbs with if when we are talking about situations that we imagine; that is, things that probably will not happen. The unreal statement includes the Simple Past. The result clause includes a would or could modal form. |
|
| UNREAL CONDITION | IMAGINED RESULT |
| IF + CLAUSE w/ SIMPLE PAST | CLAUSE w/ WOULD/COULD + BASE VERB |
|
If I were/was a millionaire,* |
I would buy a private jet. |
|
If I were/was a millionaire, |
I could buy a private jet. |
|
If I could choose anything, |
I would buy a house. |
|
If I could choose anything, |
I would buy a house. |
| * Use "was" for informal situations and "were" for formal situations, including academic writing. | |
| NEGATIVE / QUESTION | |
|---|---|
|
A negative is formed by placing not after the verb in the hypothetical clause or in the other clause. A question is formed by inverting the subject and auxiliary verb (would or could) in the result clause. |
|
| UNREAL CONDITION | IMAGINED RESULT |
| IF + CLAUSE w/ Simple Past | CLAUSE w/ WOULD/COULD + VERB |
|
If I were/was a millionaire, (I am not) |
I wouldn't travel on a commercial airline. |
|
If I weren't /wasn't a millionaire, (I am) |
I would have to travel like everyone else. |
|
If I could vacation anywhere, |
I wouldn't stay here. |
|
If you were a millionaire, |
could you stop working? |
|
If you could choose, |
would you move away? |
was / were – We often use were instead of was after if. Both was and were are used in formal English, but only was is used in informal English. If I were you... Were is a subjunctive verb form.
| UNREAL – CONDITIONALS |
|---|
|
In an unreal (remote) conditional structure, modal would or would have expresses an alternate, perhaps ideal world. This "remote" wording is used to soften an unpleasant response, apologize for failure or consider an alternate option. See Past Hypotheticals for examples. |
|
| PRESENT | RELATED ACTIVITY OR SITUATION |
|
If he had time, |
Ted would mow the grass. |
| REMOTE THINKING | |
|
"This action or situation, in another world... |
will cause this related activity to occur." |
| ACTUAL SITUATION | |
|
This situation or action has a poor chance of occurring. |
This outcome has a poor chance of occurring. |
| PAST | RELATED ACTIVITY OR SITUATION |
|
If he had had time, |
Ted would have mowed the grass. |
| REMOTE THINKING | |
|
"This action or situation, in another world. |
caused this related activity to occur. |
| ACTUAL SITUATION | |
|
This situation did not occur |
so this related activity did not happen. |
energetic (Adj) – having energy, physical or mental strength
infer (V) – to guess by reasoning or logic; form an opinion that something is probably true based on the information or evidence
likely (Adj) – likely to happen – probably will happen, 50% or better or neutral (50 / 50); unlikely – poor chance of happening
Exercise 1: Likely or Unlikely?
A. Read the Paragraph
Aiden lives in California, where weather is mild much of the year. He likes to bike to school. It takes him fifteen minutes to get there. He doesn't bike when it rains. He walks instead. Then it takes him thirty minutes. He doesn't like to walk because his books are heavy, but sometimes he can't help it.
Aiden's friend drives. Aiden can call him and ask his friend for a ride. However, he must call him the night before. Sometimes, it rains unexpectedly in the morning, so Aiden walks in the rain. Fortunately, he has an umbrella, and he likes to walk.
can't help – cannot avoid
forecast – predict something, especially weather
in time – within the time, not from the beginning, but still able to do the activity
on time – at the beginning set time of an activity
B. Read the conditional sentence and answer the question.
likely — probably will happen, probably is true. unlikely — probably won't happen, probably isn't true.
Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
1. If the weather is favorable this week, Aiden will bike to school.
Will Aiden bike to school?
likely / probably / unlikely
2. If it's going to rain, Aiden will walk.
Is Aiden going to walk?
likely / probably / unlikely
3. This morning it suddenly started raining. If Aiden called his friend, it would be too late to get a ride.
Is Aiden going to call his friend?
likely / probably / unlikely
4. If Aiden had started walking earlier, he would get to school on time this morning.
Did Aiden begin walking early?
likely / probably / unlikely
5. Aiden will make it in time to class if he walks fast.
Will Aiden walk fast?
likely / probably / unlikely
6. If Aiden had checked the weather forecast the night before, he wouldn't be walking in the rain now.
Did Aiden check the weather forecast?
likely / probably / unlikely
Grammar-Quizzes › Connectors › Connective Prepositions › Conditional › Real vs. Unreal Conditional
Grammar Quizzes by Julie Sevastopoulos is licensed for use under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 International