Past and Present Tense Unreal Conditionals

By: Sean Savoie

Many students were confused about the English lesson published in the last issue of the New York Community Times. I appreciate your e-mails, and I understand that the unreal conditional is very confusing, but it is extremely important, even in everyday spoken English.

Sometimes the unreal conditional is used simply to explore creative thinking about cause and effect. For example, in a typical high school history class, an experienced teacher might use the unreal conditional to understand how much a student has learned about the subject. After studying for four months about World War II, the teacher may ask, "What would have happened if the United States had not entered World War II?" Well, we know that the United States did, in fact, enter World War II; so the whole idea of the United States not entering World War II is unreal... it is just an idea.

While teaching a particularly high-level student who enjoys grammar, I came across an exercise that is very effective. Using real cause and effect sentences, take the ideas and make them unreal. Examine the sentences below:

Richard did not finish high school, so he can not find a good job now.

If Richard had finished high school, he could probably find a good job now.

Notice that, in the first sentence above (a compound sentence), the first clause (an independent clause) is in the past tense. The second clause (also an independent clause) is in the present tense. This is no problem; we know that the past can influence the present. In this case, using the unreal conditional, the past tense becomes the past perfect tense form and the present tense becomes the past tense form. Just as in reported speech, the verb tense moves back one place. This is how to form the unreal conditional.

As is true in many things, examples are often clearer than explanations. So, carefully examine the sentences below. Pay special attention to the verb tenses and how they shift. Each conditional "if" sentence is in the unreal form. Be sure to study these very carefully and practice using them in real life.

Examples:

John got $400 for his birthday, and so he bought a new iPod.

If John had not gotten $400 for his birthday, he would not have bought a new iPod.

I saw the police officer, and so I drove more slowly.

If I had not seen the police officer, I would not have driven more slowly.

My car was not working, and so I walked to school yesterday.

If my car had been working, I would not have walked to school yesterday.

He did not speak to her, and so she did not learn his name.

If he had spoken to her, she would have probably learned his name.

We did not have very much free time, and so I did not have lunch.

If we had had more free time, I would have had lunch.

We did not have time to eat lunch, and so I am very hungry now.

If we had had time to eat lunch, I would not be hungry now.

I got up very early this morning, and so I had time to read the newspaper.

If I had not gotten up very early this morning, I would not have had time to read the newspaper.

I got up very early this morning, and so I am a bit tired tonight.

If I had not gotten up very early this morning, I would not be tired tonight.

I did not get my paycheck last Friday, and so I did not ask her out to dinner.

If I had gotten my paycheck last Friday, I would have asked her out to dinner.

I did not get my paycheck last Friday, and so I do not have money now.

If I had gotten my paycheck last Friday, I would have some money now.

He has an expensive mortgage to pay on his house, and so he needs to work two jobs.

If he did not have an expensive mortgage to pay on his house, he would not need to work two jobs.

It was raining all day yesterday, and so I stayed inside and watched a DVD.

If it had not been raining all day yesterday, I would not have stayed inside and watched a DVD.

She was not really paying attention in class, and so she did not understand the homework assignment.

If she had been paying attention in class, she would have understood the homework assignment.

I missed the subway this morning and was late to work, and so my boss was angry at me all day.

If I had not missed the subway this morning, I would have been on time for work, and my boss would not have been angry at me all day.

The teacher read the sentences too fast, and so many of the students did not understand.

If the teacher had read the sentences more slowly, many of the students would have understood more.

She became very nervous during the job interview, and so the company did not offer her a job.

If she had not become so nervous during the job interview, the company might have offered her a job.

She became very nervous during the job interview, and so she is not working at that company now.

If she had not become so nervous during the job interview, she would probably be working at that company now.

He did not really like living in the city, and so he lives out in the country now.

If he had liked living in the city, he would probably live in the city now.

All of the real cause and effect sentences above use the "and so" form to show cause and effect. This is probably the most obvious way to express this idea. But unreal conditional sentences can be used in many other ways, even to express ideas more politely and indirectly in the form of the subjunctive, which is a polite way of speaking in English. Even though many of you, my kind and gentle readers, are a bit exhausted from studying the unreal conditionals, I will continue to show you other forms next week in the New York Community Times, so be strong and keep studying. Until then, have an excellent week!