Futures – The forms we use
Share In this post we’re going to talk about the future. There are lots of different ways to talk about the future in English so
An unreal past structure is one that considers impossible situations. While conditional forms are the most obvious, there are also a number of other ways we can talk about such scenarios.
We’ll take a look here at the variety of forms we can use and how we use them.
While conditional forms can also express an unlikely present we are concentrating on ideas that refer to the past here.
The first of these is the 3rd conditional. While we have a typical structure, as follows below here, there are other ways to express the same idea.
Let’s look at some examples
This is the standard if + past perfect form, modal + have + p.p. structure.
We can also use inversion, a structure we can use to show formality.
Further forms that can be used as well as inversion are were + for or but for.
Another way we discuss the unreal past is by offering opinions on how or why past events occurred. Two ways we do that are by speculating about it or by criticising past actions.
These types of forms mean that a speaker is offering a more personal view of the situation.
Examples
Regrets and talking about past possibilities are another way to reflect on the unreal past.
The most typical of these are the use of wish and if only.
Examples
These two forms generally have much the same meaning although if only has a slightly stronger meaning. We can also see how should have + p.p. is possible with the same general sense of regret.
Wish and if only can also be different in meaning.
When we look at preferences we are at two basic forms rather and prefer. Both, of course, refer to the present but we can also use them as a way of commenting on past preferences.
The grammar for both is different but the meaning is a type of regret or criticism.
Rather
Examples
An alternative to would rather is would sooner and it is used with exactly same structure as would rather.
e.g.
I would sooner not have fired him but I had no choice given his consistently poor performance.
Prefer
Examples
Finally, there are a number of expressions which talk about things that should be happening.
These forms use a past form structure and typically use expressions with It’s time.
Example: It’s time we were going.
This example suggests it’s past the time to do something. We can use about and high for further emphasis.
About time can also be used to show irritation, anger or relief about a situation. The general meaning of the expression in this case is finally.
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