1. Hypothetical situations
Success Advanced Chapter 5

2. Possibilities
We can use different constructions for hypothetical/imaginary/unreal situations
If sentences
I wish/If only
I’d rather/I’d prefer
It’s high time/it’s about time
As if/as though

3. General rule
We use Past simple to talk about unreal situations in the present
We use Past Perfect to talk about unreal situations in the past
I wish they didn’t have to drive so far to get home. (but they do)
I wish I had gone to France last year. (but I didn’t)

4. I wish/if only
I wish/if only are used to express regret or irritation about a situation that is hard/impossible to change.
If only is more dramatic
If only I had known, I would have helped you. (but you didn’t)
I wish I knew where my sister was at the moment (but I don’t)

5. Now you try I wish you (call) sooner. He has just left.
I wish you had called sooner. He has just left.
If only he (marry) her, she wouldn’t have killed herself.
If only he had married her, she wouldn’t have killed herself.
I wish I (know) where to go, I’m lost.
I wish I knew where to go, I’m lost.

6. Would rather/would prefer
‘d rather/’d prefer with Past Perfect are used to express regret or irritation.
I’d rather you hadn’t told me (but you did)
‘d rather/’d prefer with Past Simple are used to make a strong request or suggestion.
I’d prefer it if you didn’t pay. (I really don’t want you to pay)

7. Now you try
I’d rather you (not leave) your wet umbrella in the corridor.
I’d rather you didn’t leave your wet umbrella in the corridor. (strong request)
I’d rather you (not paint) the house green.
I’d rather you hadn’t painted the house green. (but you did)
Would you rather we (go) somewhere else?
Would you rather we went somewhere else? (suggestion)

8. It’s about time/it’s high time
It’s about time/it’s high time are used with the past simple to suggest that something should be happening now, but isn’t
It’s about time you cleaned your room!
It’s high time they bought a new car.

9. As if/as though (1)
As if/as though are used to make an unlikely comparison about something.
He treats us as if we were idiots (we are not, only his treatment suggests we are)
She looked as though she had just seen a ghost (It’s unlikely this happened)

10. As if/as though (2)
As if/as though can be used with other tenses to make realistic comparisons
He looks as though he’s French. (he probably is)
She sounds as if she loves the guy. (she probably does)

11. Now you try They act as if they (be) drunk. At this hour!
They acted as if they were drunk. (they probably aren’t)
They look as though they (be) brothers.
They look as though they are brothers. (they probably are)
It looked as if the little boy (kill) the baby, not his father.
It looked as if the little boy had killed the baby, not the father. (it is very unlikely)