Questions/short answers

Subject/Object Questions

Who meet Sally? (not: Who did meet Sally?)

Who did Sally meet?

QUESTION WORDS

people

animals things

place

Time

quantity

manner

reason

What

Which (of)

Who

Whose (possession)

What

Which (of)

Where

How long

How often

What time

When

How many

How much

How

Why

Type 1

real

present

Conditionals

If + any present form Future/Imperative (Present S., Present Cont. can/may/might/must/should or Present Perfect) + bare inf/Present Simple

true or likely to happen in the present or future

If you play with matches, you will burn yourself.

If you have taken the books, you can start working on your essay.

If you see him, tell him to come immediately.

Type 2 unreal present

If + Past Simple would/could/might + bare or Past Continuous infinitive

untrue in the present; also used to give advice

If I were you, I wouldn't feel sorry at all. (advice) If she was working more, she would be paid more. (but she isn't working much - untrue in the present)

Type 3 unreal past

If + Past Perfect or would/could/might + have Past Perfect Continuous + past participle

imaginary situation contrary to facts in the past; also used to express regrets or criticism

If he had followed his parents' advice, he wouldn't have lost all his money.

Mixed Conditionals

Type 2

lf-clause

Main clause

If she was sleeping all day, (She was sleeping all day

she will feel better now. so she feels better now.)

Type 1

Type 2

If I were rich,

(I'm not rich

If you paid more attention,

(You don't pay attention

I would have bought a new car. so I didn't buy a new car.) you wouldn't have made such a mess. so you made a mess.)

Type 3

Type 3

If I had been invited,

(I wasn't invited

I would go tonight.

so I'm not going tonight.)

Type 2

Wishes

Form

Use

I wish (if only)

(wish/regret about the present)

+ Past tense

wish/regret about a present situation we want to be different

I wish we were on holiday. (It's a pity we aren't.)

I wish (if only)

(wish/regret about the present)

+ could + bare infinitive

wish/regret in the present concerning lack of ability

I wish I could speak French. (but I can't)

I wish (if only) (regret about the past)

+ Past Perfect

regret that something happened or didn't happen in the past

I wish you had listened to me. (but you didn't)

I wish (if only) + subject + would + bare inf wish for a future change (Impossible wish for (a. "wish" and "would" should have unlikely to happen or wish to a future change) a different subject. We never say: express dissatisfaction;

Not: I wish I would, He wishes he would

etc polite request implying b. wish + inanimate subject + would dissatisfaction or lack of is used to express the speaker's hope disappointment or lack of hope

I wish he would stop lying. (But I don't think he will - wish for a future change unlikely to happen.)

I wish they would take this more seriously. (dissatisfaction)

I wish it would stop snowing.(But I'm afraid it won't stop snowing - wish implying disappointment)

I wish you wouldn't throw litter on the floor. (Please, don't throw litter on the floor - request implying

lack of hope)

Unreal Past

Past Simple

Past Perfect

• Conditionals Type 2 (unreal in the present) If I were you, I would leave now.

• Wish (present) I wish she worked more efficiently.

• I’d rather/sooner sb… (present) I’d rather you left the files here, please.

• Suppose/Supposing Suppose you won the lottery, what would you buy?

• As if/as though (untrue situation in the present) He acts as if he were a genius.

• It’s (about/high) time … It’s about time you learnt to drive.

• Conditionals Type 3 (unreal in the past)

If I had known before, I wouldn't have come.

• wish (past)

/f only he hadn't lied to me.

• I'd rather/sooner sb ... (past)

I'd rather you had not spoken like that yesterday.

• Suppose/Supposing

Suppose she hadn't reminded you, would you

have remembered?

• as if/as though (untrue situation in the past)

She looked at me as if she had never seen me

before.

• when the subject of would

rather is also the subject

of the following verb

I'd rather + Present bare Infinitive (present/future reference)

Perfect bare infinitive (past reference)

I'd rather stay in tonight.

I'd rather not have taken the bus, but I had no choice.

• when the subject of would rather is different from the subject of the following verb

I'd rather sb + Past Simple (present/future reference)

Past Perfect (past reference)

I'd rather you didn't shout so much.

I'd rather you had come with me yesterday.

• prefer + gerund/noun + to + gerund/noun (general). I prefer watching TV to reading books.

• prefer + full infinitive + rather than + bare infinitive (general preference)

I prefer to eat what I want rather than count calories.

• would prefer + full infinitive + rather than + bare infinitive (specific preference)

I'd prefer to play football rather than watch it.

• would rather + bare infinitive + than + bare infinitive. I'd rather ski than skate.