Unreal past

Ingrid Vooglaid

​Using unreal past

*expresses an imaginary situation in the past,

*criticism or regrets and

*requires past perfect.

Examples:

*If I had been more careful, I wouldn`t have made this mistake. Had I been more careful, I wouldn`t have made

this mistake.

*If only I hadn`t made this mistake. He acted as if he hadn`t made the mistake. I`d rather you hadn`t made this mistake.

Connect the following sentences in unreal past.

*They were not aware of the party. They didn`t go.

*She wasn`t able to finish the test on time. She got a poor grade.

*I didn`t catch the train. I didn`t keep the appointment.

*I didn`t like the book. I didn`t buy it.

*He relied on false information. He ruined a relationship.

Text

Possible answers

*Had they been aware of the party, they would have gone.

*If she had finished the test on time, she might have received a better grade.

*If only I had caught the train, I would have kept the appointment.

*Had I liked the book, I would have bought it.

*Supposing he hadn`t relied on false information, could he have saved the relationship?