FINAL COUNTDOWN –
PART TWO
Today, a
bit of grammar… Well, is it music to your ears or are you petrified of the mere
sound of the word “grammar”?
Well, let
us try to convince you that grammar’s not as black as it’s painted. Let’s get
started.
If you were
to choose past perfect, past simple/past continuous, would,
which tense/form would you use:
- after “wish” or “if only” if we want something to be different in the present?
- after “wish” or “if only” when we regret that something happened or didn’t happen in the past?
- after “wish” or “if only” for a polite imperative or when we want an irritating or tedious situation to change?
The answers are:
a) past simple/past
continuous
b) past perfect
c) would
Task 1. Choose the correct form.
- Mike wishes he had/had had a car. His life would be much easier.
- I wish he had stopped/would stop smoking in my living room.
- I hate it! If only I hadn’t made/didn’t make that mistake. Everything would have ended well.
Task 2. Complete these
sentences using the verbs in brackets.
|
1. I wish you
__________ (be) here.
|
4. I wish you
______________ (tidy) your room more often.
|
|
2. If only I
_____________ (not have to) commute to work every day.
|
5. If only I
________________ (not neglect) my friend when she needed my help.
|
|
3. He wishes he
________________ (not steal) that car. He wouldn’t be a prisoner now.
|
6. She wishes she
____________ (have) a brother.
|
A little
dessert…
Do not use
“would” after “I” or “we”. Use “could”.
Answer key. Task 1. 1.had 2. would stop 3. hadn’t made
Task 2. 1. were 2. didn’t have to 3. hadn’t stolen 4. would tidy/tidied 5. hadn’t neglected 6. had
