True situation: a) I don’t have enough money.
Making a wish: b) I wish I had enough money.
Using IF: c) If I had enough money I would buy a car.
d) If I had enough money I could buy a car.
If is often used to talk about situations that are contrary to fact.
True situation: e) The weather isn’t nice today.
Making a wish: f) I wish the weather were nice today.
Using IF: g) If the weather were nice today I would go
for a walk.
Exercise 9. Complete the sentences with words in brackets.
1. TRUE SITUATION: I don’t have enough time.
I wish I (have) enough time.
If I (have) enough time, I (go) to the park.
2. TRUE SITUATION: I don’t have enough money.
I wish I (have) enough money.
If I (have) enough money, I (fly) home this weekend.
3. TRUE SITUATION: It’s cold today.
I wish it (be, not) cold today.
If it (be, not) cold today, I (go) swimming.
4. TRUE SITUATION: I don’t know how to swim.
I wish I (know) how to swim.
If I (know) how to swim, I (go) to the beach with you.
5. TRUE SITUATION: I don’t understand this sentence.
I wish I (understand) this sentence.
If I (understand) this sentence, I (explain) it to you.
6. TRUE SITUATION: I have to go to class today.
I wish I (have to go, not) to class today.
If (I have to go, not) to class today, I (go) shopping or visit my friends.
7. TRUE SITUATION: It isn’t Saturday.
I wish it (be) Saturday.
If it (be) Saturday, I (go) to the beach.
8. TRUE SITUATION: I’m not rich.
I wish I (be) rich.
If I (be) rich), I (live) on a farm and (raise) horses.
Exercise 10. Complete the sentences with the words in brackets.
1.Jim doesn’t study hard. If he (study) harder, he (get) better grades.
2. The weather isn’t nice. I (take) a walk, if the weather (be) nice.
3. My wife and I want to buy a house but houses are too expensive. We (buy) a house if we (have) enough money for a downpayment.
4. If money (grow) on trees all of us (be) rich.
5. Life (be) boring if everyone (have) the same opinions about everything.
6. If I (be) you I (tell) Jim the truth.
7. Airplane tickets are expensive. If they (be) cheap I (fly) to Paris for the weekend.
8. I wish I (have) a camera. I (take) a picture of the sunset tonight if I (have) a camera.
9. The student cafeteria is relatively inexpensive but the food isn’t very good. I (eat) there all the time if the food (be) better.
10. Sometimes our teacher gives surprise quizzes. If I (teach) this English class I (give, not) surprise quizzes.
11. I wish I (have) a car. If I (have) a car I (drive) to school.
12. I’m very tired tonight. If I (be, not) tired I (go) to the movie with you.
Exercise 11. ORAL. What would you do if you were …. ?
1. a bird 7. a teacher 13. a professional athlete
2. a mountain climber 8. a police officer 14. a surgeon
3. an artist 9. a parent 15. a musician
4. a secretary 10. hungry 16. the President of Russia
5. a dog 11. sleepy 17. a magician
6. a good cook 12. at home 18. ambitious
Exercise 12. Complete the sentences with the words in brackets. Some of the sentences express true situations and some of the sentences express contrary-to-fact situations.
1. Maybe I will have enough time tonight. If I (have) enough time I (write) a letter to my folks.
2. I won’t have enough time tonight. But if I (have) enough time I (write) a letter to my folks.
3. Maybe I will have enough money. If I (have) enough money I (buy) a tocket to the rock concert.
4. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough money. But if I (have) enough money I (buy) a ticket to the rock concert.
5. Maybe I will buy a car. If I (buy) a car I (drive) to Virginia Beach to take a dip.
6. I’m not going to buy a car. But if I (buy) a car I (drive) to Virginia Beach to take a dip.
Exercise 13. Complete the sentences with your own words.
1. If I have enough money …………….
2. If I had enough money ……………..
3. If I have enough time ……………..
4. If I had enough time ……………….
5. If the weather is nice tomorrow ……………..
6. If the weather were nice today ………………
7. If you studied hard ………………………….
8. If you study hard ………………………….
9. I would get fat if ………………………….
10.You will lose weight if ………………….
13-4 USING IF: CONTRARY-TO-FACT IN THE PAST
True situation: a) I didn’t have enough money (last year, yesterday)
Making a wish: b) I wish I had had enough money.
Using if: c) if I had had enough money I would have bought a car.
When the speaker talks about past time, the past perfect is used. In an if clause would (could) have + past participle is used.
True situation: d) The weather wasn’t nice (yesterday, last week).
Making a wish: e) I wish the weather had been nice.
Using if: f) If the weather had been nice I would have gone out of
town.
Exercise 14. Complete the sentences with the words in brackets.
1. TRUE SITUATION: I didn’t have enough time yesterday.
I wish I (have) enough time yesterday.
If I (have) enough time yesterday, I (go) to the park.
2. TRUE SITUATION: I didn’t have enough money last night.
I wish I (have) enough money last night.
If I (have) enough money last night, I (go) to a show.
3. TRUE SITUATION: Mary didn’t come to my party last week.
I wish she (come) to my party.
If she (come) to my party, she (meet) my brother.
4. TRUE SITUATION: It was cold yesterday.
I wish it (be, not) cold yesterday.
If it (be, not) cold yesterday, I (go) swimming.
5. TRUE SITUATION: Jack didn’t study for the test.
Jack wishes he (study) for the test.
If he (study) for the test, he (pass) it.
Exercise 15. Complete the sentences with the words in brackets.
1. I didn’t feel good yesterday. If I (feel) better, I (come) to class yesterday.
2. I don’t feel good today. If I (feel) better, I (take) a walk in the park today.
3. I have a cold today, but I will probably feel better tomorrow. If I (feel) better tomorrow, I (go) to class.
4. I’m sorry that you didn’t come to the party. If you (come), you (have) a good time.
5. I didn’t know that Bob was sick. If I (know) he was sick, I (take) him some chicken soup.
6.I’m tired. If I (be, not) tired, I (help) you.
7. Snow is predicted tomorrow. If it (snow) tomorrow, I (stay) home.
8. I may have a dollar. Let me look in my wallet. If I (have) a dollar, I (lend) it to you.
9. I don’t have any money. If I (have) a dollar) I (lend) it to you .
10. I didn’t have a dollar yesterday. If I (have) a dollar yesterday, I (lend) it to you.
11. I didn’t know it was your birthday yesterday. I wish you (tell) me. I (get) you a present if I (know) it was your birthday yesterday.
12. Why didn’t you tell me when your plane was supposed to arrive? If you (tell) me I (pick) you up at the airport.
Exercise 16. Answer the questions in complete sentences.
1. Where would you be right now if you weren’t in class?
2. What would you have done yesterday if you hadn’t come to class?
3. What would you do today if you had enough time?
4. What would you have done yesterday if you had had enough time?
5. What would you buy if you had enough time?
6. What would you have bought yesterday if you had had enough money?
7. What would you do if you had a fire in this building?
8. If you had your own plane where would you go for dinner tonight?
9. What would happen if there were a nuclear war?
10. What would you do tonight if you didn’t have to study?