Advanced: Problems with third conditionals?
Used for imaginary situations in the past.
You can describe what you would have done differently or how something could have happened differently if circumstances had been different.
e.g. I would have read more as a child if I hadn't had a TV. (Unfortunately, I did have a TV, so I never read for entertainment.)
Special Forms:
would have + can = could have
would have + shall = should have
would have + may = might have
The words "can," "shall" and "may" must be used in these special forms; they cannot be used with "would have."
e.g. If I had gone to Egypt, I could have learned Arabic.
e.g. If I had had more time, I could have exercised after work.
Intermediate: Present perfect or past simple?
Present
Perfect:
[HAS
/ HAVE] + [past participle]
e.g. I have seen that movie many times.
Note: When you are using a verb tense with more than one part such as Present Perfect (have seen), adverbs usually come between the first part and the second part (e.g. have never seen).
Unspecified Time Before Now
We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now. The exact time is not important.
You cannot use the Present Perfect with specific time expressions such as "yesterday," "one year ago," "last week," "when I was a chlid," "when I lived in Japan," "at that moment," "that day" or "one day."
e.g. I have seen that movie many times.
Note: When you are using a verb tense with more than one part such as Present Perfect (have seen), adverbs usually come between the first part and the second part (e.g. have never seen).
Unspecified Time Before Now
We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now. The exact time is not important.
You cannot use the Present Perfect with specific time expressions such as "yesterday," "one year ago," "last week," "when I was a chlid," "when I lived in Japan," "at that moment," "that day" or "one day."
If
we specify when we must use the simple past. However, we can
use the Present Perfect with indefinite expressions like "ever," "never,"
"once," "many times," "several times," "before," "so far," "already"
and "yet."
e.g. I think I have met him once before. e.g. I met him at the Annual Conference last year.
How do you actually use the Present Perfect?
The concept of "unspecified time" can be very confusing to English learners. It is best to associate Present Perfect with the following topics:
Experience
You can use the Present Perfect to describe your experience. It is like saying, "I have the experience of..." You can also use this tense to say that you have never had a certain experience. The Present Perfect is NOT used to describe a specific event.
e.g.
I
have been to France.
(This sentence means that you have the experience of being to France. Maybe
you have been once, or several times.)e.g. I think I have met him once before. e.g. I met him at the Annual Conference last year.
How do you actually use the Present Perfect?
The concept of "unspecified time" can be very confusing to English learners. It is best to associate Present Perfect with the following topics:
Experience
You can use the Present Perfect to describe your experience. It is like saying, "I have the experience of..." You can also use this tense to say that you have never had a certain experience. The Present Perfect is NOT used to describe a specific event.
e.g.
I have been to France three times. (You can add the
number of times at the end of the sentence.)
but...
e.g.
I went to France last summer (a specific event)
Change
Over TimeWe often use the Present Perfect to talk about change that has happened over a period of time.
e.g. You have grown since the last time I saw you.
An Uncompleted Action You Are Expecting
We often use the Present Perfect to say that an action which we expected has not happened. Using the Present Perfect suggests that we are still waiting for the action.
e.g. James has not finished his homework yet.
Multiple
Actions at Different Times
We also use the Present Perfect to talk about several different actions which occured in the past at different times. Present Perfect suggests the process is not complete and more actions are possible.
e.g. I've been to Lisbon three times. I love the city.
Important
When we use the Present Perfect it means that something happened at some point in our lives before now. Remember, the exact time the action happened is not important.
We also use the Present Perfect to talk about several different actions which occured in the past at different times. Present Perfect suggests the process is not complete and more actions are possible.
e.g. I've been to Lisbon three times. I love the city.
Important
When we use the Present Perfect it means that something happened at some point in our lives before now. Remember, the exact time the action happened is not important.
Sometimes
we want to limit the time we are looking in for an experience. Expressions
such as "in the last week," "in the last year," "this week," "this month,"
"so far" and "up to now" can be used to narrow the time we are looking
in for an experience.
Notice: "Last year" means the year before now. "In the last year" means during the past 12 months, until now.
e.g. I went to Mexico last year. (I went to Mexico in 2005.
e.g. I have been to Mexico in the last year. (I have been to Mexico at least once at some point between 365 days ago and now. We do not know exactly when.)
e.g. Have you been to Mexico in the last year.
e.g. She graduated from university less than three years ago. She has worked for three different companies so far.
e.g. This week my car has broken down three times.
Notice: "Last year" means the year before now. "In the last year" means during the past 12 months, until now.
e.g. I went to Mexico last year. (I went to Mexico in 2005.
e.g. I have been to Mexico in the last year. (I have been to Mexico at least once at some point between 365 days ago and now. We do not know exactly when.)
e.g. Have you been to Mexico in the last year.
e.g. She graduated from university less than three years ago. She has worked for three different companies so far.
e.g. This week my car has broken down three times.
USE 2 Actions or conditions continuing until now
With Non-continuous Verbs and some non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, we use the Present Perfect to show that something started in the past and has continued up until now. "For five minutes," "for two weeks" and "since Tuesday" are all durations which can be used with the Present Perfect.
e.g. I have had a cold for two weeks.
e.g. I have worked in Zurich since 1994
Week 2 _________________________________________________________
Advanced: Mixed conditionals
Sometimes Unreal Conditional sentences are
"Mixed". This means that the time in the "If" Clause is not the same as
the time in the Result. Study the examples below to learn how to mix
conditional verb forms like a native speaker.
When speaking, we usually abbreviate ‘would’
and ‘had’ to a simple ‘d’ sound, and informally we write it as ‘d
-- I would → I’d, he had → he’d etc
Mixed Conditional Patterns
If I had won the lottery, I would be rich now. (But I didn't win the lottery in the past and I am not rich now.)
If I had studied French at school, I would have more job opportunities now. (But I didn't take French in high school and I don't have many job opportunities.)
PAST/
FUTURE
If she had put her name down for the skiing trip last week, she would be joining us tomorrow. (But she didn't sign up for the ski trip last week and she isn't going to join us tomorrow.)
If Mark had got the job instead of Joe, he would be moving to Shanghai. (But Mark didn't get the job instead of Joe and Mark is not going to move to Shanghai.)
If Mark had got the job instead of Joe, he would be moving to Shanghai. (But Mark didn't get the job instead of Joe and Mark is not going to move to Shanghai.)
PRESENT/
PAST
If I were rich, I would have bought that Ferrari we saw yesterday. (But I am not currently rich and that is why I didn't buy the Ferrari yesterday.)
If Sam spoke Russian, he would have translated the letter for you. (But Sam doesn't speak Russian and that is why he didn't translate the letter.)
If Sam spoke Russian, he would have translated the letter for you. (But Sam doesn't speak Russian and that is why he didn't translate the letter.)
PRESENT/
FUTURE
If I didn't have some holiday allowance left, I couldn't go (= wouldn’t be able to go) with you to Tenerife next week. (But I do have some holiday allowance left and I will go to Tenerife next week.)
If Cindy were more creative, the company would send her to New York to work on the new advertising campaign. (But Cindy is not creative and the company won't send her to New York to work on the new campaign.)
If Cindy were more creative, the company would send her to New York to work on the new advertising campaign. (But Cindy is not creative and the company won't send her to New York to work on the new campaign.)
FUTURE/
PAST
If I weren't going on my business trip next week, I would have accepted that new assignment at work. (But I am going to go on a business trip next week, and that is why I didn't accept that new assignment at work.)
If my parents weren't coming this weekend, I would have arranged to help you paint your flat. (But my parents are going to come this weekend, and that is why I'm not going to help you paint your flat.)
If my parents weren't coming this weekend, I would have arranged to help you paint your flat. (But my parents are going to come this weekend, and that is why I'm not going to help you paint your flat.)
FUTURE/
PRESENT
If I were going to that concert tonight, I would be very excited. (But I am not going to go to that concert tonight and that is why I am not excited.)
If Sandy were giving a speech tomorrow, she would be very nervous all day. (But Sandy is not going to give a speech tomorrow and that is why she is not nervous.)
Advanced: Mixed conditionals exercises
1) If you
(listen) more carefully to what I was telling you, you
(understand) why we can’t go ahead with the project.
2) We
(not be) lost if you
(not forget) the map.
3) I
(help) you service your car at the weekend if I
already
(not arrange) to visit my mother.
4) I met my wife while I was on a cruise. I fell ill and she was the ship’s doctor. Now we run a health food shop. Just think! If I
(not go) on that cruise, I
(not marry) her, we
(not have) two wonderful children now, and I
still
(work) as a teacher.
5) I haven’t got a car. My brother wanted to sell me his, and if I
(buy) it I
(be able) to drive to the mountains at the weekends now that the good weather is here. But I didn’t have enough money. If I
(save) more when I was working, now I
(be) the proud owner of a BMW!
6) You don’t know Peter, do you? He’s amazing. If you
(not go) to New York tomorrow I
(invite) you to dinner to meet him!Week 3 _________________________________________________________
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