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Content tagged with "unreal situations"

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IT'S (HIGH) TIME

unreal situations

it's (high) time + past subjunctive

It's (high) time + past subjunctive expresses that something should be done and that it is already a bit late:

Less likely conditions

conditionals
unlikelihood
unreal situations
BE TO
SHOULD

First conditional

In the first conditional, happen to and should can be used in the if-clause to express that something is possible but not very likely:

If you happen to see Kate, say hi from me.
If you should see Kate, say hi from me.

Past perfect subjunctive

clauses
past
perfect
subjunctive
unreal situations

The past perfect subjunctive has the same form as the past perfect tense:

had + past participle

It is used in subordinate clauses and expresses unreal past situations:

Past subjunctive

past
present
subjunctive
unreal situations

The past subjunctive has the same form as the past simple tense except in the case of the verb be. Traditionally, the past subjunctive form of be is were for all persons, including the first and third person singular.

Second conditional

conditionals
future
present
subjunctive
unreal situations
IF
WOULD

if + past subjunctive | would + infinitive (simple or continuous)

The second conditional can describe an unreal situation with reference to the present. We imagine a hypothetical situation which contrasts with reality:

The modal WOULD to express unreal situations

modals
unreal situations
WOULD

Present and future

Would + infinitive can refer to unreal situations in the present or future. An unreal situation is one which is not true in the present or one which may or may not happen in the future:

Third conditional

conditionals
past
perfect
perfect infinitive
subjunctive
unreal situations
IF
WOULD

if + past perfect subjunctive | would + perfect infinitive

The third conditional describes an unreal situation with reference to the past. We imagine a hypothetical situation, something that did not happen:

Unreal tenses

clauses
subjunctive
unreal situations

Unreal tenses are verb forms used in subordinate clauses that express unreal or hypothetical situations:

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