Dave
30 giu 20212 min
Aggiornato il: 7 lug 2021
second conditional; I wish
Patti works for a radio station. She is talking to Carl Ryder, a well-known songwriter.
What things do you think he will tell her about?
his new house
his last holiday
his university studies
life in the music business
his family
the clothes he likes
Listen and check if you were right.
Listen again and complete the sentences below.
1 I wish I had more free time.
2 I wish I ____ so busy.
3 If I ____ away now, I’d choose somewhere warm and sunny.
4 I wouldn’t want to talk to people if I ____ songs to write.
5 If I ____ a songwriter, I’d be a fashion designer.
Look at your answers and answer these questions.
What tense did you use to complete the sentences?
Are Patti and Carl talking about the past?
Conditional sentences have two parts, a condition and a result:
If I didn’t have a lot of work, my evenings would be free.
The condition part usually starts with if.
When the if part comes second, there is no comma.
My evenings would be free If I didn’t have a lot of work.
Different kinds of conditional sentences use different tenses.
We use this for imaginary situations, which we believe are nearly or completely impossible:
If I had time, I’d (would) go to more concerts.
(But I haven’t got time, so I can’t go to more concerts.)
If she liked me, she’d (would) phone me.
(But I believe she doesn’t like me, so she probably won’t phone me.)
If I didn’t have an exam next week, I wouldgo clubbing at the weekend.
(But I have an exam next week, so I won’t go clubbing this weekend.)
we can put the condition after the result:
I’d go somewhere lively if I didn’t have any work to do.
(But I have work to do so I won’t go somewhere lively!)
I wouldn’t be late for work if I had a car.
(But I don’t have a car so I’m often late for work!)
we can put the condition after the result:
Would I fail the exam next week if I went clubbing at the weekend?
(I probably won’t go clubbing, but I’m thinking about the possible result.)
We often use were instead of was after If I/he/she/it:
If he weren’t (wasn’t) a songwriter he’d be a fashion designer.
If I were (was) you, I would write to him.
We use I wish + past for a wish about a present situation:
I wish I had more free time.
(but I don’t)
I wish I wasn’t so busy.
(but I am)
I wish I could speak Spanish.
(but I can’t)
We often use were instead of was after I/he/she/it:
I wish I were (was) clever.
(but I’m not)