2/23/2014 Advanced Level: Past Conditionals real and unreal | Learn English

http://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/lessons/advanced-level-past-conditionals-real-and-unreal 1/3
Search
home grammar vocabulary listening reading
Grammar
A verage: 3.3 (12 votes)
Home
Advanced Level: Past
Conditionals real and unreal
Thu, 11/07/2013 - 07:04 Chris McCarthy
The Past Real Conditional describes what you used to do in particular real-life situations. It
suggests that your habits have changed and you do not usually do these things today.
If I went out with my friends, I usually spent the whole night out. I cant do that anymore.
When I had time off, I always travelled. Now Im too busy.
When he was younger, he walked everywhere. Now he uses his car.
I had more time for my hobbies when I was younger.
Used to with the Past Real Conditional
To express the idea of a habit that happened in the past but stopped the form 'used to' is used.
The following examples have the same meaning as the examples above:
If I went out with my friends, I used to spend the whole night out. I can't do that anymore.
When I had time off, I used to travel. Now I'm too busy.
When he was younger, he used to walk everywhere. Now he uses his car.
I used to have more time for my hobbies when I was younger.
If/When
Both 'if' and 'when' are used with the Past Real Conditional. 'If' suggests that something
happened less often. 'When' suggests something happened more frequently.
If I had time off, I travelled. I rarely had time off.
When I had time off, I travelled I regularly had time off.
Past Unreal Conditional
The Past Unreal Conditional is used to talk about imaginary situations in the past. It is used to
imagine different outcomes due to different decisions or actions in different circumstances:
If I had gone out less, I would probably have studied more.
I would have travelled more if I had had more time.
If I had studied French at school, I would have got the job.
Danny would have got the promotion if he hadn't insulted the boss's wife.
With the Past Unreal Conditional only 'if' can be used when the situations discussed are
imaginary. 'When' cannot be used.
Conditionals and modals
There are some special conditional forms for modal verbs in English:
would have + can = could have
would have + shall = should have
would have + may = might have
The words "can," "shall" and "may" cannot be used with "would have." Instead, they must be
used in these special forms:
If I had gone to England I could have studied interior design.
If he had time, he might have come to meet us.
When Sarah asked me to come to the party, I should have gone.
EC English language Schools EC Young Students Learn English
2/23/2014 Advanced Level: Past Conditionals real and unreal | Learn English
http://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/lessons/advanced-level-past-conditionals-real-and-unreal 2/3
Lesson by Tristan, teacher at EC Malta English school
Now complete the following using the correct form:
1. Peter _ to Paris with us if hed had time.
Correct!
would have gone
would go
2. If Sarah _ that her colleagues were going to be so difficult, she would never have taken
the job.
Wrong!
knew
had known
3. When we were children, we _ the weekends at my grandmothers.
Wrong!
spend
used to spend
4. I used to hate it when our teachers _ sarcastic to us in class.
Wrong!
had been
were
5. If I _ the chance, I would have gone to live in Tuscany.
Correct!
had had
had
6. When Peter moved to another city, I _ with him.
Wrong!
should go
should have gone
7. Anne _ you if you had asked her.
Wrong!
might help
might have helped
8. If I _ a higher salary, I probably would have stayed with the company.
Correct!
had been offered
were offered
Check Answers
Bookmark/Search this post with:

Login or register to post comments
Comments
Fri, 11/15/2013 - 13:28 Ephrem Abayneh
I like it
Eph
I hope this improve my skill
2/23/2014 Advanced Level: Past Conditionals real and unreal | Learn English
http://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/lessons/advanced-level-past-conditionals-real-and-unreal 3/3
Login or register to post comments
Fri, 11/15/2013 - 13:44 Ephrem Abayneh
good
Eph
Login or register to post comments
English language Schools