WALL STREET 29

03/13/2015

When talking about what we think is going to happen in the future,

we can use think + will / going to:
I think theyre going to be very happy together.
She thinks youll get sick if you eat any more cake.

Now imagine it is several weeks or months later, and were

describing the same thoughts, but theyre now in the past. We often
use this form to compare what we thought in the past with what
actually happened:
I thought they were going to be very happy together. (In fact,
they arent happy together.)
She thought youd (you would) get sick if you ate any more
cake. (And thats what happened: you ate more cake, and you got
sick.)

Second Conditional
Use the Second Conditional to talk about an imaginary /
hypothetical situation.
if + Past Simple, would / wouldnt + Infinitive
If I had a job, Id have some money.
If he wanted help, he wouldnt ask me.
If we didnt spend so much money, we wouldnt have to work so
much.
would / wouldnt + Infinitive + if + Past Simple
Id have some money if I had a job.
He wouldnt ask me if he wanted help.
We wouldnt have to work so much if we didnt spend so much
money.
if + Past Simple, could + Infinitive
If I had some money, I could buy some new clothes.
If there were more trains, we could catch an earlier flight.

could + Infinitive + if + Past Simple

I could buy some new clothes If I had some money.
We could catch an earlier flight if there were more trains.
First Conditional / Second Conditional
Compare the first and second conditionals.
First conditional: Ill do it if I have time.
a possible situationperhaps I will have time
Second conditional: Id do it if I had time.
an imaginary / hypothetical situationI dont have time

Certain to + Adverb
Hes certain to try and get her back.
Theres certain to be a delay at the airport.

so + adjective / such a + adjective + noun

This is such a good
This meal is so good!
meal!
Your cats so fat!
Thats such a fat cat!
The journey
It was such a long
was so long!
journey!

As if + Verb in Past Tense

We use this structure when someones actions or beliefs are
different from the way things really are. Notice that its very similar
to the first part of the second conditional (the part after if):
For example:
Dont talk to me as if I was a child. (Im not a child, Im 25 years
old!)
She looked at me as if I was mad. (Im not mad.)

Do you want me to go on as if it didnt matter to me? (It does

matter to me, a lot.)

Both / Either
New York and Tokyo are both very big cities.
I wouldnt like to live in either of them.
A: You can have either fruit salad or ice cream.
B: Cant I have both?
A: No, you cant!

As far as + Concerned
We use this structure in two ways:
(1) to talk about what someone thinks.
As far as Im concerned, you can do what you want.
Its a waste of time as far as hes concerned.
(2) to introduce a topic of conversation.
As far as sports facilities are concerned, this university is one of the best in
country.
As far as moneys concerned, you can have as much as you need.

Adding Do for Emphasis

I like it.
It seems strange.
They talk a lot.

I do like it.
It does seem
strange.

They do talk a
lot.

Wherever, Whenever, Whatever for Emphasis

Come when you like. Come whenever you like.
Do what you want. Do whatever you want.
Wherever theres a radio, you can listen to our broadcast.

You can listen to our broadcast wherever theres a radio.

Grammar Book
Conditionals
I. Likely conditions (The first conditional)
We use the following structure to talk about actions that are
very probable in the future.
If it rains, Ill use my umbrella. (It rains sometimes.)
If he goes to the station, hell pick you up. (He can easily go to the
station.)

This type of if-clause is formed by if + subject + present

tense + future tense verb clause.
First conditional sentences are normally reversible. When
the if-clause comes at the end, a comma is normally not
required between the two clauses.
The following forms mean exactly the same as their
counterparts above.
Ill use my umbrella if it rains.
Hell pick you up if he goes to the station.
We use the first conditional for events that are very likely to
happen in the future. In the examples above, it is very
possible that it will rain or that he will go to the station.
II. Unlikely conditions (The second conditional)
We use the following structure to talk about actions which
might happen, but are not very likely.
If I won the lottery, I would buy a boat. (This is not likely.)
If you werent married, I would marry you. (This is impossible
because you are married!)
If I were rich, I could travel around the world. (But I am not rich.)
This type of if-clause is formed by if + subject + simple past
+ would / could + verb.
As with the first conditional, second conditional sentences
are reversible. Again, the comma is not required in this form.
I would buy a boat if I won the lottery.
I would marry you if you werent married.
I could travel around the world if I were rich.
We use the second conditional to talk about future events
that will probably not happen or things that are impossible.
The difference between using could and would is that if the
condition is fulfilled thencould indicates the possibility of
doing something, whereas would indicates the certainty of
doing something, for example:
If I had enough money, I could buy a car. (It would be possible.)
If I had enough money, I would buy a car. (I would certainly do
this.)

Was Going to to Express the Future in the Past

was going + infinitive + complement

I was going to see the Rolling Stones, but the concert was too
expensive. (so I didnt go)
He was going to propose to her, but she broke up with him. (so he
couldnt propose)
We use was going to for future intentions in the past that
were not realizedthat is, that didnt take place.
We often use going to (+verb) as part of an excuse.
Why didnt you come to the concert?
I was going to (go), but I decided it was too expensive.