What do FUTURE TIME CLAUSES, HYPOTHETICAL SUBJUNCTIVES

and WISH have in common?

The verb tense they all use is a step back in time because
what is being communicated is either uncertain,
hypothetical, unreal, unrealistic, improbable, imaginary,
or cannot be collocated on the future time line in a
specific place.

TIME LINE
past present future

By using a verb tense which is a step back in time to the real

time collocation we communicate that what we are saying is not,
in fact, true or real; or cannot be associated with a specific
future time.

Example: Will you call me when you arrive? (FTC your arrival time
is uncertain and unspecified)

If you studied harder, you would get higher marks.

(Hypothetical subjunctive in a II conditional in reality you are not
studying hard enough)

I wish I had a new car. (I would like things to be the opposite

of what they are in reality wishful thinking)

I will/am going to do my homework when I get back

home.
(I cannot, or do not want to specify an exact time, but I am certainly
talking about some time in the future so the simple present is used
instead of a future tense in the time clause).

FUTURE TIME CLAUSES

These use the following conjunctions + simple present form of
verb whilst the main clause uses a future tense or a modal
verb form.
When I finish my homework I will/am going to go to the cinema.
Before you go out with your friends you must finish your
homework.
What will you/are you going to do after you finish your
homework?
As soon as I finish my homework Ill/Im going(to go)to the
cinema.
Until/Till you finish your homework you wont be given
permission to go to the cinema. (future passive voice in main clause)
If you finish your homework will you be able to come to the
cinema with me?

Tomorrow you will clean the kitchen and I will clean the
bathroom. ======
Youll clean the kitchen while Im cleaning the bathroom.
You will need an umbrella. Take mine. ======
Whenever you need an umbrella you can take mine.
Should you need an umbrella, take mine. (type I conditional.
Indicates that the action, though possible, is not very likely).

The future perfect simple or continuous take a step back in

time when a conjunction is used and become the present perfect
simple or continuous.
I will have finished my homework in five minutes. Then Ill
call John.
When I have finished my homework (no specific time is given), Ill
call John.
John will have stopped playing tennis by tea-time. He will
have a shower before he comes in for tea.
John will have a shower as soon as he has stopped playing
tennis.
Time expressions such as the minute, the moment, when referring
to the future also step back to the present tense.
I will see John sometime today. I will tell him the good news.
The minute I see John I will tell him the good news.
If you arent careful you will drop the egg, and it will break.
The moment you drop the egg it will break.

HYPOTHETICAL SUBJUNCTIVE
One of the uses of the subjunctive is to communicate a
hypothesis that is highly unlikely to occur in the future or
simply was not true in the past.
Unlike many other languages the subjunctive mood in English is
falling into disuse and is infrequent nowadays, as forms using
a modal such as might, could or should are now more common.

We recommend that each student study (not studies)two hours

after school.
Students should study two hours after school.
 Students do, however, encounter the use of the subjunctive in
conditionals and fixed expressions such as God save the
Queen, Come what may, So be it.
If or
time
When in claus condition result typ
time e e
S
Simple present imple present
Always

0 Scientific truth
you heat ice it melts.
Refers If/ Personal truth
to when I always win.
anywhere I play tennis with
in time. John
I always take an
it rains umbrella with me.

It never rains but it pours.

meaning: When troubles come they come General truth
together.

Will/going to/modal
Simple present + base form of main
verb

future If 1 Probable
you dont leave
I will/am going to
If it rains call the police.
I wont/might not
Unless it rains play tennis
tomorrow. the
Shoul event will take
d it rain
place.
The event wont
take place.

Simple past Modal (usually Improbable

(subjunctive) would) + base verb
.
If I had time I would call Mary. At the moment
future 2 the opposite is
If John were/was here he would help us. true: I dont
have time and
The English Channel you could walk to John is not
If here.
froze France.
.
I went to London This is
I would/could visit
If improbable.
the Tate Gallery.

I were you I would study

If harder. Probability/poss
ibility
Were I you
I would study
In reality I am
harder. not you.

Past perfect Modal (usually Impossible to

(continuous) WOULD) + perfect change a past
subjunctive infinitive fact/situation
If
past Id known about your I would have come.
If party.
We hadnt eaten so we wouldnt have 3
If much been so ill. Unfortunately,
I would/could have I didnt go.
If I had gone to London visited the Tate. Ability not
we could have saved performed.
If we had found him him. This
earlier we might have saved possibility
If him. did not occur.
we had found him I would/could/might
earlier have been seriously
 I hadnt been injured in the
wearing a seat belt. accident.

If I wouldnt have
been crying when But the truth
John had told me the you saw me. is he lied and
truth I was crying.

WISH
We use the modals would and could to talk about wishes for
the future when we are not satisfied with the present
situation/reality.
I dont like living in England. I wish I could live in
Italy. My husband wishes he could live in Italy too.
What an awful noise. I wish John would stop practicing
the violin.
I wish the phone would ring.

We step back in time and use a past tense (subjunctive)form to

talk about wishes for the present time:

I dont like this place. I wish I lived somewhere more

interesting.
These second-class carriages are very dirty. I wish we
were travelling first class.
I wish it werent/wasnt so hot.
Wish you were here!

We use the past perfect (subjunctive) form to express the

desire that something different had happened, or express regret
for what happened in the past.

Im very tired. I wish I had gone (not went) to bed earlier

last night.
I wish (now) I had studied harder when I was at school.
Harry wishes he had listened more carefully to the
instructions he was given.
When John saw the results of the exam. He wished (when he
saw the results)that he had studied harder.

If only can be used with the same significance/ verb

constructions as wish
I wish I were/was rich.
If only I were/was rich.
I wish I had seen that green dress before I bought
the red one.
If only I had seen that green dress before I bought the
red one.
I cant sing well!
 I wish I could sing.
If only I could sing.
We wish he didnt smoke.
If only he didnt smoke. (It is such a bad habit)