PAST CONDITIONALS

Past Conditionals Click for Audio Past conditionals are used when talking about decisions or actions that you wish had been different. They indicate hypothetical situations from the past using if statements. To form the past conditional, use past perfect in the if clause. Verbs in the main clause will depend on whether you are referring to the present or the past. For example* I wish I hadn't drunk so much last night. Now I feel terrible. If I hadn't drunk so much last night, I wouldn't feel so terrible now. (past action and present consequence) I wish I hadn't drunk so much last night. I felt terrible then. If I hadn't drunk so much last night, I wouldn't have felt so terrible. (past action and past consequence) I wish I had left home sooner. I was late for the party last night. If I had left home sooner, I wouldn't have been late for the party. (past action and past consequence) I wish I had left home sooner. Now I am stuck in traffic. If I had left home sooner, I wouldn't be stuck in traffic. (past action and present consequence)

*Used with permission from Touchy Situations: A Conversation Text for ESL Students. Textbook Touchy Situations, Chapter 19 Recommendation: See also: Conditional Introduction (from Englishpage.com) If you have questions or comments about this page, please contact us. Be sure to include the title of this page in the Subject line of your e-mail.

HOPE VS. WISH

<br> Hope v.s Wish Click for Audio Wish is most commonly used in hypothetical (or imagined) situations: I wish that I had a dog. (I don't really have a dog, but if I did, I would be happy.) I wish (that) you were here. (Unfortunately, you're not, and I miss you.) Sometimes wish is used in greeting and expressions of goodwill: We wish you a "Merry Christmas." (S V IO DO) They wished him "Happy Birthday." Wish me luck. Hope can also be used in expressions of goodwill, but the grammar is slightly different: (some time in the I hope (that) you have a Merry Christmas. future) I hope (that) you had a nice Birthday. (some time in the past) Hope can be used to specify a desired outcome. For future hopes, the possibilities remain open, but for past hopes, the outcome has usually been determined already. I hope you can come to the party on Saturday. (future possibility) I was hoping that you would come to the party. (but you didn't make it) I had hoped to see you at the party on Saturday. (but I didn't) I hope to get an A on the exam. (it is still possible) I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow. (although it might) He hopes to be elected President. (it could happen) She hoped you wouldn't find her. (but you probably did) Wish and hope are also used in certain types of requests and pleasantries. In such situations, wish carries a more definite and formal tone. I wish to see the doctor. (right now) I hope to see you again. (anytime in the future)

GERUNDS Click for Audio Gerunds are defined as the -ing form of a verb. They have several functions.

1. Used as subjects and complements Skiing is my favorite sport. Hiking can be very strenuous. Seeing is believing 2. Used as objects following prepositions and prepositional expressions Thanks for tending my children. The job consists of typing, filing, and answering the phone. 3. Used as objects following certain verbs*. The children enjoyed watching the parade. Ms. Terrell avoided paying her taxes until it was too late. Gerunds can sometimes take objects of their own: Roland is afraid of making mistakes. Sandy is considering leaving New York. *These verbs are commonly followed by gerunds. admit advise anticipate appreciate begin can't help complete consider discuss dislike enjoy finish hate hesitate imagine intend love mention mind miss practice prefer quit recall regret remember resent resist stop suggest threaten tolerate

attempt delay forget keep neglect recollect risk try

avoid deny go like postpone recommend start understand

INFINITIVES

Infinitives Click for Audio Infinitives are defined as to + base form of the verb. They have several functions. 1. Used as subjects and subject complements.

To know me is to love me. To live in Hawaii is my lifetime dream. 2. Used as objects following certain verbs*. I wanted to tell you how much I appreciated your gift. He hesitated to ask the embarrassing question. 3. Used as a shortened form of in order to. You must take this medicine (in order) to get well. I went to the bank to cash a check. Infinitives can sometimes take objects of their own. We hope to find the person who did this. I was asked to make a dessert for the potluck dinner. *These verbs are commonly followed by infinitives. afford agree appear arrange beg begin care choose decide demand deserve desire forget go happen hate intend know how learn like mean need neglect offer prepare pretend promise refuse seem start stop struggle threaten try volunteer wait

ask claim expect hesitate love plan regret swear want

attempt consent fail hope manage prefer remember tend wish

MOST/ALMOST

Most/Almost Most can be followed directly by a noun or by the phrase "of the." However, it cannot be followed by "of" or "the" alone. Almost* is usually followed by a number or quantifier (90%, all). The quantifier can be followed by the phrase "of the," but not "of" or "the" alone. XX Most of Koreans live in Asia. (Wrong!)

OK OK XX OK XX OK

Most Koreans live in Asia. (The majority of the world's Korean people.) Most of the Koreans in this class are male. (Only those in the class.) Almost Japanese people eat rice. (Wrong!?) Almost all Japanese (people) eat rice. Almost of Japanese students like sushi. (Wrong!) Almost all of the Japanese (in this class) like sushi.

*Almost means "not completely" and can also be used before verbs and adverbs. He almost finished his homework. We're almost there!

PREPOSITIONS

Prepositions Click for Audio Prepositions indicate relationships between words or ideas. Most prepositions deal with location and are easy to learn. above below over under inside beside near up before* with outside beyond nearby down after* without around behind by toward during within through in front of next to along (side) since* until*

into between like despite

out (of) among as in spite of

off except than beneath

upon but* about underneath

*These can also be used as conjunctions. Some prepositions, however, have more than one meaning and can be very confusing. in on at to from for of

Generally, in, on and at indicate location. See also: Grammar: Prepositions of Location To and from imply movement toward or away from something. However, to can also function as part of an infinitive. See also: Grammar: Infinitives, To V or Not To V To and for can introduce indirect objects. See also: Grammar: Indirect Objects For and since can also indicate duration. See also: Grammar: Present Perfect Progessive Of is used in partitives (all of, some of . . .) and other expressions. See also: Grammar: Quantifiers Many prepositions are also used in expressions. See also: Grammar: Preposition Collocations with "Be"; Verb and Preposition Collocations For further reference: Grammar: Prepositions and Time Words Grammar: Adverbs and Prepositions Grammar: Prepositions and Subordinators The Preposition (from Grammar Bytes)

PRESENT WISHES

Present Wishes Click for Audio Present wishes indicate something that is ?contrary to fact.? That is, wishes are something that is untrue but desired. For example, I wish that I had a sports car. (The truth is I don't have a sports car.) I wish that I were a doctor. (I'm really not a doctor.) For present wishes, the past tense is used in the that clause, because it indicates a situation that is only imagined. Sometimes the word that is omitted. She wishes (that) she had a diamond ring. He wishes (that) he were rich. To express possibility (can) and future intention (will), use the modals could and would respectively. She wishes that she could sing. They wish that she would stop. When a ?be? verb is required, the word were is used, regardless of the subject. We wish you were here. I wish (that) I were taller. Textbook Recommendation: Touchy Situations, Chapter 19

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TOO/ENOUGH

Too/Enough Click for Audio Too and Enough are used with adjectives and indicate degree. Too means more than necessary, and it precedes the adjective. Enough means sufficient and usually follows the adjective. He is too old to ride the Merry-Go-Round. She has too much money. Tony was tall enough to play on the basketball (NOT: enough tall) team. (NOT: enough They were smart enough to pass the test. smart) Enough can also be used with nouns. In such cases, enough usually precedes the word it modifies. I have enough money for the CD player. I don't have enough (money) for the computer. There aren't enough people to make a team. In some cases, enough can stand alone. I have had enough of this nonsense. Enough is enough! Common problems include using very in place of too or enough. She is very young to drink alcohol. (Wrong) She is too young to drink alcohol. (Correct) He is not very tough to play football. He is not tough enough to play football. (Wrong) (Correct)

WHEN VS. HOW LONG

When vs. How Long When and How Long indicate different things. When usually indicates a specific point in time, or something that is considered as a specific point. How long indicates a period or length of time, with a beginning and ending point. When did you move to Arizona? (Asks for specific time)

I moved here in 1997. How long have you lived in Arizona? (Asks for length of time.) I have lived here since 1997. Notice that with when and how long, different tenses and different verbs are often used. When did you buy that car? I bought it two months ago. How long have you owned that car? I have owned it for two months. (simple past tense) ("buy? indicates action) (present perfect tense) ("own? indicates possession)

?Actions? usually happen at a point in time, whereas things such as ?possession,? ?status? ?condition? ?awareness? refer to something that continues over a period of time. (See: Grammar: Action vs. Status.) For example, action (When did you?.?) meet your best friend get that new watch become a lawyer status/condition (How long have you ??) known your best friend had that new watch been a lawyer

A common mistake is using an ?action? verb to indicate something that exists over a period of time. How long have you bought that car? How long have you had that car? Incorrect! Correct

In the above statement, the present perfect tense is used to indicate that you still have the car now. How long can also be used to indicate conditions that existed totally in the past. How long did you live in Denver? I lived in Denver for two years. Compare the following: A. Wholly in the past How long were you in Florida. I arrived there in May. I left there in July. B. Ongoing at the present How long have you been in Florida? I arrived here in May. I am still here. I have been here since May. (You do not live there now.) (from 1997 to 1999)

I was there for two months.

VERBS OF PERCEPTION

Set 1 (action) listen to look at touch smell taste

Set 2 (non-action) hear see* feel* smell taste

Set 3 (non-action) sound look feel smell taste

Set 1 verbs indicate that the perceiver is focusing on a specific object. They can be used in the progressive. He is listening to the radio. They are looking at the picture. She is smelling the flowers. Set 2 verbs indicate general perception and are non-progressive. He hears a noise. They see flames. She smells smoke. Set 3 verbs indicate appearance. (It seems) They are non-progressive. That sounds like thunder. This looks terrible. It smells fishy. (describes the object, not the perceiver) (Not: He is hearing) (Not: They are seeing...)

*When feel is used to describe emotions, the progressive is sometimes used. I feel great today. I feel cold today. . I am feeling great today. (physical feeling is usually nonprogressive)

*See can sometimes be used in expressions in the progressive. She is seeing the doctor. He is seeing another woman. Special Usage of Certain Verbs of Perception Some verbs of perception see, look at, hear, listen to, and feel, along with watch and sense can be used with objects followed by other verbs (base form or gerunds, but not infinitives). Note the examples below: We heard you leave. (Okay. Emphasis on our hearing.) We heard you leaving. (Okay. Emphasis on your leaving.) We heard you to leave. (Incorrect!) Other examples: I saw her go. Look at that man run! Sylvesterlistened to the canary sing. We watched them play basketball. We watched them playing basketball. Trudy can feel the wind blowing against her skin. Mr. Todd sensed the lion approaching.