CONDITIONALS & WISHES

  I didn't pay attention to the teacher. I failed to understand the lesson.

• Although I paid attention to the teacher, I failed to understand the lesson.

• I would have understood the lesson if I had failed to pay attention to the teacher.

• I would have understood the lesson if I had paid attention to the teacher.

• Unless I failed to understand the lesson, I would pay attention to the teacher.

Very few students can understand the task. The requirements of the task are very confusing.

• If the requirements of the task were not so confusing, more students could understand it.

• If the requirements of the task were not easy, more students could understand it.

• Provided the requirements of the task hadn’t been confusing, more students could understand it.

• Had it not been for the confusing requirements of the task, more students couldn’t understand it.

I didn’t take his advice, so I didn’t succeed in that job.

• If I took his advice, I would succeed in that job.

• If I had taken his advice, I wouldn’t have succeeded in that job.

• If I hadn’t taken his advice, I would have succeeded in that job.

• If I had taken his advice, I would have succeeded in that job.

He is short-sighted. Therefore, he has to wear the glasses.

• If only he were short-sighted, he wouldn’t have to wear the glasses.

• If only he were short-sighted, he wouldn’t have to wear the glasses.

• If he weren’t short-sighted, he wouldn’t have to wear the glasses.

• If he weren’t short-sighted, he wouldn’t have to wear the glasses.

Hoa doesn’t come to class today. She contracts a serious illness.

• If Hoa didn’t contract a serious illness, she would come to class today.

• In case Hoa didn’t contract a serious illness, she wouldn’t come to class today.

• If Hoa contracted a serious illness, she won’t come to class today.

• If Hoa contracted a serious illness, she would come to class today.

Jack’s watch was ten minutes slow. That was why he was late for his interview.

• If Jack’s watch hadn’t been ten minutes slow, he wouldn’t be late for his interview.

• If Jack’s watch hadn’t been ten minutes slow, he wouldn’t have been late for his interview.

• If Jack hadn’t been late for his interview, his watch wouldn’t have been ten minutes slow.

He isn't qualified. He is not given important tasks.

• If only he were qualified and wouldn't be given important tasks.

• If he were qualified, he would be given important tasks.

• If he were qualified, he would not be given important tasks.

• Provided he is qualified, he will be given important tasks.

John cannot see off his sister at the airport because he is seriously ill.

• John’s sister wishes he hadn’t been seriously ill so that he couldn’t see her off at the airport.

• As long as John could see his sister off at the airport, he couldn’t be seriously ill.

• If John hasn’t been seriously ill, he can see off her sister at the airport.

• If  John weren’t seriously ill , he could see off his sister at the airport.

They cannot continue the work. They are too tired.

• If they are not too tired, they can continue the work.

• If they are not too tired, they can continue the work.

• If they hadn't been too tired, they could have continued the work.

• If they were not too tired, they could continue the work.

He was tired this morning. He stayed up late to watch a football match last night.

• He wouldn't be tired this morning if he had stayed up late to watch a football match last night.

• He wouldn't have been tired this morning if he had not stayed up late to watch a football match last night.

• If he didn't stay up late to watch a football match last night, he wouldn't be tired this morning.

• He would have been tired this morning if he had stayed up late to watch a football match last night.