Unit 40. If I had known ... I wish I had known ...

Unit 40; Part A

Study this example situation:
Last month Gary was in hospital for a few days. Rachel didn't knowthis, so she didn't go to visit him. They met a few days ago. Rachelsaid:
If I had known you were in hospital, I would have gone to see you.

Rachel said: If I had known you were in hospital .... This tells us that she didn't know he was in hospital.

We use if + had ('d) ... to talk about the past (if I had known/been/done etc.):
•    I didn't see you when you passed me in the street. If I'd seen you, of course I would have said hello. (but I didn't see you)
•    I decided to stay at home last night. I would have gone out if I hadn't been so tired. (but I was tired)
•    If he had been looking where he was going, he wouldn't have walked into the wall. (but he wasn't looking)
•    The view was wonderful. If I'd had a camera with me, I would have taken some photographs. (but I didn't have a camera)

Compare:
•    I'm not hungry. If I was hungry, I would eat something. (now)
•    I wasn't hungry. If I had been hungry, I would have eaten something. (past)

Unit 40; Part B

Do not use would in the if-part of the sentence. We use would in the other part of the sentence:

•    If I had seen you, I would have said hello. (not If I would have seen you)

Note that 'd can be would or had:
•    If I'd seen you,    (I'd seen = I had seen)
      I'd have said hello.    (I'd have said = I would have said)

Unit 40; Part C

We use had (done) in the same way after wish. I wish something had happened = I am sorry that it didn't happen:

•    I wish I'd known that Gary was ill. I would have gone to see him. (but I didn't know)
•    I feel sick. I wish I hadn't eaten so much cake. (I ate too much cake)
•    Do you wish you had studied science instead of languages? (you didn't study science)

Do not use would have ... after wish:
•    The weather was cold while we were away. I wish it had been warmer. (not I wish it would have been)

Unit 40; Part D

Compare would (do) and would have (done):

• If I had gone to the party last night, I would be tired now. (I am not tired now - present)
• If I had gone to the party last night, I would have met lots of people. (I didn't meet lots of people - past)

Compare would have, could have and might have:

• If the weather hadn't been so bad,

we would have gone out.
we could have gone out.
(= we would have been able to go out)
we might have gone out.
(= perhaps we would have gone out)

Exercises

1 Put the verb into the correct form.

Put the verb into the correct form.

1    I didn't know you were in hospital. If    I'd known    (I / know),   I would have gone (I / go)
      to see you.
2    Sam got to the station just in time to catch the train to the airport. If ________________ (he / miss)
      the train, ________________ (he / miss) his flight.
3    I'm glad that you reminded me about Amanda's birthday. ________________ (I / forget)
      if ________________ (you / not / remind) me.
4    Unfortunately I forgot my address book when I went on holiday.
      If ________________ (I / have) your address, ________________ (I / send) you a postcard.
5    A: How was your holiday? Did you have a nice time?
      B: It was OK. but ________________ (we / enjoy) it more if ________________ (the weather / be) nicer.
6    I rook a taxi to the hotel, but the traffic was bad. ________________ (it / be)
      quicker if ________________ (I / walk).
7    I'm not tired. If ________________ (I / be) tired, I'd go home now.
8    I wasn't tired last night. If ________________ (I / be) tired, I would have gone home earlier.

2 For each situation, write a sentence beginning with If.

For each situation, write a sentence beginning with If.

1    I wasn't hungry, so I didn't eat anything.
      If I had been hungry, I would have eaten something.
2    The accident happened because the road was icy.
      If the road _________________________________
3    I didn't know that Joe had to get up early, so I didn't wake him up.
      If I _________________________________
4    I was able to buy the car only because Jane lent me the money.
      _________________________________
5    Karen wasn't injured in the crash because she was wearing a seat belt.
      _________________________________
6    You didn't have any breakfast - that's why you're hungry now.
      _________________________________
7    I didn't get a taxi because I didn't have any money.
      _________________________________

3 Imagine that you are in these situations.

Imagine that you are in these situations. For each situation, write a sentence with I wish.

1    You've eaten too much and now you feel sick.
      You say: I wish I hadn't eaten so much.
2    There was a job advertised in the newspaper. You decided not to apply for it. Now you think that your decision was wrong.
      You say: I wish I ____________________________
3    When you were younger, you never learned to play a musical instrument. Now you regret this.
      You say: ____________________________
4    You've painted the gate red. Now you think that red was the wrong colour.
      You say: ____________________________
5    You are walking in the country. You'd like to take some photographs, but you didn't bring your camera.
      You say: ____________________________
6    You have some unexpected guests. They didn't phone first to saythey were coming. You are very busy and you are not prepared for them.
      You say (to yourself): ____________________________

Unit 39 Unit 40 Unit 41