Present Unreal Situations: strategies and hypothetical statements

On this page:
Present Unreal
Were & Would – Clauses
Mixed Time Frames
If it weren't for
If I were to
Practice

Present Unreal Situations

Strategizing with hypothetical statements

Strategy Statements

Before making a move in a game like chess, a player thinks about what will happen if he or she makes the move. The player does not actually make the move, but thinks about it instead. No move is made until the player considers several hypothetical moves. The player is analyzing options based on cause-effect relationships.

We express hypothetical situations with the preterit. The past tense verb form expresses distance or remoteness from reality rather than a past time frame. Hypothetical, unreal conditional, or irrealis indicates that an action or state-of-being is not a fact.

STRATEGY – IN ORDER TO
A strategy states a well-thought out but imaginary action taken on something or someone. The strategy can be expressed hypothetically as cause-effect: the strategy in the if-clause and the imagined effect in the result clause.
Move my pawn forward (in order) to take his bishop.
Slide my castle (in order) to protect it from his knight and queen.
Checkmate his king (in order) to make him mad.
Let my friend win (in order) to be a good friend.

CONDITIONAL – UNREAL
The preterit is used in the If-clause. The preterit "distances" the situation from present reality ("irrealis"), and it expresses an imaginary or hypothetical situation. A modal such as would or could is used in the result-clause.
If I moved my pawn forward,	then I could take his bishop. present unreal
If I slid my castle out of the way,	then his queen might not take it. present unreal
If I checkmated his king,	my friend would be mad. present unreal
If I were a good friend,	I would let my friend win once in a while. present unreal

preterit (n.) – a past tense verb form; past or past perfect
hypothetical (adj.) – assumed by hypothesis (theory); unreal conditions or situations
in order – for the purpose of

Were & Would Clauses

Distancing Ourselves from Reality

Present Hypothetical Statements — "Irrealis"

STATEMENT
We use special verbs with if when we are talking about situations that we imagine; that is, things that probably will not happen. The unreal statement includes the preterit. The result clause includes a would or could modal form.
CONDITION	RESULT — WOULD / COULD
If I were/was a millionaire,	I would buy a private jet.
If I were/was a millionaire,	I could buy a private jet.
If I could choose anything,	I would buy a house.
If I could choose anything,	I would buy a house. I could buy¹ a house.
Were I a millionaire,	I could buy a house.

NEGATIVE / QUESTION
A negative is formed by placing not after the verb in the hypothetical clause or in the other clause. A question is formed by inverting the subject and auxiliary verb (would or could) in the result clause.
CONDITION	WOULD OR COULD NOT
If I were/was a millionaire, (I am not)	I wouldn't travel on a commercial airline.
If I weren't /wasn't a millionaire, (I am)	I would have to travel like everyone else.
If I could vacation anywhere,	I wouldn't stay here.
If you were a millionaire,	could you stop working?
If you could choose,	would you move away?

¹repeating could is awkward
preterit (n.) – a past tense verb form; past or past perfect
commercial airline – an airline used by the public, not private
was / were – We often use were instead of was after if. Both was and were are used in formal English, but only was is used in informal English. If I were you... Were is a subjunctive verb form.

Hypothetical Situations

Mixed Time Frames

Mixing Time Frames

PRESENT / FUTURE CONDITION	HYPOTHETICAL RESULTING ACTION
A future hypothetical is expressed with be going (not will) in an if-clause. Were (formal) or was (informal) is used for 1st and 3rd person singular in the if-clause Either of the clauses on the left can be mixed with the clauses on the right.	The resulting action is imaginary. Note that phrasing for present and future tense are the same. Also note "be going to" and "go" expressions (go shopping/ go fishing/ go swimming) can add to the confusion.
FUTURE HYPOTHETICAL	RESULT CLAUSE
If it were going to rain soon, (later today)	I wouldn't plan on walking the dogs later. future I would be walking the dogs now. present I would have walked the dogs already. past
If we were going to go to the movies, (later today)	we would buy our tickets in advance. future we would be online buying our tickets. future we would be getting ready now. present we would have left already. past
PRESENT HYPOTHETICAL	RESULT CLAUSE
If it were raining now,	I would plan on walking the dogs later. future I wouldn't be walking the dogs now. present I would have brought the dogs inside already. past
If we were going to the movies, (now)	we would buy our tickets in advance. future we would be buying our tickets online. future we would be getting ready now. present we would have left already. past

Also see Mixed Tenses

Present & Past Hypothetical

Expression – If it weren't for

If it weren't for / If it hadn't been for

IF IT WAS/ WERE NOT FOR
If it weren't for... is another way to say that one event changes everything. The expression is followed by a noun phrase (NP) or a gerund clause.
IF IT WEREN'T FOR …	RESULT CLAUSE
If it weren't for your mother,	you wouldn't be here.
If it weren't for all this homework,	I'd go with you.
If it weren't for his offering his services for free,	we would never be able to afford healthcare.
If it weren't for music,	we'd all be dancing to drum beats.

IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR
If it hadn't been for... is another way to say that one past event changed everything. The expression is followed by a noun phrase (NP) or a gerund clause.
IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR …	RESULT CLAUSE
If it hadn't been for his advice,	I would have made the wrong decision.
If it hadn't been for his advice,	I wouldn't be here now.
If it hadn't been for your help,	I would have been lost.
If it hadn't been for you wanting to move to Alaska,	I would still be working.

Were or was / weren't or wasn't can be used
Also see: Omitting If – Were I , Had I..., Should you...

Present & Future Hypothetical

Expression – Were to

Present & Future Hypothetical — full and shortened

FULL HYPOTHETICAL
If … were going to can be used in the if-clause to express a future hypothetical situation or a request. (was is used informally)
IF…WERE GOING TO…	RESULT CLAUSE
If you were going to take a trip, (future)	where would you go?
If the government were going to legalize marijuana,	it would have done so by now.
If you were [going] to stand a little to the left,	I could see better. (a request)
If you were [going] to lend me a little money,	I could buy a ticket. (a request)
* If you were going to be on time…

SHORTENED HYPOTHETICAL
If … were to, a shortened form with just the auxiliary before the infinitive, may be used to express a similar meaning.
IF … WERE TO…	RESULT CLAUSE
If you were to take a trip,	where would you go?
If the government were to legalize marijuana,	it would have a great deal of difficulty.
If you were to stand a little to the left,	I could see better. (a request)
If you were to lend me a little money,	I could buy a ticket. (a request)
*If you were to know the answer...

was / were – We often use were instead of was after if. Both was and were are used in formal English, but only was is used in informal English. If I were you...
*sounds awkward with stative verbs

Common Mistakes

Errors and Solutions

ERROR	SOLUTION
*If you would have a flu shot, you wouldn't be so sick now. (Would is not normally used in the if-clause: the meaning differs.)	If you would have a flu shot (be willing), you would have some protection against the flu. (implies: you are unwilling)
If you could get a flu shot, you wouldn't be so sick now.	If you could get a flu shot (be able), you would have some protection against the flu. (implies: you are unable to get, locate, take, pay, or qualify for one.)
	If you had had a flu shot, you wouldn't be so sick now. (earlier condition)
	If you had a flu shot, you would have some protection against the flu. (present condition)

flu (n.) – influenza, a virus, a common illness that makes you feel very tired and weak, gives you a sore throat, and makes you cough and have to clear your nose a lot
shot (n.) – injection; something that protects a person from a disease with a vaccine