Past Unreal Situations 1: analyzing with hypothetical statements

On this page:
Analysis / Hypotheticals
Commas
Common Mistakes
If/ Even if/ Only if/ Otherwise
Clause Order & Wording
Practice

Past Unreal Situations 1

Analyzing with hypothetical statements

Hypothetical past statements are not factual (untrue): the statement in the if-clause did not occur.
These conditional statements are often used to "step into the past", view the situation from all perspectives (sides) and analyze the errors. Then the solutions can be found.

The Concorde Accident

In July 2000, Air France's safest aircraft - the supersonic Concorde- crashed leaving many to speculate about what might have caused the accident. Speculation ranged from a flock of birds, to a bad repair job, to the intake of runway debris (garbage) by one or both of the failed engines. Most experts agreed: "We can guess that a tire or several tires on the landing gear exploded."

At week's end, the French Transport Ministry announced, "From the information available at the present time, it emerges that at least one tire burst, something that could have triggered a chain of events, damage to the jet's structure, a fire and engine failure."

An Analysis of Errors

A HYPOTHETICAL PAST CONDITION	A HYPOTHETICAL PAST EFFECT
The if-clause introduces a past hypothetical condition and is paired with a past hypothetical effect-clause. A speaker imagines a hypothetical fix to achieve a better outcome or avoid a bad outcome. A past perfect verb is used in the if-clause.	The speaker uses the effect clause to state a hypothetical, better outcome to the past situation. A modal (would have, could have, might have) + participle verb form is used in the effect-clause.
POOR INSPECTION OF JET If the maintenance crew had done a thorough inspection of the aircraft, If the maintenance crew had not hurried to complete their inspection of the aircraft,	they would have checked the tires, landing gear and fuel lines in engine no. 2.
FAILURE TO REMOVE DEBRIS FROM RUNWAY If the runway crew had cleared a strip of metal from the runway, If another jet hadn't left a strip of metal on the runway,	it wouldn't have gotten in the way of the landing gear of the Concorde.
TIRE FAILURE If one of the tires hadn't exploded, If one of the tires had deflated,	then perhaps it wouldn't have gone into the engine air intake.
ENGINE FIRE If the both engines hadn't caught fire, If the only one engine had caught fire,	the pilot could have made an emergency landing.

A HYPOTHETICAL PAST CONDITION

A HYPOTHETICAL PAST EFFECT

The if-clause introduces a past hypothetical condition and is paired with a past hypothetical effect-clause. A speaker imagines a hypothetical fix to achieve a better outcome or avoid a bad outcome. A past perfect verb is used in the if-clause.

The speaker uses the effect clause to state a hypothetical, better outcome to the past situation. A modal (would have, could have, might have) + participle verb form is used in the effect-clause.

POOR INSPECTION OF JET

If the maintenance crew had done a thorough inspection of the aircraft,
If the maintenance crew had not hurried to complete their inspection of the aircraft,

they would have checked the tires, landing gear and fuel lines in engine no. 2.

FAILURE TO REMOVE DEBRIS FROM RUNWAY

If the runway crew had cleared a strip of metal from the runway,
If another jet hadn't left a strip of metal on the runway,

it wouldn't have gotten in the way of the landing gear of the Concorde.

TIRE FAILURE

If one of the tires hadn't exploded,
If one of the tires had deflated,

then perhaps it wouldn't have gone into the engine air intake.

ENGINE FIRE

If the both engines hadn't caught fire,
If the only one engine had caught fire,

the pilot could have made an emergency landing.

debris (n.) – a piece of something that has fallen or broken off another jet
deflate (v.) – lose air usually because of a hole
explode (v.) – to burst into small pieces
failure (n.) – something that is old, in bad condition or produced imperfectly
hypothetical (adj.) – based on a situation that is not real, but that might happen
thorough (adj.) – very complete

Commas

INITIAL-POSITION	MID-POSITION
When the if-clause comes before the result clause, a COMMA is used to separate the clauses.	When the if-clause comes after the result clause, NO COMMA is used to separate the clauses.
If they had done their jobs well, [comma] the accident wouldn't have happened.	The accident wouldn't have happened if they had done their jobs well.
If the tire had not exploded, [comma] the engine would not have caught fire.	The engine would not have caught fire if the tire had not exploded.

Common Mistakes

ERROR	FIX
If the pilot hadn't flew the jet down like a glider, it would of crashed into Manhattan.	If the pilot hadn't flown the jet down like a glider, it would have crashed into Manhattan. (1) Use the participle form of the verb: fly – flew – flown. (2) Use have not of , which sounds similar, but is incorrect.

ERROR

FIX

If the pilot hadn't flew the jet down like a glider, it would of crashed into Manhattan.

If the pilot hadn't flown the jet down like a glider, it would have crashed into Manhattan.

(1) Use the participle form of the verb: fly – flew – flown.
(2) Use have not of , which sounds similar, but is incorrect.

Pop-Q "Hudson"

Past Hypotheticals

Connectors

If/ Even if/ Only if/ Otherwise / Or Else

INTRODUCES THE CONDITION	INTRODUCES THE EFFECT
Use a conjunction (if, even, if, only if) to join the condition-clause to the effect-clause.	Use an adverb (if not, otherwise, or else) to join the effect-clause to the condition-clause.
IF – a condition If the pilot hadn't made a sharp right turn at the end of the runway, he would have crashed into a neighborhood (of homes).	IF NOT The pilot made a sharp right turn at the end of the runway. If not, he would have crashed into a neighborhood (of homes).
EVEN IF – no condition Even if the pilots had shut down the fuel tank on engine 2, there still would have been enough escaped fuel to cause the explosion. It made no difference either way - no condition. See Indeed / Even	OTHERWISE – if not There were no birds in the area. Otherwise, they could have been a possible cause of engine failure. See If / Unless
ONLY IF – one unique condition Only if the pilots had avoided the runway debris, could they have avoided the accident. See only if.	OR ELSE – if not The French Transport Ministry grounded all Concordes, or else Air France would have continued flying its Concordes.

INTRODUCES THE CONDITION

INTRODUCES THE EFFECT

Use a conjunction (if, even, if, only if) to join the condition-clause to the effect-clause.

Use an adverb (if not, otherwise, or else) to join the effect-clause to the condition-clause.

IF – a condition

If the pilot hadn't made a sharp right turn at the end of the runway, he would have crashed into a neighborhood (of homes).

IF NOT

The pilot made a sharp right turn at the end of the runway. If not, he would have crashed into a neighborhood (of homes).

EVEN IF – no condition

Even if the pilots had shut down the fuel tank on engine 2, there still would have been enough escaped fuel to cause the explosion.
It made no difference either way - no condition. See Indeed / Even

OTHERWISE – if not

There were no birds in the area. Otherwise, they could have been a possible cause of engine failure. See If / Unless

ONLY IF – one unique condition

Only if the pilots had avoided the runway debris, could they have avoided the accident.
See only if.

OR ELSE – if not

The French Transport Ministry grounded all Concordes, or else Air France would have continued flying its Concordes.

Also see If / Unless for other conditional connectors.

Past Hypotheticals

Clause Order & Wording

Word Order

CONDITION CLAUSE	EFFECT CLAUSE
STATEMENT If they had checked,	they could have made repairs.
	the problem would have been found. (passive)
	they would have seen the worn tires.
QUESTION If they had checked,	would they have seen the problems?
Had they checked,
NEGATIVE If they had checked,	they wouldn't have let the jet leave the hangar. hangar – aircraft garage
If they hadn't been in a hurry,	they would have kept the jet in the hangar.

Practice

What Caused the Accident?

Select the correct verb form for these past conditional - unreal statements.
Note the punctuation (which affects the meaning of the sentence.)
An asterisk * indicates an incorrect choice.

#	YOUR RESPONSE	CHECK ANSWER
1.	If the Air France Concorde hadn't crashed, then British Airways about possible design flaws in their Concordes.	wouldn't have known would have known
2.	If the pilots had seen the flames shooting from engine no. 2, they taking off.	would never have attempted will never have attempted would have never had attempted
3.	If there hadn't been structures at the end of the runway, the Concorde on the ground.	had stayed could have stayed would have stayed
4.	If British Airways had known about a problem with the landing gear, they the problem to Air France.	could have communicated should have communicated would have communicated
5.	Even if the pilots had managed to turn the jet around, it would have crashed due to the fire. Implies:	They did manage to turn it around. They did not manage and it wouldn't have made a difference.

Grammar-Quizzes.com

PRACTICE ON POINTS OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR