Past Unreal Situations 2
Analyzing an accident
What Caused the Titanic to Sink?
| CONDITIONS LEADING TO THE ACCIDENT | HYPOTHETICAL CAUSE - EFFECT STATEMENTS |
|---|---|
When we reflect on a past accident, we analyze the conditions to understand what we needed to do to avoid the accident. Read the following conditions and determine what errors were made. |
Hypothetical past statements are not factual (untrue). The statement in the if-clause did not occur. These conditionals state what we could have done to avoid or change the course of a tragedy. |
Speed - The Titanic was trying to beat a trans-Atlantic time crossing record. |
If the Captain had cruised at a lower speed and postponed setting a 'crossing' record, the watchmen might have spotted the iceberg in time. |
Lifeboats - The Titanic had lifeboats and preservers for less than half of the people on board |
If the White Star Line had included more life boats in the design of the Titanic, all the people would have survived. |
Conditional Tense Structure
The past conditional is used to speculate about past events: plans and actions that did not occur.
Typically, would have, could have, should have are used, and occasionally, might have and may have.
| HAD + PAST PARTICIPLE | MODAL + HAVE + PARTICIPLE |
|---|---|
In the if-clause, state the situation or condition that unfortunately did not occur. |
In the other clause, indicate the hypothetical action resolving the problem. Usually, the verb takes the form of would have, could have or should have + participle. |
If Jack had seen the iceberg, |
he would have told the captain. |
If Rose had known it, |
she could have left him earlier. |
If Molly had talked any longer, |
she would have put everyone to sleep. |
If Cal had been a better man, |
he might have acted in a kinder manner. |
If-Clause Order
| COMMA | NO COMMA |
|---|---|
Use a comma to separate the two clauses when the if-clause comes first. |
Use no comma when the if-clause comes second. |
If we had known the movie was long, we would have gotten some popcorn. |
We would have gotten some popcorn if we had known the movie was long. |
If we had gotten here earlier, we could have found better seats. |
We could have found better seats if we had gotten here earlier. |
Practice
Analysis: looking at the whole situation
When we analyze a catastrophe such as the sinking of the Titantic, we try to find the factors, the human errors, which lead to the disaster.
- speed
- insufficient number of lifeboats
- binoculars
- ship design
- angle of impact
- emergency response time of Titanic crew
- radio-operator on the nearby ship California, had his radio off.
- not enough / insufficient lifeboats
- insufficiently filled lifeboats
- gates locking 'steerage passengers' below deck
- calling Titanic "unsinkable"
- Select the word from each menu that best completes the sentence.
- Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right.
Text View of Answers
- If the White Star Line had included more life boats, all the people would have survived.
- If the watch crew had located some binoculars before leaving England, they would have seen the iceberg earlier.
- If the ship designers had included more safety compartments to keep the ship afloat, the ship might have stayed afloat until the Carpathia arrived.
- If the Captain had steered directly into the iceberg, the ship would have had less damage.
- Help might have come more quickly if the crew had reacted more quickly,
- The ship near by, California would have received the emergency call if the radio-operator had had his radio turned on.
- If the White Star Line had supplied enough life jackets for everyone, all the bodies would have been found.
- More people would have survived if the crew had filled the lifeboats completely,
- Third-class passengers in compartments below deck might have had a chance if the crew had not locked them in.
- If The White Star Shipping Line hadn't called the Titanic "unsinkable", they wouldn't have tempted fate.
