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 PRACTICE ON POINTS OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR

• Conditionals
• Cond Diagnostic
• Pres-Future Real
• Pres-Past Real
• Present Unreal
• Past Unreal
• Past Unreal 2
• Should/Could have
• Mixed Tenses
• Implied Conditions
• Wishes
• Wish Agreement
• If / Unless
• If / Whether
• Omitting If
• If / In case
• Related Pages

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,  (the hero in the Titanic movie)	he would have told the captain.
If Rose had known  it, (the main character in the Titanic movie)	she could have left him earlier.
If Molly had talked any longer, (a character in the movie)	she would have put everyone to sleep.
If Cal had been a better man,  (the villain in the movie)	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.

 

1. Select the word from each menu that best completes the sentence. 
2. Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right. 

#	SELECT THE CORRECT VERB FORMS	CHECK ANSWER
1.	If the White Star Line – had had had more life boats, all the people – survived would survive would have survived .
2.	If the watchmen – located had located some binoculars before leaving England, they – would see would have seen had seen the iceberg earlier.
3.	If ship planners – had designed would design designed more safety compartments to keep the ship afloat, the Titanic – had stayed might have stayed afloat until the ship, Carpathia, arrived.
4.	If the Captain – would steer had steered steered directly into the iceberg, the ship – could had had had could have had less damage.
5.	Help – had come would have come more quickly if the ship's crew – had reacted would react more efficiently.
6	The ship near by, the California, – would have received had received the emergency call if the radio-operator – would have had had had his radio turned on for emergency calls
7.	If the White Star line – would supply had supplied ship with enough life-jackets, all the bodies – had been found would have been found .
8.	More people – had survived would have survived if the crew – had filled would fill the lifeboats completely.
9.	Third-class passengers in compartments below deck – might have might have had a chance if the crew – had not locked had not had locked them in.
10.	If The White Star Shipping Line – had called hadn't called the Titanic "unsinkable", they – wouldn't have tempted would not tempt fate.  (tempt=provoke; brought on the "evil eye")

 

 

 

 

Text View of Answers

1. If the White Star Line had included more life boats, all the people would have survived.
2. If the watch crew had located some binoculars before leaving England, they would have seen the iceberg earlier.
3. If the ship designers had included more safety compartments to keep the ship afloat, the ship might have stayed afloat until the Carpathia arrived.
4. If the Captain had steered directly into the iceberg, the ship would have had less damage.
5. Help might have come more quickly if the crew had reacted more quickly,
6. The ship near by, California would have received the emergency call if the radio-operator had had his radio turned on.
7. If the White Star Line had supplied enough life jackets for everyone, all the bodies would have been found.
8. More people would have survived if the crew had filled the lifeboats completely,
9. Third-class passengers in compartments below deck might have had a chance if the crew had not locked them in.
10. If The White Star Shipping Line hadn't called the Titanic "unsinkable", they wouldn't have tempted fate.