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Unit 9 Online Practice Exercises & Reviews




Unit 9
1. UNREAL PAST
The past tense is sometimes used in English to refer to an 'unreal' situation. So, although the tense is the past, we are usually talking about the present, e.g. in a Type 2 conditional sentence:
If an elephant and a mouse fell in love, they would have many problems.
Although fell is in the past tense, we are talking about a hypothetical situation that might exist now or at any time, but we are not referring to the past. We call this use the unreal past.
Other situations where this occurs are:
·   after other words and expressions like 'if' (supposing, if only, what if);
·   after the verb 'to wish';
·   after the expression 'I'd rather..'

Expressions like 'if'
The following expressions can be used to introduce hypothetical situations:
- supposing, if only, what if. They are followed by a past tense to indicate that the condition they introduce is unreal:
·   Supposing an elephant and a mouse fell in love? (= but we know this is unlikely or impossible)
·   What if we painted the room purple? (= that would be very surprising)
·   If only I had more money. (= but I haven't).
These expressions can also introduce hypothetical situations in the past and then they are followed by the past perfect.
Examples:
·   If only I hadn't kissed the frog (= I did and it was a mistake because he turned into a horrible prince, but I can't change it now.)
·   What if the elephant had trodden on the mouse? (She didn't, but we can imagine the result!)
·   Supposing I had given that man my money! (I didn't, so I've still got my money now.)

The verb to wish
The verb to wish is followed by an 'unreal' past tense when we want to talk about situations in the present that we are not happy about but cannot change:
·   I wish I had more money (=but I haven't)
·   She wishes she was beautiful (= but she's not)
·   We wish we could come to your party (but we can't)
When we want to talk about situations in the past that we are not happy about or actions that we regret, we use the verb to wish followed by the past perfect:
·   I wish I hadn't said that (= but I did)
·   He wishes he hadn't bought the car (= but he did buy it.)
·   I wish I had taken that job in New York (= but I didn't, so I'm stuck in Bristol)
NOTE: When we want to talk about situations we are not happy about and where we want someone else to change them, we use to wish followed by would + infinitive:
·   I wish he would stop smoking. (= I don't like it, I want him to change it)
·   I wish you would go away. (= I don't want you here, I want you to take some action)
·   I wish you wouldn't squeeze the toothpaste from the middle! (= I want you to change your habits.)

I'd rather and it's time...
These two expressions are also followed by an unreal past. The verb is in the past tense, but the situation is in the present.
When we want to talk about a course of action we would prefer someone else to take, we use I'd rather + past tense:
·   I'd rather you went
·   He'd rather you called the police
·   I'd rather you didn't hunt elephants.
NOTE: the stress can be important in these sentences, to show what our preference is:
·   I'd rather you went = not me,
·   I'd rather you went = don't stay
·   He'd rather you called the police = he doesn't want to
·   He'd rather you called the police = not the ambulance service
Similarly, when we want to say that now is a suitable moment to do something, either for ourselves or for someone else, we use it's time + past tense:
·   It's (high) time I went.
·   It's time you paid that bill.
·   Don't you think it's time you had a haircut?
Online Practice

2. PERFECT ASPECT

Any verb (in the past, present or future) in the perfect (or complete) tense is said to be in the "perfect aspect" (also called the "complete aspect").  Such verbs are used to describe completed actions.

Examples:

 In the past: I had gone / they have eaten / she had drawn (the past perfect tense)
 In the present: I have gone / we have cleaned / it has recovered (the present prefect tense)
 In the future: I will have gone / you will have acted / he will have flown (the future perfect tense)

Online Practice

3. LINKING IDEAS

Transitions and linking words perform an important function in writing. They signal to the
reader the direction the writer is taking. They do this by connecting or linking ideas within a paragraph and providing a bridge between paragraphs. Remember to proofread the writing assignment to make sure transitions are used effectively. For more information and practice see this link. http://www.ssdd.uce.ac.uk/learner/writingguides/1.33.htm

TO SHOW ADDITION:
additionally
again
also
and,
another
besides
finally
first, second, etc.
further
furthermore
incidentally
lastly
likewise
moreover
next
nor
too
along with
as well
equally important
for example
for instance
in addition
what’s more
TO SHOW TIME:
about
after
afterward
at
before
currently
during
eventually
finally
first, etc.
following
formerly
immediately
later
meanwhile
next
next week
previously
soon
subsequently
then
thereafter
till
today, etc.
until
when
after a few hours
as soon as
in the future
soon after
TO SHOW LOCATION:
above
across
adjacent
against
along
among
along
among
around
behind
below
beneath
beside
between
beyond
by
down
inside
into
here
near
nearby
off
onto
outside
over
there
throughout
under
away from
at the side
in the back
in back of
in the background,
in the distance
in the front
in the foreground
on top of
to the right
TO SHOW COMPARISON:
also
as
like
likewise
meanwhile
similarly
simultaneously
after all
at the same time
by and large
in comparison
in the same way
in the same manner
in the same way
TO SHOW CONTRAST:
although
but
conversely
however
nevertheless
nonetheless
notwithstanding
otherwise
still
true
yet
although this is
and yet
even though
for all that
in contrast
on the contrary
on the other hand
while this is true
TO EMPHASIZE A POINT:
again
obviously
truly
undoubtedly
as a matter of
fact
for this reason
in fact
to emphasize
to repeat
TO CLARIFY:
for instance                      
in other words
put another way
that is
TO GIVE EXAMPLES:
namely
specifically
as an illustration
for example
for instance
to demonstrate
to illustrate
TO INTRODUCE AS A RESULT:
accordingly
consequently
so
therefore
thus
as a result
due to this
TO INTRODUCE CONCLUSIONS:
accordingly
consequently
finally
hence
so
therefore
thus
as a result
in brief
in conclusion
in short
in summary
on the whole
to conclude
TO SUMMARIZE:
finally
by and large
in brief
in conclusion
in summary
on the whole
summing up
to conclude



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