Unreal past (it's time, would rather, as if)

Rules

• Rule 1: It's time / high time / about time

  When the time has come, or is overdue, use It's time + subject + past simple. high and about add impatience. With no subject, use It's time to + verb.

  Pattern: It's (high / about) time + subject + past simple / It's time + to + verb

  Example: It's high time you cleaned your room.

  Example: It's time to start the lesson.

• Rule 2: would rather: same subject

  For your own preference, use would rather ('d rather) + base verb. No *to*, no *-ing*! The negative is would rather not + verb. To compare, use than + base verb. For a past preference: would rather have + V3.

  Pattern: subject + 'd rather (not) + base verb (+ than + base verb)

  Example: I'd rather read than watch TV.

  Example: We'd rather not go out in this rain.

• Rule 3: would rather + someone else

  To say what you want someone else to do, use would rather + subject + past simple. For something that already happened, use had + V3. (*would prefer it if + past simple* works the same way.)

  Pattern: subject + 'd rather + other subject + past simple / had + V3

  Example: I'd rather you didn't call me so late.

  Example: I'd rather you had told me yesterday.

• Rule 4: as if / as though

  For an unreal situation, use as if / as though + past simple / were. If it seems to have happened before the main event, use had + V3. (If it might really be true, the present is also possible: *It looks as if it's going to rain.*)

  Pattern: … as if / as though + subject + past simple / were / had + V3

  Example: She acts as if she were a queen.

  Example: He looked as though he had seen a unicorn.

• Rule 5: Suppose / What if / Imagine

  To imagine a situation, use Suppose / Supposing / What if / Imagine + past simple, followed by would. For the past: had + V3 and would have + V3.

  Pattern: Suppose / What if + subject + past simple…? → would + verb

  Example: Suppose you won a trip. Where would you go?

  Example: What if we had missed the plane?

Common mistakes

• It's time we will go. → It's time we went.

  It's time + subject → past simple; no *will*.

• I'd rather to stay home. → I'd rather stay home.

  would rather + base verb; no *to*.

• I'd rather you don't come. → I'd rather you didn't come.

  Other subject → past simple (the present is heard in speech, but this is the standard form).