Lesson Transcript

Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?
If I hadn’t taken time off from school, I
be farther in my career right now.
If I hadn’t taken time off from school, I
be farther in my career right now.
would
would
If I hadn’t taken time off from school, I would be farther in my career right now.
If I hadn’t taken time off from school, I would be farther in my career right now.
“Would” is used here because we’re talking about a present result.
“Will” is used for future situations, but this sentence talks about a hypothetical present based on a past condition.
Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?
I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I
that experience.
I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I
that experience.
hadn't had
hadn't had
I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I hadn’t had that experience.
I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I hadn’t had that experience.
We use “hadn’t had” to show that the experience happened in the past, and it affects who I am today—another mixed conditional structure.
“Didn’t have” refers to a simple past action, but we need past perfect because we’re imagining a different past.
Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?
If I'd had a personal assistant, I
be so disorganized.
If I'd had a personal assistant, I
be so disorganized.
wouldn't
wouldn't
If I'd had a personal assistant, I wouldn't be so disorganized.
If I'd had a personal assistant, I wouldn't be so disorganized.
The sentence imagines a past condition "if I'd had a personal assistant" and its present result "I wouldn’t be so disorganized", so “wouldn’t” fits.
“Won’t” refers to the future, but this sentence talks about how the present would be different if the past had been different.
Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?
My coworker would have been fine if he
in advance.
My coworker would have been fine if he
in advance.
had prepared
had prepared
My coworker would have been fine if he had prepared in advance.
My coworker would have been fine if he had prepared in advance.
“Had prepared” is the correct past perfect form to match “would have been.”
“'Prepared' is the simple past, but the third conditional requires the past perfect — 'had prepared' — to describe something that didn’t happen in the past.”
Unscramble the words to make a sentence.
Ready?
If
If I'd
If I'd listened,
If I'd listened, I
If I'd listened, I would
If I'd listened, I would be
If I'd listened, I would be better
If I'd listened, I would be better off.
If I'd listened, I would be better off.
Unscramble the words to make a sentence.
He
He would
He would be
He would be better
He would be better off
He would be better off if
He would be better off if he'd
He would be better off if he'd listened.
He would be better off if he'd listened.
Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?
My boss wouldn't be upset if I'd (sent or send) her the invoices on time.
My boss wouldn't be upset if I'd (sent or send) her the invoices on time.
sent
sent
My boss wouldn't be upset if I'd sent her the invoices on time.
“I’d sent = I had sent. 'I’d' is the contraction of 'I had,' not 'I would' in this sentence.”
“Send” is the base form, which doesn’t work after “had.” The structure “if I had sent” requires the past participle “sent.”
Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?
If I hadn't been late to the meeting, I would (know or have known) what is going on.
If I hadn't been late to the meeting, I would (know or have known) what is going on.
know
know
If I hadn't been late to the meeting, I would know what is going on.
“Would know” is present tense—this is a mixed conditional showing how a past action affects the present.
“Would have known” would refer to a result in the past, but here we’re talking about what’s going on right now.
Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?
I would be promoted now if I had (work or worked) harder last year.
I would be promoted now if I had (work or worked) harder last year.
worked
worked
I would be promoted now if I had worked harder last year.
We need past perfect “had worked” for the past condition. This is another mixed conditional with a past cause and present result.
“Worked” is just simple past. It’s not strong enough to show a hypothetical past situation in conditionals. We need “had worked” to match the conditional structure.
Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?
I would make the copies if I (had found/found) the copy paper.
I would make the copies if I (had found/found) the copy paper.
had found
had found
I would make the copies if I had found the copy paper.
We’re talking about the present result of not finding the paper in the past. “Had found” shows the past perfect condition.
“Found” is simple past, but it doesn’t express the unreal past situation we need for the conditional structure.
Listen to what I say. What is the past perfect verb used in the sentence?
My boss wouldn't be upset if I'd sent her the invoices on time.
Listen one more time.
My boss wouldn't be upset if I'd sent her the invoices on time.
Did you hear, "I'd sent"? "I'd sent" means that had sent is the past perfect verb.
How about...?
He would be better off if he'd listened.
Let’s listen one more time.
He would be better off if he'd listened.
Did you hear "he'd listened"? "he'd listened" means that had listened is the past perfect verb.
Next...
If I hadn't been late to the meeting, I would know what is going on.
One more time.
If I hadn't been late to the meeting, I would know what is going on.
Did you hear "hadn't been"? "hadn't been" is the past perfect verb.
Next...
I would be promoted now if I had worked harder last year.
One more time.
I would be promoted now if I had worked harder last year.
Did you hear "had worked"? "had worked" is the past perfect verb.
And...
I would make the copies if I had found the copy paper.
One more time.
I would make the copies if I had found the copy paper.
Did you hear "had found"? "had found" is the past perfect verb.
Thank you for watching.
Now you know how to discuss wrong business decisions or business mistakes in English.
...and now you can move on to the next lesson in the pathway on EnglishClass101.com.

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