Page 180 - Basic English Usage

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After if (see 165).
If | had the money now I'd buy a car.
If you caught the ten o'clock train tomorrow you Could be in
Edinburgh by supper-time.

After it’s time (see 189), would rather (see 370) and | wish (see 367).
Ten o'clock — it’s time you went home.
Don't come and see me today — I'd rather you came tomorrow.
! wish | had a better memory.

We can express politeness or respect, when we ask for something, by
beginning / wondered, | thought, | hoped, | was wondering, | was
thinking or | was hoping.
! wondered if you were free this evening.
I thought you might like some flowers.
! was hoping we could have dinner together.

If we are talking about the past, we usually use past tenses even for
things which are still true, and situations which still exist.
Are you deaf? | asked how old you were.
I'm sorry we left Liverpool. It was such a nice place.
Do you remember that nice couple we met on holiday? They were
German, weren’t they?

240 past time: the past and perfect tenses (introduction)

We can use six different tenses to talk about the past:
othe simple past (/ worked)
othe past progressive (/ was working)
athe present perfect simple (/ have worked)
athe present perfect progressive (/ have been working)
athe past perfect simple (/ had worked)
othe past perfect progressive (/ had been working)
The two past tenses (simple past and past progressive) are used to talk
about past actions and events.
| worked all day yesterday.
The boss came in while | was working.
The two present perfect tenses are used to show that a past action or
event has some connection with the present.
lve worked with children before, so | know what to expect in my new
job.
I’ve been working all day — I've only just finished.