Wish, rather, if only, it’s time: unreal uses of past tenses

Practice B2 grammar with wish, if only, rather & it’s time. Interactive exercises on unreal past uses with clear explanations and examples.

Wish, Rather, If Only, It’s Time: Unreal Uses of Past Tenses Exercises

You can use past tenses in English to talk about more than just the past. At the B2 level, you will often see past forms used to talk about things that aren’t real, like things that might happen in the present or future. This happens a lot with phrases like “wish,” “if only,” “would rather,” and “it’s time.”

Let’s look at how these structures work and how to use them the right way.

Using “Wish” for Unreal Situations

We say “wish” and “past simple” to talk about things we want to be different now but aren’t.

Structure:

• wish + past simple

Examples:

• I wish I had more free time. (I don’t have it now.)
• She wishes she lived closer to her family.
• We wish we knew the answer.

Use past continuous for ongoing situations:

• I wish it wasn’t raining right now.

Use could for ability:

• I wish I could speak Spanish.

Using “If Only” for Stronger Emotions

If only means the same thing as wish, but it shows stronger feelings like regret, anger, or desire.

Structure:

• if only + past simple

Examples:

• If only I had more money!
• If only she understood me.
• If only we were on holiday now.

It describes things that aren’t real right now, just like “wish.”

Using “Would Rather” for Preferences

We use would rather + past simple to talk about what we want other people to do, especially when we want things to be different now or in the future.

Structure:

• would rather + subject + past simple

Examples:

• I’d rather you didn’t tell anyone.
• She would rather he stayed at home tonight.
• We’d rather they arrived earlier.

Important:

• When we want to politely say that we don’t like or prefer someone else’s behavior, we often use this structure.

Using “It’s Time” for Present or Future Expectations

We say “it’s time” and “past simple” to mean that something should happen now or soon, usually because it is already late or overdue.

Structure:

• it’s time + subject + past simple

Examples:

• It’s time we left.
• It’s time you started studying.
• It’s time they made a decision.

Even though we use the past tense, the meaning is about the present or the near future.

At a glance, here are the main differences:

• Wish / If only → Things you want to change right now that aren’t real
• Would rather → What you want other people to do
• It’s time → Something needs to happen now (and often has been for a while)

These structures might look like past tense forms, but keep in mind that
They are used to talk about things that are not real in the present or future, not the past.

To get more comfortable and natural with these patterns, practice them with exercises.

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