EXERCISES

1. Read the following sentences and analyse the form of Subjunctive II.

1.Miss Sylver looked at her . She was flushed and trembling. “My dear, you had better come and sit down.” (P. Went.)

2.I didn’t tell anyone. … I was scared. I thought I’d better keep my mouth shut. (A. Chr.)

3.I simply dared not think what he meant. I thought I’d better make a little joke. (S.M.)

4.“I thought I should better bring you the news,” said Miss Marple as she followed Mrs Bautry into the study. (A. Chr.)

5.“I’m not very good at guessing,” I said with a laugh. “If you want me to know you’d better tell me.” (S.M.)

6.We’d better go along and see if we can save anything. (S.M.)

7.Well, then, I think we’d better make some plans. (Slyke)

8.I would rather like to see Cecily. (O.W.)

9.“Bella must be just leaving Dover now,” she said – “I would rather you didn’t talk to me of her, Polly,” he answered. (S.M.)

10.“That!” Miss Hare cried. “That! I would rather you did not ask me about such things.” (White)

11.Eleanora, you know I’m not the sort of chap to say anything against another chap behind his back, and I’d rather not tell you what I know about Hardy.

(S.M.)

12.In these large hotels there are often things the maids know that some people would rather not have repeated. (A. Chr.)

13.Althea said slowly, “I would rather not go away just now.” (P. Went)

14.There is nothing I’d rather believe. But I don’t hope a second miracle.

(Slyke)

15.He had neither pencil nor paper, but he thought to himself, with an ache of desire, My God, if only I could paint her like that, with those fierce reds and blues. (Cron.)

16.Yes, it was good to be back – if only they would not treat him like the returned prodigal who was now forgiven and must at all costs be secured by kindness. (Cron.)

17. If she could only feel that … sense of oneness with him for which she had yarned since that day, so long ago, when he had come home from Europe and stood on the steps of Tara and smiled up at her. (Mitch.)

18.If only one had time to look at these flowers long enough, time to get over the sense of novelty and strangeness, time to know them. (Mansf.)

19.If only we’d been up there yesterday looking out, we might have seen something. (A. Chr.)

20. If only this old, sad house were not so quiet, so remote, so crowded with secrets! (O’Hara)

21.If only Richard had left him alone, without interference, simply left him alone. (Cron.)

22.If only he had learned to read and write, to use pencil and paper for storing things from the mind, as this man and others like him did. (Hailey)

2.Transform the following sentences so as to use Subjunctive II. Express advice in A, preference in B and wish in C.

A. Model: You oughtn’t to eat so much sweet. It is not advisable to eat so much sweet. – You had better not eat so much sweet.

1.I think we ought to stop now.

2.If you feel tired you ought to stop and have a rest.

3.If you want to get the eight o’clock train you ought to make haste.

4.What do you think I ought to read?

5.The doctor told her that she ought to stay in bed.

6.It is not advisable for children to sit in front of a television set all evening.

7.It’s already late. Ought not the children to go to bed?

8.I think we have lost our way. We ought to ask someone to show us the way.

9.I advise you to try on another dress. This one is too tight for you.

10.It’s getting dark. We ought to switch on the light.

11.The ice is too thin yet. You ought not to allow the children to skate on the lake.

B.Model: Do you prefer to walk or to ride? – Would you rather walk or ride? 1. Would you prefer to go to the concert or to the cinema?

2. They prefer going by air.

3. Do you prefer to have tea or coffee?

4. She says she prefers not to go to the country this Sunday.

5. Would you like to go to the concert or to listen to it at home on the radio? 6. Would you like to go to the stadium or to watch the match on TV?

7. I prefer apples to pears.

8. I prefer to go to the Crimea this summer. 9. I prefer strong tea to weak tea.

10.She would prefer not to tell you what happened. 11.I would prefer that you asked.

12.Would you prefer to stay here?

C.Models: 1. My great wish is to be somewhere at the seaside now, with the sea.

and the yellow sand and the sunshine! – If only I were somewhere at the seaside now, the sea and the yellow sand and the sunshine!

2. It’s such a pity you missed that chance! – If only you hadn’t missed that chance.

1.I want so much to get there in time!

2.It’s such a pity I could not help him.

3.I wanted so much to be able to tell her everything.

4.I want so much it to be true!

5.It’s such a pity you haven’t warned me!

6.It’s a great pity she has not taken my advice.

7.It’s such a pity she didn’t come earlier!

8.It’s such a pity she didn’t realize how important it is.

9.It’s such a pity she didn’t know about it!

10.It’s a pity you didn’t tell her the truth!

11.I want so much to be able to help you!

3.Make up short dialogues beginning them with sentences furnished below, which express advice, preference or wish.

1.If only I knew about it!

2.Hadn’t you better take an umbrella.

3.I would rather you come tomorrow than today.

4.You had better mind your own business.

5.If only it were me!

6.Oh, my dear, if you only could manage that.

7.If only you could have seen it!

8.I’d better go home now.

9.The question had better be cleared up at once.

10.If only she could come tonight!

11.They will be expecting me. I had better go. 12.Wouldn’t you rather go to the cinema or to the concert?

4. Translate into English

1.«Я предпочла бы знать правду», - сказала Энн.

2.Если бы мы могли быть там, чтобы помочь ей.

3.«Утро, - сказала мама. - Тебе бы лучше встать, пора идти в школу».

4.Мама была расстроена: «Не лучше ли тебе остаться дома».

5.Боб предпочел бы остаться с Мэри, но она не захотела этого.

6.«У меня ужасно болит голова. Мне лучше бы съесть что-нибудь и выпить что-нибудь теплое», - сказал Питер.

7.Келли боялась сказать правду, она думала, что ей лучше было бы промолчать.

8.Если бы только он смог прийти вовремя!

9.«О, если бы ты смог жениться на Мэри!» - воскликнула мать. «Нет, я бы скорей предпочел остаться один до конца моих дней!» - закричал

Энтони.

10.Возможно, кто-нибудь смог бы инвестировать мое дело. Но мне бы лучше справиться самому с моими проблемами.

11.Мы будем ужинать в ресторане или ты предпочитаешь, чтобы я приготовила ужин дома?

12.Было бы гораздо лучше сказать обо всем сразу.

13.Я бы предпочел, чтобы вы уладили все как можно быстрее.

2.The object clause. Subjunctive II is used in object clauses after the verb to wish to express an unreal desired action.

7. Martha is tired because she went to bed late last night. She wishes she … to bed earlier last night.

8. I can’t go with you. I wish I … with you tomorrow.

9. My friend won’t lend me his car. I wish he … me his car for my date tomorrow night.

10. The teacher is going to give an exam tomorrow. I wish he … us as exam tomorrow.

11. I am not lying on a beach in Hawaii. I wish I … on a beach in Hawaii.

2.Supply an appropriate auxiliary in the following.

1.I’m not at home, but I wish I were.

2.I don’t know her, but I wish I did.

3.I can’t sing well, but I wish I could.

4.I didn’t go, but I wish I had.

5.He won’t talk about it, but I wish he would.

about the future.

1. Are you sure you won’t be able to come with us? I wish you (change) … your mind.

often.

4.Answer the questions. Use wish.

1.Where do you wish you were right now? What do you wish you were doing?

2.Are you pleased with the weather today, or do you wish it were different?

3.Look around this room. What do you wish were different?

4.What do you wish were different about this city/town?

5.What do you wish were different about this country?

6.What do you wish were different about a student’s life? about a worker’s life?

7.Just for fun, what do you wish were or could be different in the world? What about animals being able to speak? People being able to fly? There being

only one language in the world? Being able to take vacations on the moon? Speed of transportation?

8.Where do you wish you could go on your next vacation?

9.John kept all of his money in his wallet instead of putting it in the bank. Then he lost his wallet. What does he probably wish?

10.You didn’t eat breakfast/ lunch/ dinner before you came to class. Now you are hungry. What do you wish?

11.Is there anything in your past life that you would change? What do you wish you had or had not done?

5.Translate the sentences into English.

1.Как жаль, что вы не любите стихи.

2.Жаль, что я не последовал вашему совету.

3.Как жаль, что вы не знакомы с его работами.

4.Жаль, что сейчас не весна.

5.Как жаль, что вы никогда не были в Англии.

6.Мы пожалели, что не встретили ее в театре.

7.Мне бы хотелось, чтобы вы приехали к нам на дачу.

8.Как жаль, что погода испортилась.

9.Нам бы хотелось, чтобы вы никогда не опаздывали.

10.Хотел бы я знать, куда они ушли.

3.The predicative clauses. Subjunctive II is used in predicative clauses after the link verbs of being and seeming, the conjunctions as if and as though are used to connect the principal and predicative clause.

It seemed as though the silence of the night were getting on her nerves. – Казалось, как будто бы тишина ночи действовала ей на нервы.

You look as if you had not slept. – Вы выглядите так, как будто бы вы не спали.

4. The adverbial clauses

a. The adverbial clauses of comparaison. Subjunctive II is used in adverbial clauses of comparison after the conjunctions as if, as though.

He smiled as if he were amused by my joke. – Он улыбнулся, как будто бы моя шутка развеселила его.