If I had visited New York, I could have seen the Statue

of Liberty.

1. I wish I had gone to San Francisco. Then, I could have ridden

the cable cars all the time.

2. I wish I had chosen to study in Hawaii. Then, I could have gone

swimming every day.

3. I wish I had studied Greek. Then, I could have gone to school

in Athens.

4. I wish I had applied to schools in Montreal. Then, I could have

studied both French and English.

5. I wish I had saved more money. Then, I could have made a

trip throughout North America.

6. I wish I had planned my studies differently. Then, I could have

visited more places.

Exercise 28:

Answer the following questions in your own words.

1. If you had had the choice, where would you have been born?

2. If you had had the choice, would you have grown up in a city

or in the country?

3. If you had chosen a different language to study, what would

it have been?

4. If you had chosen a different city to study in, where might you

have gone?

5. If you had been able to begin your studies at any time, when

would you have begun?

6. If you had chosen a different career, what might you have

studied?

Exercise 29:

Answer the following questions in your own words.

1. What would life be like today if someone hadn't invented the

automobile? The airplane? The telephone?

2. What might your life be like today if you had been born the

opposite sex? Sixty years ago? In a different climate or country?

3. What couldn't you do today if you hadn't enrolled in this school?

Learned English?

Exercise 30:

Boston is a very "livable" city. In recent years, it has

made major improvements. These have made the city even more

pleasant.

Change the following sentences to include if clauses.

Change very to so when necessary. Use either simple or perfect

modals in the main clause.

Example: Boston valued its past; as a result, it restored many old

buildings.

If Boston had not valued its past, it would not have

restored so many old buildings.

1. Bostonians were concerned about historic parts of the city; as

a result, they fought to preserve them.

2. Bostonians cared about the beauty of the city; as a result, they

preserved many historic areas.

3. The city made major improvements in the old waterfront area;

as a result, it is a great attraction today.

4. Boston renovated all the old waterfront warehouses; as a result,

shops and restaurants opened there.

5. The city developed parks and gardens along the harbor; as a

result, the waterfront area is very attractive.

On Your Own Think about your home town or the town where

you are living now. Have changes taken place in recent years? Have

these been good or bad? What if these changes hadn't taken place?

What would your area be like? Make at least four statements using

conditional sentences with both past and present time.

Activity "What if" you had been born at a different time? How

would your life have been different? "What if" you had been born

in a different place? How would your life be different today? In

small groups, test your knowledge of history, geography, and social

customs. Take turns choosing times and places and ask each other

to describe what life would have been like then and there. Be sure

to answer in complete sentences in order to practice if clauses.

Examples: "What could you be living in if you had been born in

the Arctic?"

"I could be living in an igloo if I had been born

there."

"What would life have been like if you had been

born in Paris in 1789?"

"If I had been born then, it would have been dangerous.