FROM GRAMMAR TO WRITING

PART 1 Editing Advice

1. Don’t use will with an unreal conditional. were

If I will be on Mars, I would look for life forms.

2. Always use the base form after a modal. have

The teacher would has helped you with your science project if you had asked her. 3. Use the past perfect, not the present perfect, for unreal conditionals and wishes. had

If you have seen the movie, you would have understood more about dinosaurs. had

I wish you have seen the movie. 4. For a real conditional about the future, use the simple present in the if clause.

If I will have time tomorrow, I will help you with your science project. 5. In formal writing, use were, not was, in an unreal conditional. were

I wish I was a better student in science.

PART 2 Editing Practice

Some of the shaded words and phrases have mistakes. Find the mistakes and correct them. If the shaded words are correct, write C.

C had

There are a few things in my life that I wish were different. First, I wish I have a better job

and made more money. Unfortunately, I don’t have the skills for a better job. When I was in high

school, I wasn’t interested in college. My parents always said, “We wish you would continued

your education,” but I was foolish and didn’t listen to them. If I have gone to college, I will be

making much more money now. And if I had more money, I could help my family back home.

And, if I will be better educated, my parents would be very proud of me. I wish I can convince

my younger brothers and sister about the importance of an education, but they’ll have to make

their own decisions.

Another thing I’m not happy about is my living situation. I have a roommate because I can’t

afford to pay the rent alone. I wish I don’t have a roommate. My roommate always watches TV,

and the TV is too loud. I wish he would turn off the TV at night and let me sleep. My parents have

told me, “If I were you, I will get a better roommate.” But we signed a one-year lease together, and I

can’t do anything about it until next May. If I had known that he was going to be so inconsiderate,

I never would had roomed with him. I wish it was May already! I prefer to live alone rather than

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live with a stranger. I’m saving my money now. If I will have enough money, I’ll get my own

apartment next May. Another possibility is to room with my cousin, who’s planning to come here

soon. If he comes to the U.S. by May, I share an apartment with him. He’s very responsible. I wish

he has come to the U.S. with me last year, but he didn’t get his visa at that time.

I realize that we all make mistakes in life, but we learn from them. If I could give advice to

every young person in the world, I’d say, “Look before you leap.” And I will say, “Listen to your

parents. They’ve lived longer than you, and you can learn from their experience.”

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WRITING TIP

When writing several sentences about an unreal situation, it is important to use consistent verb forms for anything that is imaginary.

If I had the opportunity to travel to Mars, I would definitely accept. I wouldn't be afraid because I would trust my equipment and the people I was working with. On Mars, I would stay in touch with my family as well as I could. If you write I will be afraid. . . . it suggests that the situation is real.

PART 3 Write

Read the prompts. Choose one and write one or more paragraphs about it. 1. What do you think would be the advantages or disadvantages of cloning human beings? 2. Write about an important decision you made in the past. What would your life be like if you hadn’t made this decision?

PART 4 Edit

Reread the Summary of Unit 11 and the Editing Advice. Edit your writing from Part 3.