42. Had Better, Wish, Prefer, Would Rather

Had better, it’s time, I wish, prefer and would rather. 1. We use had better only for a particolar situation, living an advice, a recommendation an opinion. Usiamo had better (sarebbe meglio/conveniente che…; farei/faresti bene a…)solo per una situazione particolare, in cui diamo un consiglio, una raccomandazione, una opinione. Structure Subject + Had better + (not) + infinitive senza to You’d better go to the bank now. We’d better wash the dishes now. 2. It’s time… may have two structures. Può avere due struppure: a. used when we are speaking in a general sense: a.2 when you want to specify who is doing the action. Usata quando parliamo in senso generale: a.2 quando vogliamo specificare la persona che compie l’azione: a.1 It’s time + to + infinitive a.2 It’s time for + object to + infinitive It’s time to go home.

It’s time for us to go home

b. used when we are criticizing or complaining. Usata quando si critica o ci si lamenta di qualcosa: It’s time + subject Past simple It’s late. It’s time we went home. It’s time you did your homework. 3. I wish ( per esprimere l’italiano vorrei/magari): a. used for expressing an unfeasible wish to change a present situation. Usato per esprimere un desiderio irrealizzabile di cambiare una situazione presente:

Subjet +

wish +

Structures past simple subject + past continuous could +

infinitive without to

I wish she were here. Helen wishes she could swim. I wish it weren’t raining. b. used for expressing an unfeasible wish to change a past situation. Usato per esprimere un desiderio irrealizzabile di cambiare una situazione presente:

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Subjet +

wish +

Structures subject + past perfect simple could have +

past participle

I wish I had phoned her. I wish I had had more free time. I wish I could have seen her. c. when we want something to happen or when we want somebody to do something. The speaker is not happy with the present situation. Usato per esprimere un desiderio che qualcosa accada o che qualcuno faccia qualcosa. Chi parla non è contento della situazione presente.: Subjet + wish + *subject + would + infinitive without to *Il soggetto di would deve essere diverso dal soggetto di wish. I wish you would do something instead of just sitting. I wish you wouldn’t keep interrupting me. Liz wishes it would stop raining. 4. You can use “prefer to do” or “prefer –ing” to say what you prefer in general. Possiamo usare “prefer to do” or “prefer –ing” per dire ciò che preferiamo fare in generale: I prefer

something doing something to do something

To To Rather than

something else doing something else do something else

I prefer the red car to the blue one. I prefer travelling by train to Flying. I prefer to travel by train rather than fly. 5. Would rather (‘d rather) presents two different structures. Would rather presenta due diverse strutture e traduce le forme condizionali italiane preferirei e avrei preferito. Pay attention to the differences with Italian. Fai attenzione alle differenze con l’italiano. a. You use this structure when the subject of the main clause is the same as the one in the subordinate. Usiamo questa costruzione quando il soggetto della principale (would rather) è lo stesso della subordinata. Subject +

would rather + ( not) +

He would rather not go to the party. festa.

Infinitive without to Have + past participle Lui preferirebbe non andare alla 2

He would rather not have gone to the party. Lui avrebbe preferito non andare alla festa. I’d rather have gone to Madrid than to Barcelona. b. You use this structure when the subject of the main clause is different from the one in the subordinate. Usiamo questa costruzione quando il soggetto della principale (would rather) è diverso da quello della subordinata. 1° Subject +

would rather +

2° subject +

past simple had + past participle

I’d rather you came tomorrow. Preferirei che venissi domani. She would rather you didn’t go now. Lei preferirebbe che tu non andassi adesso. My parents would rather they hadn’t come today. I miei genitori avrebbero preferito che loro non fossero venuti oggi. *Interactive Exercises (had better) http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/hadbetter/exercise1.html http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english2/exercise-english-25303.php (would rather, would prefer) http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english2/exercise-english-49279.php http://english.baladre.org/sedaviwebfront/hadbetter.htm (wish) http://www.learn-english-today.com/lessons/lesson_contents/wishif%20ex.htm http://www.better-english.com/grammar/wishes.htm http://www.better-english.com/grammar/wish2.htm *Listen to the following songs: “You’d better stop” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uunhHa5q82g All that I have is all that you've given me did you never worry that I'd come to depend on you I gave you all the love I had in me now I find you've lied and I can't believe it's true Wrapped in her arms I see you across the street and I can't help but wonder if she knows what's going on you talk of love but you don't know how it feels when you realise that you're not the only one Oh you'd better stop before you tear me all apart you'd better stop before you go and break my heart ooh you'd better stop 3

Time after time I've tried to walk away but it's not that easy when your soul is torn in two so I just resign myself to it every day now all I can do is to leave it up to you Oh you'd better stop before you tear me all apart you'd better stop before you go and break my heart ooh you'd better stop Stop if love me (you will remember) now's the time to be sorry (that day forever) I won't believe that you'd walk out on me Oh you'd better stop before you tear me all apart you'd better stop before you go and break my heart ooh you'd better stop Complimentary "you better stop before" Ringtone

”I wish you loved me” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY56LZgtShc

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