Unrealistic hypothetical imagination and missed opportunity of the past are closely interlinked though not same. Hypothetical imagination may be realistic or unrealistic but missed opportunity can’t be reversed.
Adverb clause of conditions like provided that, on condition that, when, unless, as are used to form different from of conditional sentences.
1.Covid spreads rapidly if you don’t use mask.
2.Rise in global temperature is unavoidable if we fail to keep carbon dioxide under control.
All are Zero conditional sentences we use for general truth. They use simple present with if…. clause.
For example, if you are aspiring to be a scientist or a player, then you may imagine like:
1.“If I study carefully, I will achieve my dream”
2.And, If we practice well, we will win the game.
3.If we fail to practice properly, we will loose the game.”
These all are examples of present realistic imagination. It is expressed by first level conditional sentences.
Meaning of hypothetical imagination and missed opportunity
Hypothetical imagination ranges from present realistic imagination to the irreversible missed opportunities of the past.
As a human being, it is ours natural instinct by which we used to dream, aspire, desire, or imagine about things that we mostly like or dislike. We call it unrealistic imagination If the given thing is too ideal to achieve or impossible.
Zero, first, second, and third Conditional sentences are mainly used to express realistic, unrealistic hypothetical imagination and missed opportunity of past actions. Let’s learn one by one.
I.Examples of zero conditional sentences for general truth
1.Godavari becomes so dangerous if there is heavy rain in monsoon.
2.India experiences landslide if there is constant heavy rain in hills.
Present realistic imagination is only possible with if….. clause with Simple present tense plus main clause combination. It is also used to indicate general truth as well.
II.Examples of first conditional sentences for realistic imagination
1.You will buy a house If you save money systematically.
2.India will grow tiger population if they control poaching on time.
Though looks difficult to imagine either to buy a house or tiger population if the earlier condition is fulfilled. In this formation, if…. clause and future tense main clause are used.
III. Examples of Second conditional sentences for unrealistic imagination
1.If I were a rich person, I would help poor people in need.
2.And, if I were the police officer, I would not let criminals to run away.
Looks too difficult to realise so we call it unrealistic imagination. In this formation, if….. clause plus Simple past tense used.
These are the examples of second conditional sentences in which reversible potential is less. In other words, it is like unrealistic imagination.
IV. Examples of third conditional sentences for missed opportunity or irreversible action
In the third conditional sentences, you imagine about past inabilities, as well as past opportunity to correct.
1.I would have become IAS officer if I had got another attempt.
2.They would have crossed the river safely if they had reached there early.
3.She would have saved her baby if she had admitted her in better hospital.
Simply, hypothetical imagination means expecting to reverse the irreversible action. Though not exactly like missed opportunity but feeling similar
Above mentioned third conditional sentences play the role in expressing missed opportunity of past. In this formation, if……clause plus perfect past tense are used.
Negative sense of conditional statements or sentences
Imagination can be both negative or positive. Negative conditional sentences are as:
1.It doesn’t rain, crop will wilt. Or If it rains, crop will survive.”
2. In this way we can imagine in the either of way. “If and will” association help us to express imaginative possibilities effectively.
Examples of missed opportunity or irreversible condition
Supposing you were the member of football world cup team and due to poor practice, you lost an opportunity to win the title, then in such scenario, what would you imagine?
1.If we had practiced persistently, we would have won the title.
2.If we had made a little more effort; we would have become the world champion.
Actually, in reality you neither practiced nor won the title. It is only part of expressing regret about past mistakes or missed opportunities.
These are all about the realistic or unrealistic hypothetical imagination and missed opportunity of the past.
Perception imagination and visualisation