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Past Tenses & Future
Simple past with was/were and -ed endings, irregular past forms, and future with will and going to
Mixed conditional: past → present result
If I had studied medicine, I would be a doctor now — past condition, present result
Mixed conditional: present → past result
If she were braver (now), she would have spoken up (then) — present state, past result
Counterfactual wish clauses
I wish I hadn't said that / If only she had known / I wish things were different
Narrative tense consistency
Past simple = base; past perfect = earlier event; past continuous = background action
Free indirect thought in literature
Was he really telling the truth? Why had he come? — character's thoughts as narrative
Future: be due to / be set to
The train is due to arrive at 10 / She is set to become the new CEO
Future: be to + infinitive (formal)
The summit is to take place next month / Parliament is to debate the bill
Historical counterfactuals
If the war had not started, Europe might have developed very differently
Backshifting in reported speech
"I am tired" → She said she was tired / "I have left" → He said he had left
Aspectual pairs: momentary vs extended
kick (momentary) vs walk (extended) / break vs damage — related aspect pairs
