would wash
We use "wish + would + base verb" to complain about a behavior or habit that we find annoying and want the other person to change.
would stop
"If only + would" is used exactly like "wish + would" to express strong irritation about someone else's ongoing actions or choices.
Indicative
Indicative mood, in English, refers to finite verb forms that are not marked as subjunctive and are not imperatives or conditionals. They are the verbs typically found in the main clauses of declarative sentences and questions formed from them, as well as in most dependent clauses (except for those that use the subjunctive). The information that a form is indicative is often omitted when referring to it: the simple present indicative is usually referred to as just the simple present, etc. (unless some contrast of moods, such as between indicative and subjunctive, is pertinent to the topic).
Subjunctive
Certain types of clause, mostly dependent clauses, use a verb form identified with the subjunctive mood. The present subjunctive takes a form identical to the bare infinitive, as in It is necessary that he be restrained. There is also a past subjunctive, distinct from the indicative only in the possible use of were in place of was in certain situations: If I were you, ...
Imperative
An independent clause in the imperative mood uses the base form of the verb, usually with no subject (although the subject you can be added for emphasis).
Negation uses do-support (i.e. do not or don't). For example:
- Now eat your dinner.
- You go and stand over there!
- Don't ever say that word again.
Sentences of this type are used to give an instruction or order. When they are used to make requests, the word please (or other linguistic device) is often added for politeness:
- Please pass the salt.
First person imperatives (cohortatives) can be formed with let us (usually contracted to let's), as in "Let's go". Third person imperatives (jussives) are sometimes formed similarly, with let, as in "Let him be released".
Conditional
The status of the conditional mood in English is similar to that of the future tense: it may be considered to exist provided the category of mood is not required to be marked morphologically). The English conditional is expressed periphrastically with verb forms governed by the auxiliary verb would. The modal verb could is also sometimes used as a conditional (of can).
In certain uses, the conditional construction with would/should may also be described as "future-in-the-past".
Subjunctive Mood
The subjunctive mood in English is used to form sentences that do not describe known objective facts, but rather wishes or hypothetical suppositions. These include statements about one's state of mind, such as opinion, belief, purpose, intention, or desire. The subjunctive mood, such as She suggests that he speak English, contrasts with the indicative mood, which is used for statements of fact, such as He speaks English.
In Modern English, the subjunctive form of a verb often looks identical to the indicative form, and thus subjunctives are not a very visible grammatical feature of English. For most verbs, the only distinct subjunctive form is found in the third person singular of the present tense, where the subjunctive lacks the -s ending: It is necessary that he see a doctor (contrasted with the indicative he sees). The verb be, however, has not only a distinct present subjunctive (be, as in I suggest that he be removed) but also a past subjunctive were (as in If he were rich, ...).
These two tenses of the subjunctive have no particular connection in meaning with present and past time. Terminology varies; sometimes what is called the present subjunctive here is referred to simply as the subjunctive, and the form were may be treated just as an alternative irrealis form of was rather than a past subjunctive.
Another case where present-subjunctive forms are distinguished from indicatives is when they are negated: compare I recommend that they not enter the competition (subjunctive) with I hope that they do not enter the competition (indicative).
Past Subjunctive Mood
The only distinct past subjunctive form in English (i.e., form that differs from the corresponding past indicative) is were, which differs when used with a first or third person singular subject (where the indicative form is was). As with the present subjunctive, the name past subjunctive refers to the form of the verb rather than its meaning; it need not (and in fact usually does not) refer to past time. The main use of the past subjunctive form, were, which is also known as the irrealis is in counterfactual if clauses:
- If I were your wife, I would put poison in your coffee. [Attributed to Lady Astor, speaking to Winston Churchill]
The simple (indicative) past form was is very common in sentences of this type, though the Random House College Dictionary states "Although the [were] subjunctive seems to be disappearing from the speech of many, its proper use is still a mark of the educated speaker." When were is used, an inverted form without if is possible; this is not possible with was.
A common expression involving were is if I were you. The same principles of usage apply to the compound past subjunctive form were to..., which appears in second conditional condition clauses, usually with hypothetical future reference:
- If she were to go... or Were she to go... (equivalent to if she went)
The past subjunctive form may be used similarly to express counterfactual conditions after suppose, as if, as though, unless, imagine etc.
- Suppose that I were there now.
- She looks as though she were going to kill him.
- Try to imagine he were here.
- Try to imagine a tool that** made** that easy for citizens.
There is also the set expression as it were.
The past subjunctive can also be used in some that clauses expressing a wish contrary to fact or unlikely to be fulfilled:
- I wish [that] he were here now.
- If only the door were unlocked.
- I would rather [that] she were released.
- Would that it were true!
- Oh that it were so.
However, the use of the subjunctive with words such as wish is seldom obligatory. The example with would rather can be cast in the present subjunctive, expressing greater confidence that the action is feasible:
- I would rather she be released.
Modal Verb
English has the modal verbs can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would, and also (depending on classification adopted) ought (to), dare, need, had (better), used (to). These do not add -s for the third-person singular, and they do not form infinitives or participles; the only inflection they undergo is that to a certain extent could, might, should and would function as preterites (past tenses) of can, may, shall and will respectively.
A modal verb can serve as the finite verb introducing a verb catena, as in "he might have been injured then". These generally express some form of modality (possibility, obligation, etc.), although will and would (and sometimes shall and should) can serve – among their other uses – to express future time reference and conditional mood.
Conditional Sentence
As is typical for many languages, full conditional sentences in English consist of a condition clause or protasis specifying a condition or hypothesis, and a consequence clause or apodosis specifying what follows from that condition. The condition clause is a dependent clause, most commonly headed by the conjunction if, while the consequence is contained in the main clause of the sentence. Either clause may appear first.
Different types of conditional sentences (depending largely on whether they refer to a past, present or future time frame) require the use of particular verb forms (tenses and moods) to express the condition and the consequence. In English language teaching the most common patterns are referred to as first conditional, second conditional and third conditional; there is also a zero conditional and mixed conditional.
Clause
A clause is a grammatical unit built around a verb that typically contains a subject and a predicate. Understanding clauses is essential because they are the core building blocks of every sentence you read, write, or speak.
What makes a clause?
At minimum, a clause needs a verb (the predicate) and, in most cases, a subject — the person or thing the verb says something about. The predicate can also include objects, complements, and modifiers.
- She laughed. — subject (she) + verb (laughed)
- The manager approved the budget yesterday. — subject + verb + object + modifier
Sometimes the subject is left out. This happens regularly in imperative sentences and non-finite clauses:
- Sit down. — no visible subject, but "you" is understood
- Walking home, I noticed the shop was closed. — the -ing clause has no stated subject
Types of clauses
There are two main types:
-
Independent clause (also called a main clause) — can stand on its own as a complete sentence. It contains a finite verb.
- I missed the bus.
-
Dependent clause (also called a subordinate clause) — cannot stand alone and needs an independent clause to make sense.
- Because I overslept — incomplete on its own
Combine them and you get a complex sentence:
- I missed the bus because I overslept.
A simple sentence has one independent clause. More complex sentences combine independent and dependent clauses in various ways.
Quick check: If you can remove a group of words from a sentence and it still has a subject + finite verb and makes sense on its own, that group is likely an independent clause.
Why clauses matter
Recognizing clause boundaries helps you punctuate correctly, avoid run-on sentences, and build more varied, natural-sounding writing. Once you can spot where one clause ends and another begins, sentence structure becomes much easier to manage.
Ready to practice? Try Complex Sentence for the basics, then move on to Complex Sentence: Adverbials or Participle Clauses: Shortening Sentences with -ing and Having + Past Participle to deepen your skills.
B1 | Intermediate
B1 is the intermediate level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). It marks the point where you move beyond survival English and start expressing yourself with real independence — describing experiences, explaining opinions, and handling everyday situations without a script.
What a B1 user can do
At this level, you're expected to:
- Understand the main points of clear, standard speech and writing on familiar topics — work, school, travel, hobbies.
- Handle most travel situations in English-speaking environments.
- Produce simple connected text on topics you know or care about.
- Describe experiences, events, hopes, and plans, and give brief reasons and explanations for your opinions.
- Communicate in routine tasks that require a straightforward exchange of information.
What B1 grammar looks like
B1 is where grammar starts to get more layered. You're not just forming basic sentences anymore — you're combining ideas, using different tenses with more precision, and starting to handle structures like the passive voice, modal verbs for necessity and possibility, and gerunds vs. infinitives. You're also expected to build complex sentences with linking words and dependent clauses.
Typical B1 grammar areas include:
- Future tenses — distinguishing will, going to, and the present continuous for future plans
- Passive voice — The report was written yesterday.
- Modal verbs — You should apply early. / She might be late.
- Used to — I used to live in Berlin.
- Verb patterns — knowing whether a verb takes a gerund, an infinitive, or both (I enjoy reading vs. I decided to leave)
What B1 doesn't mean
B1 speakers still hesitate, make grammatical errors, and sometimes struggle with less familiar topics. That's normal. The key difference from A2 is that you can keep a conversation going and get your point across even when things aren't perfect. The step up to B2 involves handling more abstract topics, understanding nuance, and producing more complex, accurate language.
Self-check: Can you tell a friend about a recent trip — what happened, what you liked, and what you'd do differently — without switching to your native language? If yes, you're likely operating at B1 or above.
Ready to find out where you stand? Try Are you B1/Intermediate? Test your English CEFR Level to figure out!, then build your skills with challenges like Basics. Passive Voice, Basics. Modal verbs, and Used to.
Difficulty: Medium
Medium difficulty. Difficulty levels represent author's opinion about how hard a question or challenge is.