UNREAL PAST (IT’S TIME) — EXERCISE 1 (ESL)
level: Advanced (C1/C2)
It’s time is followed by a past tense form to suggest that something should happen now or very soon. This is part of a broader pattern in English where past tense signals hypothetical rather than past meaning.
Grammar review
Unreal past: it's time
It's time + past tense: action should happen now, not in the past.
It's time you apologized. It's time we left.
Part of a broader pattern of using past tense to express hypothetical meaning in English.
It's time + past tense: action should happen now, not in the past.
It's time you apologized. It's time we left.
Part of a broader pattern of using past tense to express hypothetical meaning in English.
Choose the correct way to end each "It's time" sentence. If both options are correct, choose BOTH ARE CORRECT.
1. It's time ________________.
Correct answer: BOTH ARE CORRECT
2. It's time ________________ that he knew about the incident.
Correct answer: he admitted
3. It's time ________________ public with that information.
Correct answer: BOTH ARE CORRECT
4. It's time ________________ this matter.
Correct answer: BOTH ARE CORRECT
5. It's time ________________ smoking.
Correct answer: I stopped
6. It's time ________________ a break.
Correct answer: BOTH ARE CORRECT
7. It's time ________________ our parents home.
Correct answer: my brother and I drove
8. It's time ________________ the broken washing machine.
Correct answer: the landlord fixed
9. It's time ________________.
Correct answer: BOTH ARE CORRECT
10. It's time ________________.
Correct answer: BOTH ARE CORRECT
KEEP PRACTICING — MORE EXERCISES FOR YOU:
More unreal past & conditional exercises:
Unreal past (wishes) 1 (C1/C2)
Unreal past (wishes) 2 (C1/C2)
Second conditional 1 (B1/B2)
Second conditional 2 (B1/B2)
Third conditional 1 (B2/C1)
Browse all grammar exercises →
More unreal past & conditional exercises:
Unreal past (wishes) 1 (C1/C2)
Unreal past (wishes) 2 (C1/C2)
Second conditional 1 (B1/B2)
Second conditional 2 (B1/B2)
Third conditional 1 (B2/C1)
Browse all grammar exercises →
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