Irrealis example?

Question

Hey can anyone perhaps give one or two examples of an sentence with an irrealis verb form? Like "If you had done your homework, you wouldn't have failed the class"
And maybe indicate which word group is the irrealis verb form (in my example it'd be had done)

Thanks a lot!

Khoff · Accepted Answer

EDITED because it turns out that "irrealis" is indeed a word, just not one I had ever heard.

And it has a large Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irrealis_mood

BillJ · Answer

RubenadriaanHey can anyone perhaps give one or two examples of an sentence with an irrealis verb form? Like "If you had done your homework, you wouldn't have failed the class"And maybe indicate which word group is the irrealis verb form (in my example it'd be had done)

You'll come across all sorts of nonsense said about "irrealis", and Wikipedia, as usual, is being silly about it.

In the grammar I subscribe to, 'irrealis' is a mood form instanced solely by "were" with a 1st or 3rd person singular subject:

I wish she were here.
If I were less busy, I would go with you.

Note that in both those examples, "were" can be replaced by the slightly less formal past tense "was" with no change of meaning.

BillJ

Irrealis example?

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