Conditional sentences are usually placed in clauses introduced by ‘’IF’’ which my come before or after the result, and have two parts:
the if clause and the main clause.
If
the if clause is first, use a comma before the main clause.
If
the main clause is first, no
comma is used.
One
type of if conditional deals with real conditions: something will
probably occur or result in the present or future if certain condition happens.
Other
if conditionals express unreal, or contrary–to-fact situations in the
present and past.
CONDITIONAL TYPE I : True in the present or future ‘’Real Conditional’’ :
Conditional
type « I » is called the
real conditional because we can realize it in the near time or in the
future.
We use it to express :
A) Universal
truth :
It expresses an evident fact which is
always true and real. It’s composed of :
If + Present ¾¾¾>Present
Examples:
-
Water boils If you heat it.
- A plant dies If it doesn’t get water.
B) A
habitual reaction :
It expresses an action which is repeated
or happened. It’s composed of :
If + Present ¾¾¾>Present
Examples:
- If
I get up early , I take
exercises.
- If she asks
him for anything , he refuses.
C) Probabilities
:
Is expresses a doubtful fact or an
unusure result . It’s composed of :
If + Present ¾¾¾>Future
Examples:
- If you ask
him , he will help you.
- I will buy
a car , If I have money.
D) Other
examples :
If + present tense ¾¾>future/present/imperative
Examples :
- If
you study hard, you will certainly pass the tests.
-
If they arrive late ,what will you do?
-
If I get up at 0600 , I usually get to work on time.
Note:
A
conditional sentence that contains a present tense in both if clause and
the main clause expresses automatic or habitual results.
Examples :
-If
the weather is nice, we are going to drive to the lake.
-We can't
leave until 1500 if he finishes late.
-If you
ever get lonely, call me.
If + present progressive ¾¾> future/modal/imperative
Examples :
-If
you are looking for Bob, you can find him at the library.
-If
Mary is leaving tonight, I have to take her.
-If
you are selling your car, put an ad in the classified section.
If + present perfect ¾¾> future/modal/imperative
Examples :
-If
you have already gone there, we will go somewhere else.
-If
the kids have eaten, they may go out to play.
-If
you haven't visited
CONDITIONAL TYPE II: Untrue in the present/future ‘’Unreal
Conditional’’:
It’s called the
unreal conditional because we can’t realize it. Everything occurred in the
past.
It’s composed of :
If+Simple Past ¾¾>Would/Could (modal in the past)+Simple form of the verb
Examples :
- If I had
reservation , I would fly to
- I would
kill that thief , If I had a
gun.
-If
I taught this class, I wouldn't give tests.
(In
truth, I don't teach this class)
-If
he were here right now, he wouldn't help us.
(
In truth, he is not here right now.)
- I would
accept their invitation if I were you.
(
In truth, I am not you )
- I could
get an ice cream, if I had a dollar.
(
In truth, I don't have a dollar, so I can't.)
Note:
Were is used for both singular and plural subjects.
Was ( with I, he, and she is sometimes used in very formal speech, but is not
generally considered grammatically acceptable.
CONDITIONAL TYPE III : Untrue in the past ‘’Contrary - To –
Fact’’:
- In contrary-to-fact statements expressing
conditions with if and everything is against the reality These sentences
express an action that would have happened ( but it didn't ) if some other
action or state had or had not happened in the past
It’s composed of :
If
+ Past Perfect ¾¾>Could / Would + Have + Past Participle
Examples :
- If you had
told me the truth , I could have
helped you.
- I would have visited you If you had telephoned.
- We would
have won the game, if he had not broken his arm.
(
We didn't win the game, he broke his arm. )
- If
you had told me about the problem, I would have helped you.
(
In truth you didn't tell about the problem )
- If
Tim had saved his money, he could have bought a new car.
(
He didn't save his money so he didn't buy a new car.)
NOTICE THAT:
1 ) In contrary - to - fact statements
expressing a supposition.
These express a supposed condition in a separate sentences
following suppose. Suppose introduces a condition with its consequences in the
same sentence.
Examples :
- Suppose you had won a million dollar, what would you
have done with the money.
- Suppose she had married an army officer, would she
have liked moving every year.
2
) Omitting if.
With we, had ( past perfect ) and should ,sometimes if
is omitted and the subject and verb are inverted.
Examples :
-Were I you , I wouldn't do that(if I were you
, I wouldn't do that).
-Had I known , I wouldn't have told you .(If I had
known,……..).
-Should any one call , please take a message.(If any
one should call,……).
3
) Using "mixed time" in conditional sentence:
Frequently the time in the "If clause" and
the time "result clause" are different: one clause may be in the
present and the other in the past. notice that the past and the present times
are mixed in the sentences as in the following examples.
Examples :
- True: I didn't eat breakfast several hours ago , so
I'm hungry now
- Conditional: If I had eaten my breakfast several hours ago , I wouldn't
be hungry now.
- True: He is not a good student , he didn't study for
the test yesterday .
- Conditional: If he were a good student he would have
studied for the test.
4
) Implied conditions:
Frequently the "If clause" is implied not
stated. Conditional verbs are still used in ‘’the result’’
Examples :
- I would have gone with you, but I had to study.(I
would have gone with you If I hadn't had to study.
- I never would have succeeded without your help.(If
you hadn't helped me ,I never would have succeeded.
- I would have visited you, but I didn't know that you
were home .(I would have visited you If I had known you were home).
- She ran; otherwise, she would have missed her
bus.(If she hadn't run, she would have missed her bus.)
5) To realize
the conditional we can use besides ‘’If’’,
Unless, Whish, Otherwise, or Whether :
Unless : ( Negative If = If Not ).
Examples :
- I will write a story If you give me a pen.
- I will not write unless you give me a pen.
Otherwise : ( If this isn’t done ).
Examples :
- You must drive carefully otherwise you may be
killed.
- Do your homework, otherwise I will punish
you.
Wish
: ( It’s often
refers to the unreal or the contrary - To - fact conditional ). We wish for
things we don’t have or done.
Examples :
- She wishes she had a car.
- I wish I were a president of
Whether
: ( It has the
same meaning of IF but whether can be followed by or not, and in this
case the condition has no effect
).
Examples :
- Whether we like it or not, we must take
examinations. (our opinion has no
value).
IF CONDITIONALS- Quiz:
Chouse the correct tense of the
verbs in ( ) to complete the sentences :
1) What will you do if you ( do ) pass.
2) If she had been sure of traveling,
she ( study ) English.
3) If he left his room, she ( move ) to it.
4) If you ( tell ) me about the problem, I would have helped you.
5) I will go with you if I ( have ) money.
6) If she ( be ) at home, I’m going to visit her.
7) I wouldn’t give tests if I ( teach ) this class.
8) She would help us if she ( be ) her.
9) She wishes they ( not come ).
10) I ( stay ) here unless you pay me.
11) Whether they accept it or not, I ( go
).
