CONDITIONALS

1
CONDITIONALS
2
CONDITIONALS
There are four types of conditional sentences

• Real present
• Real future
• Unreal present / future
• Unreal past

3
When referring to conditional sentences , we
will refer to the if clause and the result clause
, that is the main clause of sentence .
RESULT CLAUSE
I would have met you at the airport
if I had known you were coming.
IF CLAUSE
4
The order of the if clause and the result clause
is interchangeable . If the result clause is
first , there is no comma between the clauses
but if the if clause if first , a comma comes
before the result clause .
IF CLAUSE
If I had known you were coming ,
I would have met you at the airport .
RESULT CLAUSE
5
REAL CONDITIONALS
Real conditionals are used when the if clause
expresses an idea that is probably true , or at
least very possible .
REAL PRESENT CONDITIONAL SENTENCES
A real present condition is one in which the
situation is true in the habitual present time .
This form is usually used to express general
truths .
If it rains , we swim at the gym .
Water boils if it is heated to 212 degrees
Fahrenheit .
6
In the real present condition ( like in the above
examples ) , a present tense used in both the if
clause and in the result clause . In these
examples , the simple present is used , but
depending on the intended meaning , we could also
see the present progressive , a present modal ,
or even the present perfect , as the following
examples illustrate.
If it is raining , we may swim at the gym .
Water boils if it has been heated to 212 degrees
Fahrenheit .
7
Real Future Conditional Sentences
A real future condition is one in which the
situation will most probably be true in the
future .
If it rains tomorrow, we will carry our umbrellas
.
In a real future condition , we use a present
tense verb in the if clause , and a future tense
(any future tense) in the result clause .
Imperative verb forms are also possible in the
result clause .
If the sun is shining tomorrow , he will have
already gone to the beach by the time we get to
his house .
Tell me if you see anything strange.
8
Real future conditions can also be formed with
the modal should . This conveys the impression
that the action in the if clause is a little less
likely ( though still far more likely than it
would be if the unreal present or future were
used ). It is also fairly formal .
If I see her , I will tell her . ( It is likely
that I will see her . )
If I should see her , I will tell her. (It is a
little less likely that I will see her . )
Note that the modal will is almost never used in
an if clause .
9
UNREAL CONDITIONS
We use unreal conditions when the idea expressed
in the if clause is impossible or unlikely .
Unreal Present / Future Conditional Sentences
The unreal / future condition is one in which the
action is impossible or highly doubtful in the
opinion of the speaker .
If I called the president , he probably
wouldn'tt speak to me .
If the United States won the next World Cup Games
, the entire world be shocked .
10
The time reference in this type if conditional is
either to a repeated, habitual event in the
school or to a specific point in the future
If I called the resident, he probably wouldn'tt
speak to me.
Note that the verb in the if clause is identical
in form of past and the verb form in the result
clause begins with the modal would plus the
simple form of the main verb. In reality, either
the simple past or the past progressive could be
used in the if clause. And would, could, or might
could be used in the result clause.
11
If simple past/past progressive,subjectwould/mi
ght/couldsimple word form of the verb
If the United States won the next World Cup
Games,the entire world would be shocked.
If they were playing instead of sleeping ,their
mother might be very angry.
A past tense verb in an If clause refers to the
unreal present and not the past.
Progressive forms are possible in the result
clause If their mother were working ,the
children would probably be playing.
12
Pay attention to the verb be . In the unreal
present/future condition, it always appears in
the form were in the if clause.
FormalIf he were here,I would tell him exactly
how I feel. FormalI would sell my house
right now if it were valued at
50000. InformalIf I was rich,I would buy a new
car.    Wereinfinitive can replace an unreal
present verb If I were to call the president,he
probably wouldnt speak to me.
13
Unreal Past Conditional Sentences An unreal past
conditional is one in which the situation did not
occur in the past .In such sentence, the speaker
is imagining the past as different form way it
happened. The speaker is talking about the way
things could have been under a different set of
condition.
If there had been more time, we would have
finished the project.
Lisa would never have seen South America if she
hadnt met that young man from Bolivia.  
14
In the unreal past, the verb in the if clause is
identical in form to the past perfect(or past
perfect progressive) and the verb in the result
clause contains the modal would, might, or could
plus the perfect auxiliary have plus the past
participle of the main verb.
If past perfect or past perfect progressive,
subjectwould/might/couldHAVEpast participle 
If she hadnt been dancing, she would never have
broken her leg.  If we had seen you at the party,
we might have stayed longer.
Like the unreal present, the result clause may
contain a progressive form If I had taken that
job that paid so little, I would have been
watching every penny I spent.
15
Mixed Conditionals
It is possible to mix certain conditions. It is
quite common, to mix an unreal past if clause and
an unreal present result clause.
If you had been born in Japan, you would speak
Japanese.
If I hadnt gotten into that car accident last
week, I would be swimming in the Caribbean right
now.  
16
Omitting the word If
Sometimes the word if can be omitted form a
condition sentence. If can be omitted
?In an unreal past condition
?In an unreal present condition if the main verb
or auxiliary verb is 0 (were)

?In a real future condition that contains the
modal should
17
If the word if is omitted, the subject and the
auxiliary are reversed, and the sentence begins
with a verb. The omitted form appears more in
writing than in speech and is considered to be
rather formal.
If he had called me, I would not have been so
angry.
Had he called me, I would not have been so
angry.
18
If it were sunny today,I would gladly volunteer
to go to the rally. Were it sunny today,I would
gladly volunteer to go the rally.
If you should need help,dont hesitate to call.
Should you need help,dont hesitate to call
If the word if is omitted from a clause in the
negative,the word not is separated from the
auxiliary and placed before the main verb.In this
case,it cannot be contracted.In each of the below
pairs,the second examples are also considered
formal and are rarely spoken.
19
  If she hadnt called me,I would never
have heard the news. Had she
not called me, I would never have head the news.
  If it werent such a long drive,I would
have gone. Were it not such a long drive,I
would have gone.
20
End