CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

Conditional ("if") sentences normally have two parts.

One part shows a result and the other shows a condition on which the result depends. The condition is normally preceded by if.

In "He would get angry if he didn't get what he wanted," the result is "he'd get angry" and the condition (introduced by "if") is "he didn't get what he wanted."

Conditional sentences are made up of two parts: the if-clause (condition) and the main clause (result that follows).

IF-CLAUSE	MAIN CLAUSE
If it rains,	I will take an umbrella.

Basically, there are four conditionals:

·         Zero conditional

·         First conditional

·         Second conditional

·         Third conditional

Apart from them, you can also form mixed conditionals.

 

But how do we form those variations?

The easiest way is to understand that both clauses (the if-clause and the main clause) can be real or unreal and refer to present (future) or past. Depending on these factors, the clause will look different.

Real conditional describes real-life, possible situations.

Unreal conditional describes imaginary situations.

We'll deal with each clause separately.

REAL & UNREAL CONDITIONALS

There are two main types of conditional sentences: real and unreal. Real conditional sentences refer to situations that are either true or possible. Unreal conditionals refer to situations that are untrue, impossible or hypothetical; conditional sentences of this type are often described as being contrary to fact.

IF-CLAUSE

First of all, you must decide if the situation in the if-clause is real or unreal.

Examples of real if-clauses:

·         I have some money, I go to a club. (zero conditional or first conditional can be used)
It's a situation that happens very often.

·         When my uncle visited us, he would always help me with my homework.
My uncle visited us many times.

Examples of  unreal if-clauses.

·         If I could fly, I...
But that will never happen.

·         If she had told me about that,...
but she didn't tell me.

Once you've decided about that, it's time to choose the correct tense. As mentioned, there are two choices: the present (future) or the past.

Examples of present if-clauses:

·         If meet him again, I will tell him that. (zero conditional or first conditional can be used)
I will probably meet him soon.

·         If I were a bit taller, I would be more attractive.
But I'm not taller.

Examples of past if-clauses:

·         When my uncle visited us, he would always help me with my homework.
My uncle visited us many times.

·         If she had told me about that,...
But she didn't tell me.

The table below sums up what has been said about the if-clause.

1	Real		Unreal
2	Present / Future	Simple Present  If he says	Simple Past  If he said
	Past	Simple Past  If he said	Past Perfect  If he had said

MAIN-CLAUSE

The main-clause is also formed in two steps: first decide if you're talking about a real or an unreal situation, and then choose the correct tense.

If the main-clause is real, then it is exactly the same as a normal sentence. For example:

·         If he's late again, I will fire him. (first conditional] 
The situation is real because it can happen at any time.

·         If the weather was nice, she often walked to work. 
The situation is real because it happened (at least according to the speaker).

 

If  the main-clause is unreal, then it is formed in accordance with the table below:

Present / Future	Modal + Infinitive Examples: would, might, should, could
Past	Modal + Perfect Infinitive Examples: would have, might have, should have, could have

·         If it wasn't raining, we would go for a walk. (second conditional)

But it is raining.

·         If he had been late again, I would have fired him. (third conditional)
But he wasn't late.

ZERO CONDITIONAL

The zero conditional is used when describing situations which have automatic or habitual results. Using this conditional suggests that we are 100% sure of the result.

If + S + to be (is, am, are) + V1 + s/es + O , S + to be (is, am, are) + V1 + s/es + O

 

·         If you heat ice, it melts. (will melt is also possible)

·         If there is a shortage of any product, prices of that product go up.

·         My parents get angry if I come home late.

As you can see, both the main clause and the if-clause are in the Simple Present.

The zero conditional is often used to give instructions, for instance:

·         Press the button if you want a receipt.

·         If you want to leave a message, speak after the tone.

FIRST CONDITIONAL (Type 1)

We use the First Conditional to talk about a future situation that is possible.

	If + S + to be (is, am, are) + V1 + s/es + O ,  S + will + V1 + O

 

The verb in the if-clause is in the present tense; the verb in the main clause is in the Simple Future. It doesn't matter which comes first. There is usually a comma between the two clauses.

·         If you try very hard, you'll see the difference.

·         John will be late, if you don't lend him your car.

This type of sentence implies that the action is very probable.

Note that the meaning here is present or future, but the main verb in the if-clause is in a present, not future tense.

1 . Possible variations of the basic form

Sometimes instead of if + present + future, we may have:

a) if  + present + may/might (possibility)

·         If the climate keeps warming, the Arctic might be warm enough for swimming.

b) if + present + may (permission) or can (permission or ability)

·         If your documents are in order, you may/can leave at once. (permission)

·         If it stops raining, we can go out." (permission or ability)

c) if + present + must, should or any expression of command, request or advice

·         if you want to look slim, you must/should eat less meat.

·         if you want to look slim, you had better eat less meat.

·         if you want to look slim,  eat less meat.

d) When if is used to mean as/since, a variety of tenses can be used in the main clause

2. Variations of the if-clause

Instead of if + present tense, we can have:

a) if + present continuous, to indicate a present actions or a future arrangement.

·         If you are waiting for a bus (present action), you'd better join the queue.

·         If you are looking for Peter, you'll find him upstairs.

·         If you're staying for another night (future arrangement), I'll ask the manager to give you a better room.

b) if + present perfect

·         if you have finished dinner, I'll ask the waiter for the bill.

·         If has written the letter, I'll post it.

·         If they haven't seen the museum, we'd better go there today.

SECOND CONDITIONAL (Type 2)

We use the Second Conditional:

·         to give advice

·         to talk about a future situation that is unlikely to happen

If + S + V2 + O ,  S + would + V1 + O

 

IF-CLAUSE	MAIN CLAUSE
If he did that,	I would leave him.

The verb in the if-clause is in the past tense; the verb in the main clause is in the past future.

·         If someone stole my bag, I would immediately contact the police. (But I don't think that anyone will try to steal the bag. The meaning here is future.)

Note

There is no difference between the first and second conditionals as far as time is concerned. The first conditional, like the second conditional refers to the present or future. The past tense in the if-clause is not a true past but a subjunctive (bentuk pengandaian) , which indicates improbability or unreality.

Use

1. When the supposition is contrary to known facts

"If I lived in New York, I wouldn't have to commute there each day." (But I don't live in New York.)

"If I were you, I would plant some trees in your garden." (But I'm not you.)

2. When we don't expect the action in the if-clause to happen:

"If I saw a zombie, I would run as fast as I could." (But I don't expect to see a zombie.)

"If I bought a car like this, everyone would admire me." (But I don't intend to buy the car.)

Possible variations of the basic form

Variations of the main clause might or could may be used instead of would:

·         If you tried again, you would succeed. (certain result)

·         If you tried again, you might succeed. (possible result)

·         If I knew her number, I could ring her up. (ability)

·         If he had a permit, he could get a job. (ability or permission)

The continuous conditional form may be used instead of the simple:

·         Peter is on holiday; he is touring Italy. ~ "If I were on holiday I would/might be touring Italy too."

THIRD CONDITIONAL (Type 3)

On this page, we will learn about the Third Conditional. We use it when talking about a past condition that cannot be fulfilled, because the action in the if-clause didn't happen.

For example, imagine that we missed a train (and as a result we were late for an important meeting). We could say:

·         If I hadn't missed the train, I wouldn't have been late for the meeting.

Do you know what tenses each of the clauses is in? Let's see:

·         The verb in the if-clause is in the Past Perfect Tense

·         The verb in the main clause is in the Past Future Perfect Tense

If + S + had + V3 + O ,  S + would + have + V3 + O

 

If-clause (Past Perfect)	Main clause (Past Future Perfect Tense)
If I hadn't missed the train,	I wouldn't have been late for the meeting.

More examples:

·     If I had known that you were coming, I would have met you at the railway station. (But I didn't know that you were coming so I didn't come)

·         If he had tried to leave the country, he would have been stopped at the frontier. (But he didn't try)

Variations

The form of the conditional can be a little different.

a) could or might may be used instead of would:

·         If the rescue crew had found him earlier, they could have saved his life. (ability)

·   If the rescue crew had found him earlier, they might have saved his life. (possibility)

·    If we had the necessary documents, we could have left at once. (ability or permission)

b) The continuous form of the Perfect Conditional may be used:

·         If I had had any money I would have been watching the film with my girlfriend that evening.

c) We can use the Past Perfect Continuous in the if-clause:

·      I wasn't wearing a seat belt. If I had been wearing one, I wouldn't have been seriously injured.

d) A combination of types 2 and 3 is possible:

·      The airplane I intended to catch crashed. If I had caught that airplane, I would have been killed or I would be dead now(type 3)

·         If he had worked harder at school, he would be working in a comfortable office now; he wouldn't be sweeping the streets. (But I didn't work hard at school and now he is sweeping the streets.)

e) Using inversion, we can place "had" before the subject, omitting the "if": For example, instead of saying:

·         If you had obeyed orders this disaster would not have happened.

We can say:

·         Had you told me about your problems, this disaster would not have happened.

MIXED CONDITIONALS

Mixed conditionals are those unreal conditional sentences whose time in the if-clause is different than the time in the main-clause. Let's first have a look at unreal conditional sentences:

·         If she were shorter, she would be more attractive.

·         I am busy next week. If I had time, I would come to your party.

·         If they hadn't trained hard, they wouldn't have won.

As you can see, they refer to the same time: the present, the future or the past. If we mix the sentences, we get mixed conditionals.

Past and Present

·         If my father hadn't lost his keys, we wouldn't have to wait until he finds them.
But my father lost his keys and therefore we have to wait until he finds them.

·         If I had installed an anti-virus, my computer wouldn't be so slow now.
But I didn't install an anti-virus and therefore my computer is so slow now.

·         If our house had been broken into, we would be very sad.
But our house wasn't broken into and we aren't sad.

Past and Future

·         If our house had been broken into, we would call the police.
But our house wasn't broken into and we are not going to call police.

·         If we had won the lottery last week, we would buy a new sofa today.
But we didn't win the lottery and we are not going to buy a new sofa today.

Present and Past

·         If I were smarter, I would have graduated from Stanford.
But I am not smarter and therefore I didn't graduate from Stanford.

·         If Mary weren't a snob, she wouldn't have had so many parties this year.
But Mary is a snob and therefore she had so many parties this year.

Present and Future

·         If you were more eloquent, you would become a politician.
But I am not more eloquent and I won't become a politician.

·         If you had more time, I would go to the cinema with you.
But you don't have more time and I won't go to the cinema with you.

EXERCISES

Complete the following sentences, using the suggested verb and choosing the correct conditional. Suggested answers are given below.

1.     If you practice your English often,                  (to improve)

2.     If I looked like him,                                         (to be)

3.     If we had taken the earlier train,                   (to arrive)

4.     If it rains on their wedding day,                     (to cancel)

5.     If you read this English book,                          (to learn)

6.     If she had practiced speaking,                        (to pass)

7.     If they cheated in the test,                              (to report)

8.     If you eat too much chocolate,                       (to get)

9.     If I take more classes,                                     (to do)

10.    If the motorway had been less busy,              (to get)

11.    If you look at the picture closely,                   (to see)

12.    If he had asked me for the pen,                     (to give)

13.    If you needed help,                                     (to ask)

Below are suggested answers, your answers may be different, but the verb form must be the same for it to be correct.

Answers to Conditionals Exercise

1.     If you practice your English often, you will improve. (First conditional)

2.     If I looked like him, I would be very happy. (Second conditional)

3.     If we had taken the earlier train, we would have arrived on time. (Third conditional)

4.     If it rains on their wedding day, they will cancel the wedding. (First conditional)

5.      If you read this English book, you will learn a lot of new words. (First conditional)

6.     If she had practiced speaking, she would have passed the exam. (Third conditional)

7.     If they cheated in the test, I would report them. (Second conditional)

8.     If you eat too much chocolate, you will get fat. (Zero conditional)

9.     If I take more classes, I will do better in the test. (First conditional)

10.    If the motorway had been less busy, we would have got home sooner. (Third conditional)

11.    If you look at the picture closely, you will see more details. (First conditional)

12.    If he had asked me for the pen, I would have given it to him. (Third Conditional)

13.     If you needed help, you should have asked. (Mixed Conditional)

REFERENCES:

http://www.englishtenses.com/conditional_sentences

http://www.englishtenses.com/zero_conditional

http://www.englishtenses.com/first_conditional

http://www.englishtenses.com/second_conditional

http://www.englishtenses.com/third_conditional

http://www.englishtenses.com/mixed_conditionals

http://www.englishpage.com/conditional/conditionalintro.html#

http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-lesson-conditionals.php

http://www.eslcafe.com/grammar/conditional_sentences03.html

http://iwan24.blogspot.co.id/2012/03/conditional-sentence.html

http://www.englishlessonsbrighton.co.uk/conditionals-practice-exercises-answers/