Conditional Sentences

Structure :
A conditional sentence is composed of 2 parts :

If-clause + Main Clause

Example :

If it rains tomorrow, we will not come.

IF CLAUSE If-clause Main Clause

ELIZABETH VALENZUELA
 Conditional Sentences

Types :

 There are 4 types of conditional sentences.

They are classified according to their specific
implications.

 Each type of conditional sentences uses

different tenses to show the difference in
their implications.

IF CLAUSE ELIZABETH VALENZUELA

 Conditional Sentences

Type 0 :

Use Talk about universal truth.

:
Tense : Present tense in both clauses
Example
:
Present Tense Present Tense

If you heat water to 100°C, it boils.

IF CLAUSE If you pour oil into water, it floats.
ELIZABETH VALENZUELA
 Conditional Sentences
Type 1

Use : Talk about a present or future probable case.

Tense : If-clause ~ Present Tense

Main Clause ~ Future Tense
Example :

Present Tense Future Tense

If I feel sick, I will not go to school.

If it rains tomorrow, the match will be cancelled.
IF CLAUSE ELIZABETH VALENZUELA
 Exercise One

do not come
1. If you ___________________ (not come),

will miss
You ________________ (miss ) the show.

will buy
1. John __________________ (buy)a car if he

gets
_____________ (get)a job.
gets
1. Mary ________________(get) a toothache if
eats
she_________________ (eat) too many sweets.
IF CLAUSE ELIZABETH VALENZUELA
 Conditional Sentences

Type 2 (Present Subjunctive)

Use : Talk about a present or future improbable
case. (A case that is unlikely to happen)
Tense : If-clause ~ Past Tense
Main Clause ~ would + an infinitive
Example :
Past Tense Would + infinitive

If he were a bird, he would fly across the harbour.

If I had $200,000 now, I would buy a car.
IF CLAUSE ELIZABETH VALENZUELA
 Conditional Sentences

Type 3 (Past Subjunctive)

Use Talk about a past, impossible case
:
Tense : If-clause ~ Past Perfect Tense
Main Clause ~ Would + Present Perfect Form
Example :
Past Perfect Tense Would + Present Perfect Form

If I had had enough money, I would have bought the

camera yesterday.
If I had come home earlier, I would not have missed the
IF CLAUSE ELIZABETH VALENZUELA

programme.
 Exercise Two

were
1. If I ________________ (be) four years old, I
would learn
________________ (learn) to play the piano.
had not failed
1. If I ________________ (not fail) in the
would have bought
examination, my mother_______________
(buy)
me a new computer.
would have finished
3. We ________________________ (finish) if we
had had
________________ (have) better preparation.
IF CLAUSE ELIZABETH VALENZUELA
 Conditional Sentences

Variations: SHOULD may

replace IF in type 1
Type
1If: you see John, ask him to come and see me.
Should you see John, ask him to come and see me.
COULD or MIGHT may
Type 2 : replace WOULD
If I were an aeroplane, I could fly in the sky.
Were I an aeroplane, I could fly in the sky.

IF CLAUSE
WERE mayELIZABETH
replace IF in an inversion
VALENZUELA
 Conditional Sentences

Type 3 :
If I had come home earlier, I would not have
missed the programme.

Had I come home earlier, I would not have missed

the programme.
HAD may replace IF in an
inversion

IF CLAUSE ELIZABETH VALENZUELA

 Conditional Sentences
But for+ a noun may
Type 2 & Type 3 : replace `If it were not for’

If it were not for the rain, we would go to Shatin. (Type

2)
But for the rain, we would go to Shatin.

If it had not been for the traffic jam, we would have

arrived on time. (Type 3)
But for the traffic jam, we would have arrived on time.
But for + a noun may replace
IF CLAUSE `If it had
ELIZABETH not been for’
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 The Subjunctive Mood

Other sentences than the conditional may bear the

subjunctive mood.
Type 2 Type 3
a. Wish (v)
I wish I were a (But I am
king. not!)
I wish she had left last (But she didn’t!)
night.
* Non-subjunctive use of wish
 I wish to travel to Europe next year
 We wish you a happy birthday.
IF CLAUSE ELIZABETH VALENZUELA
 The Subjunctive Mood

b. If only
Type 2

If only I were you! Type 2

If only he were born in the USA! (He was not born

in USA)

If only she had left last night! (She did not leave
last night)
Type 3

IF CLAUSE ELIZABETH VALENZUELA

 The Subjunctive Mood

b. Would rather Type 2

I would rather you came earlier. (But you come

late.)
Type 3
I would rather he had told me the secret. (But he
didn’t.)
* Non-subjunctive use of would rather
A : Do you want to go fishing today?
B : I would rather stay at home and take some rest.
(B prefers staying at
IF CLAUSE
home to going fishing)
ELIZABETH VALENZUELA
 The Subjunctive Mood

d. Lest (Conjunction)

He put the money in the safe lest someone

should / might steal it.
Past Tense
e. It is (high) time
 It is (high) time you studied hard.
(You have not studied hard. Now the examination
is near, so you have to study very hard.)
 It is time for you to leave (non-subjunctive)
IF CLAUSE ELIZABETH VALENZUELA
 END

IF CLAUSE ELIZABETH VALENZUELA