The
Conditional
We have to be careful with certain sentences which are not true
conditional sentences, even though they are introduced by if.
For example, sentences which expresses a situation which is or
was true, or may have been or may become true.
· If anyone phones, tell them I'll be back at 11.00
· If you really want to learn italian, you need to spend
some time in Italy
Others sentences suggests that the situation is untrue, imaginary.
· What would you do if you won to the lottery?
· If you had started out earlier, you wouldn't have been
so late
So: "If I go to Berlin, I'll travel by train" is a real
conditional, whereas "If I went to Berlin, I'd travel by
train" is a unreal conditional
1) REAL CONDITIONAL SENTENCES
In real conditional sentences we use tenses as in other kinds
of sentences: we use present tenses to talk about the present
or unchanging relationships, and past tenses to talk about the
past.
Examples:
· If you leave now, you'll be home in two hours
· If water is frozen, it expands
· If I made the wrong decision, then I apologise.
However, when we talk about the future, we use a present tense
not WILL.
Example:
· I'll give you a lift if it rains (not if it will rain)
In real conditional sentences, we use if...happen to, if....should,
or if...should happen to to talk about something which may be
possible, but is not very likely. If...happen to is most common
in spoken english.
· If you happen to be in our area, drop in and send us
(or if ypou shoud be in our area, drop in and send us)
2) UNREAL CONDITIONAL SENTENCES
In unreal conditionals, to talk about present or future situations,
we use a past tense:
· If my grandmother was/were still alive, she would be
a hundred today
· If you were driving from London to Glasgow, which way
would you go?
In unreal conditionals, we use if...were + to-infinitive to talk
about imaginary future situations:
· If the technology were to become available, we would
be able to expand the business
· If he were to have a chance of success, he would need
to move to London
Notice that in unreal conditional sentences:
1) we don't use the past simple or past perfect in the main clause
· If we were serious about pollution, we would spend more
money on research (not: we spent or we had spent)
2) we don't use would in an if-clause
· If I had a more reliable car, I'd drive to Spain rather
to fly (and not If I would have)
3) GENERAL RULES
When we talk about something that might have happened in the past,
but didn't, then we use if + past perfect and would have + past
participle in the main clause.
· If I had known how difficult the job was, I wouldn't
have taken it.
· If she hadn't be ill, she would have gone to the concert.
If the first verb in a conditional if-clause is should, were or
had, we can leave out if and put the verb at the start of the
clause. We do this particulary in formal or literary english.
· Should any of this cost you anything, send me the bill
( and not if any of this should cost..)
· It would be embarrassing, were she to find out the truth
(and not if she were to find out)
EXERCISES
1) If necessary, correct the sentence
1. If Jack had been honest, he xwould return the money
2. The video pauses if you press this button
3. If she would have really wanted to see me, she would have come
earlier
4. If he doesn't break the window, then, who is responsible?
5. If Claire continue to work hard, she would pass the exams easily
6. Steve would have been attacked if he hadnt' come along
2) Complete the sentence with the verb given
1. If the police ....... him, he'd spend at least five years in
prison (to catch)
2. If they ...... to reach their target, the order would be lost
(to fail)
3. If I ..... how to contact Mike, I'd get in touch with him today
(to know)
4. If she ...... the next four races, she would be world champion
(to win)
5. If I .... how it worked, I'd explain it to you (to understand)
6. If you .... his first film, I'm sure you'd enjoy this one,
too. (to like)
3) Make new sentences with similar meanings, beginning with the
word given
1. Return the product to the shop if you have any complains about
it.
Should....
2. There would be nowhere for them to stay if they arrived today.
Were....
3. I wouldn't have finished this book without Suzanne's help.
If it...
4. John is giving me a lift. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to
visit you.
But for...
4) Are the underlined part of the sentences correct? Correct the
ones who are wrong.
1. If they will get married, they'll probably move to France
2. If it will make you happy, we'll buy a dishwasher
3. If you will send me a copy of your previous letter, I will
reply immediately
4. If some extra money will help, take this 200 $
5. If anyone will ask for me, I'll be in a café
6. If he will continue to improve, he should be out of hospital
nexte week.
