Conditional sentences Function of Conditional Sentences Conditional sentences

Conditional sentences Function of Conditional Sentences Conditional sentences deal with imagined situations: some are possible, some are unlikely, some are impossible. Types of conditional sentences • Future • Present unreal • Past unreal • Present or past habitual activity

Meanings of conditional sentences • Possible conditional • Impossible conditional • Possible conditional expresses a real possibility that an event or action might occur in the present or future or could have occurred in the past. -(a) If it rains on Saturday, we won’t go to the fair. (We don’t know what the weather will be like on Saturday, but rain is possible. )

Possible conditional -(b) If he comes home after seven, he always buys KFC. (He doesn’t always come home after seven, but there are occasions when he does; and these are when he buys KFC. ) -(c) If it rained on Saturday, he wouldn’t go to the fair. (As in (a), but more unlikely. ) -(d) If he came home after seven, he always bought KFC. (As in (b), but an event which happened in the past. )

Possible conditional Subordinate clause (a) If + present (b) If + present (c) If + past (d) If + past Main clause Modal (usually will) + main verb (infinitive without to) Main verb, present tense Modal (usually would) + main verb (infinitive without to) Main verb, past tense

Impossible conditional • The impossible conditional expresses an imaginary situation which is impossible. • (a) reference to the present, but cannot occur: -If you had a video, you could record it yourself. (But you haven’t, so you won’t be able to. ) -If my father were alive, he would be 90 now. (But he isn’t; he died ten years ago. )

Impossible conditional cont • (b) reference to present, but did not occur: -If you had a video, you could have recorded it yourself last night. (You don’t have a video, so you didn’t record it. ) -If my father were alive, he would have been 90 last week. (But he died ten years ago. ) • (c) reference to the past, and did not occur: -If you had a video, you could have recorded it yourself last night. (You didn’t have a video last night, so you didn’t record it. )

Impossible conditional Subordinate clause Main clause (a) If + past Past modal +main verb (infinitive without to) (b) If + past Past modal + main verb (past infinitive without to) (c) If + past perfect Past modal + main verb (past infinitive without to)

Alternative forms • A conditional is not always expressed with an if clause. On some occasions (especially more formal ones) an inversion form can be used. -If + present can be replaced by should + inversion: Should he come home after seven, he always buys KFC. -If + past can be replaced by were + inversion: Were it to rain on Saturday, we wouldn’t go to the fair.

Alternative form cont. If + past perfect can be replaced by inversion with the auxiliary had: Had you had a video, you could have recorded it yourself. Imperative and a coordinating clause -Start a savings account now and we’ll give you 500 Baht. (If you start a savings account now, we’ll give you 500 Baht. ) -Don’t undercharge or you could quickly go out of business. (If you undercharge, you could quickly go out of business. )

Conditional 2: possible • There are three types of possible conditional. 1. Present and past habit -If he arrives at the office late, everyone knows it’s going to be a difficult day. -If she saw even the smallest fly trapped in a jar, she would be upset. 2. Deductions -If he wins today, he stands a good chance of being selected.

Conditional 2: possible cont-If the rains do not come again this year, then the country will not have enough water. -If it rains next month, there should be enough water to last until the monsoon comes. -If you wanted to control you finances, you’d welcome a Home-owners Loan plan. Here the speaker is making a deduction about future possibilities or attitudes. Both the present and past tenses may be used. The use of the past, however, usually reflects a greater uncertainty.

Conditional 2: possible cont • Future possibilities -If two more people join, we can run the course. -If two more people joined, we could run the course. -If you’re thinking of buying your first home, send for your free Home-buying kit. -If you undercharge, you could quickly go out business. Here the speaker is talking about possible event or actions in the future. The use of past tense shows the speaker is less certain.

Conditional 3: impossible • The impossible conditional expresses an imagined situation which could not occur or did not occur. There are three types of impossible conditional. • 1. Impossible now (or improbable future) • (a) If you had a video, you could record it yourself tonight. (But you haven’t got a video, so you won’t be able to. ) • (b) If she had the time, she would do it. (But she hasn’t got the time. ) • (c) If my father were alive, he’d be 90 now. (But he is dead, so he isn’t. )

Conditional 3: Impossible • 2. Non-existent past (referring to the present) • (a) If you had a video, you could have recorded yourself last night. (But you didn’t, so you didn’t record the program. ) • (b) If my father were alive, he would have been 90 last birthday. (But he’s dead, so he wasn’t. ) • 3. Non-existent past (referring to the past) • (a) If you had a video, you could have recorded it yourself last night.

(b) If the car had started, I would have been on time. (But the car didn’t start. ) • (c) If it had rained, the performance would been cancelled. (But it didn’t rain. ) • Conditional 4: Unless • Unless is known as negative conditional. It stands in place of except if/except on the condition that. • -She always comes unless she’s sick. • -Stamford will be dropped from the team unless he improves his performance. • It is used only for possible conditionals. •

Conditional 5: Wishing • Wishing is very close to expressing a condition. There is often a second part to a wish, which is either spoken or unspoken. • I wish I were at home now, then I could have something refreshing to drink. • This could be rewritten as a conditional sentence. • If I were at home now, I could have something refreshing to drink. • The difference is that the conditional is neutral and does not express the stronger wish. With wishing there is a feeling of regret for something.

Wishing cont • Wishing can be expressed through either the verb to wish or the conditional reference if only. • There are three types of wishing: • 1. Impossible now I wish If only I was at home now. I lived by the sea. I could paint like that. they didn’t ask so many questions. she wasn’t so poor.

2. Improbable future I wish If only they would sign the treaty soon. the sun would shine. she wouldn’t always argue. he’d make up his mind. they were coming here tomorrow.

Non-existent past I wish If only I had bought that coat after all. He had said so at the time. That shop hadn’t closed. They hadn’t driven so fast. There’d been some good dance music.