Conditionals grammar unit 2, Apuntes de Inglés

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UNIT 2. GRAMMAR: CONDITIONALS

‘IF’ ALTERNATIVES

Unless (= if not)

We can use unless in conditional sentences to mean ‘if … (not)’. ● I won’t go on holiday unless I save some money. ● = I won’t go on holiday if I don’t save some money.

In case

We use in case to talk about things that we do to be prepared for something that might happen or might be needed in the future. ● I’ll take my umbrella in case it rains. (=because it might rain)

As long as / provided (that) / providing (that) / on condition (that) / only if

We can use the expressions as long as, provided/providing (that), on condition (that), or only if instead of if when we want to emphasise the condition that needs to be present so that something can happen or be done. ● I’ll tell you what really happened as long as you keep the secret. ● I’ll lend you the money provided (that) you pay me back next month. ● They will speak to the press on condition (that) they remain anonymous sources. ● We will invest the money, but only if you can prove that it’s a safe investment.

Whether or not

We use whether or not when there are two alternatives, and we want to say that something will happen or will be true in any of those two alternatives. Compare: ● I’ll help him if he needs me. (=I will help him only if he needs me.) ● I’ll help him whether or not he needs me. (I will help him if he needs me, and I will help him if he doesn’t need me, too.)

Even if

We also use even if with a similar meaning to ‘whether or not’. It is used to emphasise that something will still be true or will happen if another thing happens. ● Even if you apologise, he’ll never forgive you. (=Whether or not you apologise, he’ll never forgive you.)

Suppose/supposing

We normally use suppose or supposing at the beginning of a sentence to make someone imagine a situation. It means ‘what would happen if’, or simply ‘if’ (imagining a situation). ● Supposing I got a job, I wouldn’t be able to travel with you next summer. ● Suppose she doesn’t believe you; what would you do then?

Mixed third/second conditional

We use this combination to talk about a hypothetical condition happening in the past (third conditional) with a present result (second conditional). We use past perfect in the if clause and would/could/might + infinitive in the main clause. ● If I had been elected , I would be the president now. ● If I had won the lottery, I would be rich. ● I might have a better job now if I hadn’t dropped out of school.

Mixed second/third conditional

We use this combination to talk about a hypothetical condition happening in the present (second conditional) with a past result (third conditional). We use past in the if clause and would/could/might + have + past participle in the main clause. ● If I were a man, they would have given me the job. ● If I didn’t have so much work, I would have gone to the party last night. ● I would have understood them if I spoke German. Note that in this type of combination, the present condition also existed in the past when the result in the main clause took place. Let’s take a look, for example, at the first sentence: ● If I were a man, they would have given me the job. If I were a man now would mean that I would also have been a man in the past, when I was not given the job. As I’m not a man now (which implies that I wasn’t a man when I applied for the job either), I didn’t get the job.