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CONDITIONAL SENTENCES
Conditional sentences are used to indicate situations, generally hypothetical, with differing degrees of probability /certainty. They also express different periods of time.
There are 4 types of conditional sentences: types 0, 1, 2 and 3:
Type 0 If I go to London, I stay at the Savoy. (fact, 100% certain, no specific time frame)
Type 1 If I go to London, I’ll stay at the Savoy. (90% probability, future)
Type 2 If I went to London, I’d stay at the Savoy. (45% probability, present)
Type 3 If I’d gone to London, I’d have stayed at the Savoy. (0% probability, past)
Mixed conditionals are also possible, and are used when referring to two different periods of time:
Types 3&2 If you hadn’t gone to bed so late last night, you wouldn’t be feeling
so tired this morning.
Conditional sentences have two principal parts, the ‘if’ clause, and the ‘main’ clause. These two parts can be inverted:
If it rains, she’ll take a taxi.
She’ll take a taxi if it rains.
In written English, when a conditional sentence begins with an ‘if’ clause, then a comma must separate it from thefollowing ‘main’ clause.
The word ‘if’ in the ‘if’ clause can be substituted by other words or expressions, including ‘unless’, ‘before’, ‘when’,‘as soon as’, ‘once’ and ‘after’. This obviously changes the meaning of the sentence, but not the structure.
Sometimes a conditional sentence can also include a third clause which serves as an introduction to one of the othertwo clauses:
I think (that) she’ll take a taxi if it rains.
I think (that) if it rains, she’ll take a taxi.
If it rains, I think (that) she’ll take a taxi.
Introductory clauses are generally very brief, are normally placed at the very beginning of the sentence, and are oftenset phrases, e.g., According to me; I think; He believes; In my opinion; They said etc.
It is important to be familiar with the tenses used in the individual clauses of each type of conditional sentence: Type 0 = present simple (‘if’ clause) + present simple (‘main’ clause)Type 1 = present simple, present continuous, present perfect simple or present perfect continuous (‘if’ clause) + future, modal verb + infinitive without ‘to’, or imperative (‘main’ clause)Type 2 = past simple, past continuous or subjunctive (‘if’ clause) + modal verb and infinitive (usually a normal or present infinitive) without ‘to’(‘main’ clause)Type 3 = past perfect simple or past perfect continuous (‘if’ clause) + modal verb and ‘perfect’ infinitive without ‘to’ (‘main’ clause)
Note the usual order of words in the ‘if’ clause and the ‘main’ clause: ‘If’ clause = If (or alternative word/s) subjectverb/s[object][expression of place] [expression of time]
If she wins the tennis match in Rome next week, ...
‘Main’ clause = subject (except in Type 1 conditionals with an imperative)and 3—and sometimes in Type 1, followed by an infinitive)[object][expression of place]verb/s (always a modal in Types 2 [expression of time]
she’ll be included in the national team.
OTHER THINGS TO REMEMBER:
in English every verb must have a subject (except imperatives in Type 1 conditionals). there are different types of infinitives that can follow a modal in Types 1, 2 and 3: for example the normal or present infinitive (‘to wash’), the continuous infinitive (‘to be washing’), the passive infinitive (‘to be washed)’, the perfect infinitive (‘to have washed’), the perfect passive infinitive (‘to have been washed’), and the perfect continuous infinitive (‘to have been washing’). the word ‘to’ can be a preposition (generally used after a verb of movement), part of an infinitive, or a reduced infinitive.
CONDITIONAL SENTENCES
- want always garden when the I to work it rains in. (type 0)
- her she'd broken have to the if car down taken me hadn’t station. (type 3)
- out you plants soil water the, if dry regularly the won’t. (type 1)
- watch I reviews the unless the are won’t film good. (type 1)
- you if used mind mobile your I would? (type 2)
- you if Caribbean lost air our spent, weeks the have hadn't in tickets could we four. (type 3)
- I to he’ll him offer ask don’t you unless think help you. (type 1)
- gone it yesterday sailing rained, we would if have hadn’t. (type 3)
- look will holiday you their year dog again if go after on they this? (type 1)
- Jane the to if you book, have it read give. (type 1)
- a would it virus not had opened the I contained email if have. (type 3)
- scuba-diving if had go wouldn't a, I even I wet-suit. (type 2)
- angry truth would you the been known have so if you'd? (type 3)
- if more party I had I to, yesterday have would time come had your. (type 3)
- tickets many bought have won they the couldn’t had lottery unless they so. (type 3)
- now later you are back having if, right come dinner I'll. (type 1)
- jam stuck that we been earlier wouldn't in set traffic if we’d off have. (type 3)
- were would do murder you if of what you accused? (type 2)
- hadn't party I a drunk home have so at, the I taxi wouldn’t if much taken. (type 3)
- as the see they the turned they as, could burgled that house had on been soon light. (type 2)
- in she good a sings mood when she's. (type 0)
- gossip you I’ll you all on the when see I latest tell Friday. (type 1)
- new father Joanne me some she going to a car if her is told buy lends money her. (type 1)
- the husband secretary you, if her I I you tell her his saw with were at wouldn’t pub. (type 2)
- ill is she want to she school feeling to when doesn’t always says go she (type 0).
- year job hadn’t might given before to quit, end he have if been a his decided promotion the of Tom the
. (type 3) _________________________________________________________________________________
- her home as Alison tell to, her ring as soon gets mother. (type 1)
- order want call you’ve what decided to I’ll, the you when waiter. (type 1)
- there anywhere that I available hotel wouldn’t else no at again unless were stay rooms. (type 2)
