Conditional sentences

ENGLESKI JEZIK II
What are conditional sentences?
 Consisting of two clauses: the main one and the subordinate one
 The main clause contains the verb form of will or would, while the subordinate
one is introduced by if.
 e.g. I’ll help you if you want; He’d come if you called.

 What is expressed in the main clause depends on what we express in the

subordinate (if) clause.
 e.g. I’ll come to your lecture if you make it more interesting.
Punctuation

 The general rule is to separate the two clauses if the sentence begins with the
subordinate (if) clause.

 If you skip classes, you’re not going to pass the exam.

 If you try to take a short cut, you’ll get lost.
Types of conditional sentences

Basic types If clause Conditional clause

Type 1 If + present tense Future tense

Type 2 If + past tense Would + bare infinitive

Type 3 If + past perfect Would + have + past participle

Type 0 If + present tense Present tense

Type 1

 If + present tense / future tense

 If it gets colder tonight, I’ll turn on the heating.
 He’ll get here early if he catches the train.

 Both verbs refer to the future, despite one being in the present tense. Sometimes
called “the future conditional”.

 Sometimes an imperative form is used (if + present / imperative) For instance,

when giving advice or instructions):
 If you go to the supermarket, bring back a carton of milk please.
Type 1

 Used for the purposes of persuasion, negotiating, warnings and threats.

 Persuasion:
 I’ll take the children to the party if you collect them from school.

 Warning:
 If you try to take a short cut, you’ll get lost.

 Threat:
 If you poke your brother again, I’ll trash you.
Type 1

 Different present forms are possible in the if clause:

 Present perfect: If it hasn’t rained by the weekend, we’ll have to water the
garden.
 Present continuous: If they’re watching TV, they won’t hear us.

 Present continuous is also possible in the conditional clause, instead of the

typical future form:
 We’re staying at home on Wednesday if the transport strike goes ahead. ⮀ We
will stay at home if the transport strike goes ahead.
Type 2

 If + past tense / would + bare infinitive

 If he didn’t annoy me so much, I’d spend more time in his office.
 If I got an invitation, I’d go there right away.

 Also known as the “hypothetical” or “unreal” conditional – used when speculating

about something not very likely to happen.
 Can express both present and future.
 Difference between type 1 and type 2:
 Type 1: If John finds the gun, he’ll murder Phil. (a real possibility)
 Type 2: If John found the gun, he would murder Phil. (not a real possibilty)
Type 2

 Note: “were” is used in the if clause instead of “was” regardless of the

grammatical person.
e.g.
 If I were you, I’d be more careful.
 I’d go to the lectures if the professor weren’t so boring.
 If I were rich, I’d travel the world.
Type 2

 Consider:
 “Would” is often replaced by “should” in the conditional clause.
 I shouldn’t get to sleep at all if I lived next to that noise.

 Were + infinitive appears in the if clause instead of the typical past tense form.
Stylistically, this puts the emphasis on the hypothetical part, making the statement
more tentative.
 If the river were to rise above the height of the flood barrier, there would be
absolutely nothing we could do to save the city.
Type 3

 If + past perfect/ would + have + past participle

 If we hadn’t wasted time, we wouldn’t have missed the train.
 I would have been more sympathetic if she hadn’t accused me of lying.

 Also known as the “third” or “past” conditional

 Used to speculate about past events, about the effect of the past events on the
present events.
Type 3

 Other forms occur in the type 3 conditional such as:

 If + had have + past participle / would + have + past participle
 If they’d have arrived on time, I’d have let them into examination.
 non-standard variant – best avoided

 Had + subject + past participle / would + have + past participle

 Had I known he was ill, I would never have shouted at him.
Type 0

 If + present tense / present tense

 If you want to change money on a Sunday, you have to go to one of the big
railway stations.
 Most cats purr if you tickle them under the chin.

 Used to express general truths.

Alternative conjunctions to “if”

 Supposing (Types 1 and 2)

 Where will you go supposing you manage to have a holiday?

 As long as (Types 1 and 2)

 I would help him as long as he asked me nicely.

 Unless
 I wouldn’t have come round unless you’d phoned and asked me to.

 Provided, on condition (that), as soon as, assuming, as a consequence of, as a result of,
once, until, when, whenever etc.
Recapitulation
 Type 1 - If + present tense / future tense (referring to future)
 If we hurry, we’ll catch the bus. (real situation/possible outcome)

 Type 2 - If + past tense / would + bare infinitive (referring to present/future)

 If I were you, I’d ask a lawyer for some advice. (hypothetical)

 Type 3 - If + past perfect / would + have + past participle (indicates past)

 If you had rung me, I would have come to see you. (hypothetical past)

 Type 0 - If + present tense / present tense (general truths/conditions)

 If you heat water, it boils. (what is always true)
Bibliography

 Eastwood, J. (2010). Oxford Practice Grammar with answers. Intermediate.

Oxford University Press.
 Parrott, M. (2000). Grammar for English language teachers: with exercises and a
key. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.
 Vince, M., & Sunderland, P. (2003). Advanced language practice. Macmillan
Publishers Limited: Oxford.