If Clauses

Conditional Clauses
If clause indicates the condition
and a principal clause indicates
the result of the action
 First Type
• If clause in the
present tense +
main clause in the
future – It indicates
that a future action
or situation is
perfectly possible
to occur on that
If he studies for the condition.
test, he will get a
good grade
 Variations
• To indicate a
request, or an
order, an
imperative is
used in the main
clause, in place
of the future
• If you feel tired, go to tense.
bed.
 Variations (Continuation)
• The Present tense
may be used in both
clauses, if clause
and main clause to
express the idea that
something will
certainly happen, as
a natural
• If you eat too much,
consequence of that
you get fat
condition
Second Type – Unreal Situations –
Hypothetical Situations
• A situation, a
supposition which is
unreal or contrary to
fact in present time;
The verb in the if
clause is used in the
past subjunctive. In
• If I had If I were the main clause,
money, I
would buy a you, I WOULD is generally
car would used.
study for
the test
 Third type – Impossible actions in
the past
• If + past
perfect tense
+ would have
+ participle

• If John hadn’t eaten too much cake,

he wouldn’t have been sick