1. Conditional Sentences
If Clauses or
Conditional Sentences

2. Conditional Sentences
Structure :
A conditional sentence is composed of 2 parts : +
If-clause
Main Clause
If it rains tomorrow, we will not come.
If-clause
Main Clause

3. Conditional Sentences
Types :
There are 4 types of conditional sentences.
4 different uses with different tenses
4 different implications

4. Conditional Sentences
Type 0 :
Use:
Talk about universal truth.
Tense :
Present tense in both clauses
Example :
Present Tense
Present Tense
If you heat water to 100°C, it boils.
If you pour oil into water, it floats.

5. Conditional Sentences
Type 1
Use :
Talk about a present or future probable case.
Tense :
If-clause ~ Present Tense
Main Clause ~ Future Tense
Example :
Present Tense
Future Tense
If I feel sick, I will not go to school.
If it rains tonight, we will stay home.

6. Let’s practise…

7. Exercise One – Put the verbs in the correct tense.
do not listen
If you ___________________ (not listen),
you _______________ (not know) what to do.
will not know
will buy
John __________________ (buy) a car if he
_____________ (get) a job.
gets
gets
Mary ________________(get) a toothache if
she_________________ (eat) too many sweets.
eats

8. Conditional Sentences
Type 2 (Present Subjunctive)
Use :
Talk about a present or future improbable case. (A case that is unlikely to happen)
Tense :
If-clause ~ Past Tense
Main Clause ~ would + an infinitive
Example :
Past Tense
Would + infinitive
If I were you, I would tell the truth.
If I won the lottery, I would buy a car.

9. Let’s practise…

10. Exercise Two – Put the verbs in the correct tense.
were
If I ________________ (be) four years old,
I ________________ (learn) to play the piano.
would learn
wanted
If you ________________ (want) to pass,
you _________________ (study) harder.
would study
would be
3. My parents__________________ (be) angry
if ______________ (tell) a lie.
told

11. Exercise three – Build sentences.

12. Conditional Sentences Would + Present Perfect Form
Type 3 (Past Subjunctive)
Use:
Talk about a past, impossible case
Tense :
If-clause ~ Past Perfect Tense
Main Clause ~ Would + Present Perfect Form
Example :
Past Perfect Tense
Would + Present Perfect Form
If I had had enough money, I would have bought the camera yesterday.
If I had come home earlier, I would not have missed the programme.

13. Let’s practise…

14. Exercise Three were If I ________________ (be) four years old, I
________________ (learn) to play the piano.
would learn
had not failed
If I ________________ (not fail) in the
examination, my mother_______________ (buy) me a new computer.
would have bought
would have finished
3. We ________________________ (finish) if we
________________ (have) better preparation.
had had

15. Conditional Sentences
SHOULD may replace IF in type 1
Variations:
Type 1 :
If you see John, ask him to come and see me.
Should you see John, ask him to come and see me.
COULD or MIGHT may replace WOULD
Type 2 :
If I were an aeroplane, I could fly in the sky.
Were I an aeroplane, I could fly in the sky.
WERE may replace IF in an inversion

16. Conditional Sentences
Type 3 :
If I had come home earlier, I would not have missed the programme.
Had I come home earlier, I would not have missed the programme.
HAD may replace IF in an inversion

17. Conditional Sentences
But for+ a noun may replace `If it were not for’
Type 2 & Type 3 :
If it were not for the rain, we would go to Shatin. (Type 2)
But for the rain, we would go to Shatin.
If it had not been for the traffic jam, we would have arrived on time. (Type 3)
But for the traffic jam, we would have arrived on time.
But for + a noun may replace `If it had not been for’

18. The Subjunctive Mood
Other sentences than the conditional may bear the subjunctive mood.
Type 2
Type 3
a. Wish (v)
I wish I were a king.
(But I am not!)
I wish she had left last night.
(But she didn’t!)
* Non-subjunctive use of wish
I wish to travel to Europe next year
We wish you a happy birthday.

19. The Subjunctive Mood b. If only Type 2 If only I were you! Type 2
If only he were born in the USA!
(He was not born in USA)
If only she had left last night!
(She did not leave last night)
Type 3

20. The Subjunctive Mood Type 2 b. Would rather
I would rather you came earlier.
(But you come late.)
Type 3
(But he didn’t.)
I would rather he had told me the secret.
* Non-subjunctive use of would rather
A : Do you want to go fishing today?
B : I would rather stay at home and take some rest.
(B prefers staying at home to going fishing)

21. The Subjunctive Mood d. Lest (Conjunction)
He put the money in the safe lest someone should / might steal it.
Past Tense
e. It is (high) time
It is (high) time you studied hard.
(You have not studied hard. Now the examination is near, so you have to study very hard.)
It is time for you to leave
(non-subjunctive)

22. END