THE CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

Conditional sentences has two parts; the if clause and main clause. A condition is something that has to be fulfilled
before something else can happen.

There are 4 kinds of conditionals

Type 0 : real condition/ real present/ true condition/ general truth
If the simple present tense , simple present tense
It is usually seen in scientific facts or general truth, automatic or habitual results etc. In this type when can be used
instead of if.
If we throw a stone into the water, it sinks
If I have time, I listen to classical music
If it rains, I don’t go out

Type I : future probability/ probable condition/ real condition

If the simple present, will future
It is used to talk about something that is quite possible
If I run, I’ ll get there in time
The flower will die if you don’t water it

 We can use all present tenses after if in Type I

If clause main clause

Condition to be satisfied likely to outcome
Be lf l am worse tomorrow l will not go to school
Have lf you have a toothache you will take a painkiller
Simple present lf they arrive early he will be very happy
Present progressive lf he is standing outside he will catch cold
Present perfect lf he has taken the 10 o’clock train he will be here soon
Pres. Perf. Progres. If she has been driving all night she’ll need to sleep
Can, must lf you must go you’ll go

 If can be followed by other modals as well

If she should go early, let her go early
If she needn’t attend the course, why will you force him to attend

 other future tenses can be used in the main clause

If Sam gets the job, he will be flying to London tomorrow night
If they stay until next week, they will be staying with us for two months

 other modals can be used in the main clause

If Tom has arrived, he might call you
If she has been studying, she must be tired

 imperative can be used in the main clause

If you want to stay here, be more responsible
If she wants to go, don’t stop her

 should in if clause makes the condition more doubtful(formal)

If you should see him, tell him to call me
Should you see him, tell him to call me
If you should happen to see him, tell him to call me
Should you happen to see him
If you don’t see him = Should you not see him
 Fairly likely
If you
If you should
Should you
If you happen to
If you should happen to
Should you happen to
Should you by any chance happen to unlikely

 imperative+ conjuction+ clause can express a condition

go to the market and you will get 1$
stop crying or I’ll leave you alone
drop the gun or else I’ll kill you
wake me up early otherwise I’ll be late for work
dress properly and their first impression on you will be good

Type II: present unreal/ improbable condition/unreal past

If the simple past, would
The past tense in if clause is not a real past, it indicates unreality or improbability. The meaning is present. We talk
about imaginary situations and we speculate about imaginary results.

 when the supposition is contrary to known facts

If you studied harder, you would pass the exam (but you don’t study harder)
If I were in your shoes, I would marry him

 when the action in if clause is not expected to happen

If I saw a ghost, I would have a heart attack (but I don’t expect to see a ghost)
If ı wear sunglasses at night, everyone would laugh at me (but I don’t wear them)

 we use If I were you, in your position, under your cap, in your shoes to give advice
If I were under your cap, I wouldn’t go out with him

 we can use were + infinitive in type II

If you were to ask her nicely, she would accept
If she were to run faster, she could win the race

 we can use if+ past cont.

If they were flying above the Atlantic ocean now, they could see the fire on board.
If I was going by bus, I would get there earlier.

Type III: past unreal, impossible condition, imaginary condition

If past perfect, would have past participle
The condition in this type is impossible to be met

Imaginary condition imaginary outcome

If you hadn’t complained about my cake I wouldn’t have hit you with it
(but you complained and I hit)
If they had invited me to the party I could have gone
(but they didn’t invite and I didn’t go)

 it is possible to use progressive in the main clause

If the police had arrested the murderer earlier, Brain could have been living now
If you hadn’t been there to help me, I would have been living on the streets
 Inversion of conditionals can be used
Should she ring me up, tell her that l will phone her later(if she should ring me up)
Were the picture old, it would cost a lot of money(if the picture were old)
Had you sat in front, you would have been dead(if you had sat)
Were he to call you tomorrow, what would you say(If he called you tomorrow)
Were she to have spent all her money, she would have been upset(if she had spent )
 As long as sense and context permits, mixed type is possible in conditionals
The most frequently used one is if past perfect, would/could/might
If I hadn’t missed the 8 o’clock train, I would be in class now
If she had bought that lottery ticket at that time, she would be rich now

UNLESS
Unless= if not (it is usually replaced with if not in type I)
Unless you come, I won’t invite you again = If you don’t come, I won’t invite you again
Unless it rains, we will have a picnic = If it doesn’t rain, we will have a picnic

ONLY IF
When there is only one condition that cause the result
We will cancel our plans only if it rains

IF ONLY
Refers a hope, wish or regret
If only Mary comes on time( we hope she will come on time)
If only the students listen to the teacher( we hope they will listen to the teacher)
If only my father didn’t smoke (ı wish he didn’t smoke)

PROVIDING THAT/ PROVIDED THAT

If but only if
Providing that he cleans his room, he can go out
I don’t care you using my computer provided that you take care of it

AS LONG AS/ SO LONG AS

If but only if
You can go out tonight as long as you promise to be home before midnight

SUPPOSING/ SUPPOSE THAT

Suppose it snows, what shall we do?
Suppose that you won the prize, what would you do?

WHAT IF
Lets suppose
What if he comes home earlier. What will she do then?
What if he was out of petrol. What would he do?

BUT/ OTHERWISE/ OR
If I knew your address, I would visit you
I would visit you, but I don’t know your address present unreal-type II
I don’t know your address or I would visit you
I don’t know your address otherwise I would visit you

If I had known your address, I would have visited you

I would have visited you but I didn’t know your address past unreal- type III
I didn’t know your address or I would have visited you
I didn’t know your address otherwise I would have visited you

EVEN IF
Whether or not
Even if my family disagrees, I am going to go that collage
We have decided to go to a picnic even if it rains
WHETHER OR NOT
In every condition
We are going to go to the picnic whether it is rainy or not

IF IT WEREN’T FOR/ IF IT HADN’T BEEN FOR

If it weren’t for the farmers, we would go hungry

If it hadn’t bean for your help, we would have never been able to finish the work

WITH/ WITHOUT/ BUT FOR

With a little bit money, we could buy a better house(if we had a...)
But for the spare wheel, we wouldn’t have arrived here in time( if we hadn’t had ...)

IF SO/ IN THAT CASE/ IF NOT

Used to abbreviate a condition
He may be busy now, if so/ in that case(if he is busy) I may come later
He may be busy now, if not(if he isn’t busy) may I see him

WHISH CLAUSE

I. wish to
I wish to visit her (I want to visit her)
She wishes to change his house (she wants to change his house)
II. wish simple past
I wish my father were rich (he isn’t rich)
He wishes he could play tennis (he can’t)
III. wish past perfect
I wish I had bought that house years ago (I didn’t)
She wishes she had known how to drive a car when she was young (she didn’t know when she was young)

 to express dislike or complain wish+ would is used

I wish you wouldn’t smoke here
I wish you would stop drinking
My little son won’t go to school..... he feels well
a. when
b. unless
c. if only
d. otherwise
e. even though

take your mobile phone with you......your wife wants to ask you something
a. in case
b. unless
c. otherwise
d. if only
e. what if

....... my students are more hardworking, I will prise them

a. in case
b. when
c. supposing that
d. if only
e. unless

we will delay our travel...... my mother works in July

a. only if
b. otherwise
c. with
d. if so
e. or

all the students have to take the exam..... they are ready
a. otherwise
b. whether or not
c. provided that
d. in case that
e. but

......... Liz on a diet, she is still very fat

a. when
b. only if
c. even if
d. if
e. if it weren’t

you studied for your exam....... you would have failed

a. even if
b. if
c. otherwise
d. unless
e. provided that

your baby will be very healthy.... you look after her very carefully
a. unless
b. otherwise
c. what if
d. provided that
e. or

....... a storm, don’t go out alone

a. with
b. in the event of
c. in case
d. when
e. otherwise

he understands that unless...he...in the exam

a. studies/ would fail
b. studied/ would have failed
c. studies/ will fail
d. had studied/ would fail
e. doesn’t study/ will fail

if you......, you....... before the film .......

a. hurried/ would arrive/ would start
b. had hurried/ would have arrived/ starts
c. had hurried/ would arrive/ started
d. hurry/ will arrive/ will start
e. hurry/ will arrive/ starts

you come to the party..... you pay double price

a. as long as
b. if only
c. unless
d. but for
e. what if

I will send you to the disco