s6 conditionals

7/31/2019 S6 Conditionals

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There are four types of conditional sentences

Real present

Real future

Unreal present / futureUnreal past


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When referring to conditional sentences , we will

refer to the ifclause and the result clause , that isthe main clause of sentence .

I would have met you at the airport

if I had known you were coming.

RESULT CLAUSE

IF CLAUSE


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The order of the ifclause and the result clause is

interchangeable . If the result clause is first , thereis no comma between the clauses ; but if the if

clause if first , a comma comes before the result

clause .

If I had known you were coming ,

I would have met you at the airport .

RESULT CLAUSE

IF CLAUSE


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Real conditionals are used when the ifclause

expresses an idea that is probably true , or at

least very possible .

A real present condition is one in which the situation is

true in the habitual present time . This form is usually

used to express general truths .

If it rains , we swim at the gym .

Water boils if it is heated to 212 degrees Fahrenheit .


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In the real present condition ( like in the above

examples ) , a present tense used in both the if

clause and in the result clause . In these examples ,the simple present is used , but depending on the

intended meaning , we could also see the present

progressive , a present modal , or even the presentperfect , as the following examples illustrate.

If it is raining , we may swim at the gym .

Water boils if it has been heated to 212

degrees Fahrenheit .


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Areal future condition is one in which the situationwill most probably be true in the future .

If it rains tomorrow, we will carry our umbrellas .

In a real future condition , we use a present tense verb intheifclause , and a future tense (any future tense) in the

result clause . Imperative verb forms are also possible in

the result clause .

If the sun is shining tomorrow , he will have already gone

to the beach by the time we get to his house .

Tell me if you see anything strange.


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Real future conditions can also be formed with the modal

should. This conveys the impression that the action in the

if clause is a little less likely ( though still far more likelythan it would be if the unreal present or future were used ).

It is also fairly formal .

If I see her , I will tell her . ( It is likely that I will see her . )

If I should see her , I will tell her. (It is a little less likely

that I will see her . )

Note that the modal will is almost never used in an if clause .


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We use unreal conditions when the idea expressed in the ifclause is

impossible or unlikely .

The unreal / future condition is one in which the action is

impossible or highly doubtful in the opinion of the speaker .

If I called the president , he probably wouldn'tt speakto me .

If the United States won the next World Cup Games , the

entire world be shocked .


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The time reference in this type if conditional is either to a

repeated, habitual event in the school or to a specific point in

the future :

If I called the resident, he probably wouldn'tt speakto me.

Note that the verb in the ifclause is identical in form of past

and the verb form in the result clause begins with the modal

wouldplus the simple form of the main verb. In reality, either

the simple past or the past progressive could be used in the if

clause. And would, could, or might could be used in the result

clause.


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If + simple past/past

progressive,subject+would/might/could+simple word

form of the verb

If the United States won the next World Cup Games,the entire

world would be shocked.

If they were playing instead of sleeping ,their mother might

be very angry.

A past tense verb in anIfclause refers to the unreal

present and not the past.

Progressive forms are possible in the result clause:

If their mother were working ,the children would probably be

playing.


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*Pay attention to the verb be . In the unreal present/future

condition, it always appears in the form were in the ifclause.

Formal:If he were here,I would tell him exactly how I

feel.

Formal:I would sell my house right now if it were valued

at $50000.

Informal:If I was rich,I would buy a new car.

Were+infinitive can replace an unreal present verb:

If I were to call the president,he probably wouldnt speak

to me.


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Unreal Past Conditional Sentences

An unreal past conditional is one in which the situation did not

occur in the past .In such sentence, the speaker is imagining

the past as different form way it happened. The speaker istalking about the way things could have been under a

different set of condition.

If there had been more time, we would have finished the

project.

Lisa would never have seen South America if she hadntmet that young man from Bolivia.


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In the unreal past, the verb in the ifclause is identical in form

to the past perfect(or past perfect progressive) and the verb in

the result clause contains the modal would, might, or could

plus the perfect auxiliary have plus the past participle of themain verb.

If +past perfect or past perfect progressive,

subject+would/might/could+HAVE+past participle

If she hadnt been dancing, she would never havebroken her leg.

If we had seen you at the party, we might have stayed

longer.

Like the unreal present, the result clause may contain a

progressive form:

If I had taken that job that paid so little, I would have been

watching every penny I spent.


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It is possible to mix certain conditions. It is quite common, to

mix an unreal past ifclause and an unreal present result clause.

If you had been born in Japan, you would speak Japanese.

If I hadnt gotten into that car accident last week, I would be

swimming in the Caribbean right now.


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Sometimes the word ifcan be omitted form a condition

sentence. Ifcan be omitted:

In an unreal past condition

In an unreal present condition if the main verb or auxiliary

verb is

0 (were)

In a real future condition that contains the modal should


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If the word if is omitted, the subject and the auxiliary are

reversed, and the sentence begins with a verb. The omitted

form appears more in writing than in speech and is consideredto be rather formal.

If he had called me, I would not have been so angry.

Had he called me, I would not have been so angry.


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If it were sunny today,I would gladly volunteer to go to the

rally.

Were it sunny today,I would gladly volunteer to go the rally.

If you should need help,dont hesitate to call.

Should you need help,dont hesitate to call

If the word if is omitted from a clause in the

negative,the word not is separated from the auxiliary

and placed before the main verb.In this case,it cannot be

contracted.In each of the below pairs,the second

examples are also considered formal and are rarely

spoken.


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s6 conditionals

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