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Prof.Wallace SantosIntermediate Students
Conditional Sentences
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Conditional Sentences
Structure :
A conditional sentence is composed of 2 parts :
If-clause + Main ClauseExample :
If it rains tomorrow, we will not come.
If-clause Main Clause
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Conditional Sentences
Types :
There are 4 types of conditional sentences.They are classified according to their specificimplications.
Each type of conditional sentences usesdifferent tenses to show the difference intheir implications.
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Conditional Sentences
Type 0 :
Use: Talk about universal truth.Tense : Present tense in both clausesExample:
If you heat water to 100 °C, it boils .
Present Tense Present Tense
If you pour oil into water, it floats .
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You can construct a sentence by either putting the “if clause” first and the “main clause” second, or you canreverse themExamples:If you exert enough pressure on a piece of wood, it
breaks.A piece of wood breaks if you exert enough pressure on it.
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Challenge
Rewrite the sentence without changing its meaning:
Unless you need more space, a small car is big enoughfor one person.
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Conditional Sentences
Type 1
Use : Talk about a present or future probable case.
Tense : If-clause ~ Present TenseMain Clause ~ Future Tense
Example :
If I feel sick, I will not go to school.Present Tense Future Tense
If it rains tomorrow, the match will be cancelled .
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If I have enough money,conditional clause
I will go to Japan.main clause
I will go to Japan,main clause
if I have enough moneyconditional clause
1. If + Present Tensewill + inf / present tense /imperative
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If you help me with the dishes (if + pres), I will help you with your homework. (will + inf)
If the sum of the digits of a number is divisible bythree, the number is divisible by three (Pres. tense)
If you see Mr Fox tonight, tell him I am ill.(imperative).
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Exercise One
1. If you ___________________ (not come),
You ________________ (miss ) the show.
1. John __________________ (buy)a car if he
_____________ (get)a job.
1. Mary ________________(get) a toothache if
she_________________ (eat) too many sweets.
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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 infinitiveExample :
If he were a bird, he would fly across the harbour.
Past Tense Would + infinitive
If I had $200,000 now, I would buy a car.
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Second conditional Nature: unreal (impossible) or improbable situations.
Time: present; the TENSE is past, but we are talkingabout the present, now.
e.g. If I knew her name, I would tell you.If I were you, I would tell my father.
Compare: If I become president, I will change the social securitysystem. (Said by a presidential candidate) If I became president, I would change the social securitysystem. (Said by a schoolboy: improbable)
If we win this match, we are qualified for the semifinals.If I won a million pounds, I would stop teaching. (improbable)
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Conditional Sentences
Type 3 (Past Subjunctive)Use:
Talk about a past, impossible case
Tense : If-clause ~ Past Perfect TenseMain Clause ~ Would + Present Perfect Form
Example :
If I had had enough money, I would have bought thecamera yesterday.
Past Perfect Tense Would + Present Perfect Form
If I had come home earlier, I would not have missed theprogramme.
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Third conditional
Nature: unrealTime: Past (so we are talking about a situation thatwas not so in the past.)
e.g. If you had warned me, I would not have told yourfather about that party .(But you didn't, and I have).
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Exercise Two
1. If I ________________ (be) four years old, I
________________ (learn) to play the piano.
1. If I ________________ (not fail) in the
examination, my mother_______________ (buy)
me a new computer.3. We ________________________ (finish) if we
________________ (have) better preparation.
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Conditional Sentences
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.
SHOULD mayreplace IF in type 1
Type 2 :
If I were an aeroplane, I could fly in the sky.Were I an aeroplane, I could fly in the sky.
COULD or MIGHT mayreplace WOULD
WERE may replace IF in an inversion
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Conditional Sentences
Type 3 :If I had come home earlier, I would not havemissed the programme.
Had I come home earlier, I would not have missedthe programme.
HAD may replace IF in aninversion
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Conditional Sentences
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.
But for+ a noun may
replace `If it were notfor ’
If it had not been for the traffic jam, we would havearrived 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 ’
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The Subjunctive Mood
Other sentences than the conditional may bear thesubjunctive mood.
a. Wish (v)I wish I were a king. (But I am not!)
I wish she had left last night. (But she didn ’t!)
Type 2Type 3
* Non-subjunctive use of wishI wish to travel to Europe next year
We wish you a happy birthday.
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The Subjunctive Mood
b. If only
If only I were you!
If only he were born in the USA! (He was not bornin USA)
If only she had left last night! (She did not leavelast night)
Type 2
Type 2
Type 3
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The Subjunctive Mood
b. Would rather
I would rather you came earlier. (But you comelate.)
Type 2
I would rather he had told me the secret. (But he didn ’t.)Type 3
* 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)
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The Subjunctive Mood
d. Lest (Conjunction)
He put the money in the safe lest someone
should / might steal it.
e. It is (high) time
It is (high) time you studied hard.(You have not studied hard. Now the examinationis near, so you have to study very hard.)
Past Tense
It is time for you to leave (non-subjunctive)
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Conditionals summaryConditional Example TimeZero conditional If you heat ice, it melts.
If I have enough money, I will go to Japan. Any time
First conditional If it rains, I will stay at homeIf I had enough money, I would go to Japan.
Future
Secondconditional
If I won the lottery, I would buy a new house Future
Thirdconditional
If I had won the lottery, I would have bought anew house.If I had had enough money, I would have goneto Japan.
past
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Remember!
The conditional construction does not normallyuse will or would in if-clauses.EXCEPTION:
If will or would express willingness, as in requests, they canbe used in if-clauses.e.g. If you will come this way, the manager will see you now.
I would be grateful if you would give me a little help. (= ± please, come this way; please, give me...)
2. For the second conditional, were replaces was: If I were a rich man...
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3. After if , we can either use "some(-one, -where...)" or "any(-one,
-where...). If I have some spare time next weekend....or : If I have any spare time...
4. Instead of if not, we can use unless. e.g . I'll be back tomorrow
unless there is a plane strike. He'll accept the job unless the salary is too low.
5.There is a "mixed type" as well, for the present results of anunreal condition in the past:
If + Past Perfect - would + inf. If you had warned me [then], I would not be in prison[now].
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We are affected!!
Economic recession affects all local employees. Myfather (1-be)_________fired if his company does not havesufficient
orders next year. Luckily, my mother is a junior civil servantwho is working in the Regional Council. She might be dismissedonly if she (2- commit)______________ a crime or made seriousmistakes. Yet with the combination of the Urban Council and
Regional Council, many posts are redundant. She (3-lose)__________her job if her department shrinks. She is ratheranxious about losing her job. “If I (4- get)__________a universitydegree, I would not have been a janitor,” my mother said.“Don’t worry! The SAR government is a good boss. If I were
you, I (5- work) _____________as hard as I could,”
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my father tried to comfort her.
Frankly, if my parents lost their jobs, I (6- giveup)_____________ my studies, too.
If I (7 - be)____________part of the HKSAR government, I would create more job opportunities for alllocal workers. Measures like diversification of trade andmarkets may compensate the unemployment rate. HongKong is highly competitive. You will be dismissed by your
boss if you (8- work)________hard. Uncle Tom is a typicalexample. If he had worked hard, he (9 -fire )____________ by his manager.
Even students must try their utmost or they (10-
be) expelled from school