Conditional Sentence

þ Conditional Sentence þ

Conditionals are statements with if or unless. They are opinions about the conditions that influence results, and options about the results. There are two kinds of conditionals.

1. Real or Factual Conditionals: It expresses absolute, scientific facts, probable results or possible results.
2. Unreal or Contrary-to-Fact Conditionals: It expresses improbable result or impossible results.

² Factual Conditionals – Absolute, Scientific Results

CONDITION				RESULT
IF	SUBJECT	VERB (Present)	,	SUBJECT	VERB (Present)
If	a catalyst	is used	,	the reaction	occurs	more rapidly
CONDITION				RESULT
IF	SUBJECT	VERB (Present)	,	SUBJECT	WILL	VERB (Base form)
If	a catalyst	is used	,	the reaction	will	occur	more rapidly

NOTE: Avoid using the auxiliary verbs have, has, do and does with main verbs in the clause of result. Example:

If water freezes, it becomes a solid. Or

If water freezes it will become a solid.

If light strikes a surface, it diffuses. Or

If light strikes a rough surface, it will diffuse.

² Factual Conditionals – Probable Results for the Future

IF	SUBJECT	VERB (Present)		,	SUBJECT	WILL CAN MAY	VERB (Base form)
If	we	find	her address	,	we	will	write	her

SUBJECT	WILL CAN MAY	VERB (Base form)		IF	SUBJECT	VERB (Present)
We	will	write	her	if	we	find	Her address

NOTE: Avoid using the present tense verb instead of a modal and a verb (base form) in the clause of result. Example:

If you put too much water in rice when you cook, it will get sticky. Or

It will get sticky if you put too much water in rice when you cook it.

If you listen to the questions carefully, you can answer them easily. Or

You can answer them easily if you listen to the questions carefully.

² Factual Conditionals – Possible Results

IF	SUBJECT	VERB (Past)		SUBJECT	WOULD COULD MIGHT	VERB (Base form)
If	we	found	her address,	we	would	write	her

SUBJECT	WOULD COULD MIGHT	VERB (Base form)		IF	SUBJECT	VERB (Past)
We	would	write	her	if	we	found	her address

Example:

If Shila’s family met Rohit, I am sure that they would like her. Or

I am sure that they would like her if Shila’s family met Rohit.

If you went to bed earlier, you wouldn’t be so sleepy in the morning. Or

You wouldn’t be so sleepy in the morning if you went to bed earlier.

² Factual Conditionals – Probable Changes in the Past Results

IF	SUBJECT	HAD	PARTICIPLE		SUBJECT	WOULD HAVE COULD HAVE MIGHT HAVE	PARTICIPLE
If	we	had	found	her address,	we	would have	written	her

Example:

If we had had the money, we would have bought a new stereo system. Or

We would have bought a new stereo system if we had had the money.

If I had had more time, I would have checked my paper again. Or

I would have checked my paper again if I had had more time.

If the neighbors hadn’t quieted down, I would have had to call the police. Or

I would have had to call the police if the neighbors hadn’t quieted down.

NOTE: It is possible to indicate a past unreal condition without using the word if. In this case, the auxiliary had is placed before, rather than after, the subject. This clause will usually come first in the sentence.

Had + subject + [verb in past participle]

Had we known that we were there, we would have written you a letter.

Had she found the right buyer, she would have sold the house.

² Contrary-to-Fact Conditionals – Impossible Results

IF	SUBJECT	WERE
If	the party	were	on Friday, would go

NOTE: Remember that the verb be is always were in contrary-to-fact conditionals. Avoid changing were to agree with the subject in contrary-to-fact statements. Example:

If my friend were here, I would be very happy.

This apartment would be perfect if it were a little larger.

If Mr. David were single, I could introduce him to my sister.

If Tonni were really my friend, she would call me once in a while.

² Contrary-to-Fact Conditionals – Change in Conditions

SUBJECT	VERB	UNLESS	SUBJECT	VERB
David	won’t return	unless	he	gets	a scholarship

Example:

I can’t go unless I get my work finished.

They are going to get a divorce unless he stops taking drugs.

You won’t get well unless you take your medicine.

Daniel never calls his father unless he needs money.

² Contrary-to-Fact Conditionals – AS IF/AS THOUGH

SUBJECT	VERB (Present)	AS IF AS THOUGH	SUBJECT	VERB (Past)
The old lady He He	dresses acts talks	as if as though as if	it he he	were were were	winter rich mad

SUBJECT	VERB (Past)	AS IF AS THOUGH	SUBJECT	VERB (Past perfect)
Jeff He	looked looked	as if as though	he he	had seen had run	a ghost ten miles

NOTE: The two preceding rules apply only when as if or as though indicates a contrary to fact meaning. At times, they do not have that meaning and then would not be followed by these tenses. Example:

He looks as if he has finished the test. He looked as though he was leaving.

² HOPE/WISH

These two verbs, while they are similar in meaning, are not at all the same grammatically. Hope is used to indicate something that possibly happened or will possibly happen. The verb hope can be followed by any tense. Wish is used to indicate something that definitely did not happen or definitely will not happen. The verb wish must not be followed by any present tense verb or present tense auxiliary. Example:

We hope that they could come. (We don’t know if they are coming)

We wish that they could come. (They are not coming)

We hope that they came yesterday. (We don’t know if they came)

We wish that they had come yesterday. (They didn’t come)

**Remember that wish is very similar to a contrary-to-fact condition:

Present unreal condition: If I were rich, I would be very happy.

Present wish: I wish I were rich.

Past unreal condition: if you had been here last night, we would have enjoyed it.

Past wish: we wish that you had been here last night.

FUTURE WISH

Subject* + wish + that + subject* + Could + verb/Would + verb/Were + (verb+ing)

*Subjects can be the same or different.

We wish that you could come to the party tonight. (You can’t come)

I wish that you would stop saying that. (You probably won’t stop)

She wishes that she were coming with us. (She is not coming with us)

PRESENT WISH

Subject + wish + that + subject + simple past tense...

I wish that I had enough time to finish my homework. (I don’t have enough time)

We wish that he were old enough to come with us. (He is not old enough)

They wish that they didn’t have to go to class today. (They have to go to class)

PAST WISH

Subject + wish + that + subject + Past perfect/Could have + verb in past participle

I wish that I had washed the clothes yesterday. (I didn’t wash the clothes)

She wishes that she could have been there. (She couldn’t be there)

We wish that we had had more time last night. (We didn’t have more time)

n WOULD RATHER

Would rather means the same as prefer, except that the grammar is different. Would rather must be followed by a verb, but prefer may or may not be followed by a verb.

John would rather drink Coca cola than PEPSI.

John prefers drinking Coca cola to drinking PEPSI. Or John prefers Coca cola to PEPSI.

NOTE: would rather...than... (When two things are mentioned), prefer...to...

There are different rules for would rather depending on the number of subjects and the meaning of the sentence.

PRESENT

Subject + would rather + [verb in simple form]...

Jim would rather go to class tomorrow than today. If you don’t mind I’d rather not go.

PAST

Subject + would rather + have + [verb in past participle form]...

Jim would rather have gone to class yesterday than today.

PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE

Subject¹ + would rather that + subject² + [verb in simple form]...

I would rather that you call me tomorrow. We would rather that he take this train.

PRESENT CONTRARY-TO-FACT

Subject¹ + would rather that + subject² + [verb in simple past tense]...

Jane would rather that it were winter now. (It is not winter now)

PRESENT CONTRARY-TO-FACT

Subject¹ + would rather that + subject² + past perfect tense...

Jim would rather that Jill had gone to class yesterday.

NOTE: simply add not before the verb for making negative these types of sentence.

John would rather not go to class tomorrow.

John would rather not have gone to class yesterday.

John would rather that you not call me tomorrow.

In present and past contrary to fact sentences, use: didn’t + verb in simple form and hadn’t + verb in past participle.

Henry would rather that his girlfriend didn’t work in the same department as he does.

John would rather that Jill had not gone to class yesterday.