CONDITIONAL CLAUSES

English Department.I.E.S. Alhama

Conditional clauses describe the condition upon which the action in the main clause depends. Their basic structure is the following:

If……………….., then………………..

Condition Result (Conditional clause) (Main clause)

Different types of conditional will depend on how possible is that expressed in the conditional clause.

Type 0- The ‘neutral’ conditional

Here if could be replaced by when and the resulting sentence would be: 'When it was very cold, we switched on the heating.' IF /WHEN PRESENT (or same tense) PRESENT (or same tense If /When It is very cold/it was very cold We switch/switched on the heating

Type I- The ‘real’ conditional

What happens in the main clause may or may not happen, depending on the conditional clause. Both condition and result are possible

IF PRESENT FUTURE, IMPERATIVE, CAN, MAY If You want to lose weight, You will probably be hungry If You need some help, Just shout If You go to London You must visit the British museum

IMPERATIVE "AND"/"OR" FUTURE Keep working like that And You will have an accident Please sit down Or You won't see the show. Something that may happen is seen as depending on chance or highly improbable.

IF SHOULD FUTURE and IMPERATIVE If You should find this can difficult to open, Return to the shop SHOULD + subject + verb FUTURE and IMPERATIVE Should you find my keyholder, You will telephone me immediately

Telephone me immediately Negative conditions are expressed with unless or if….. not “I won’t tell you unless you promise to keep it secret.”

Type 2- The ‘unreal’ or ‘hypothetical’ conditional

The main clause depends on an imaginary non fact in the if-clause, expressed by past tenses.

IF PAST CONDITIONAL, COULD, MIGHT If You bought a car You would spend money on fuel

You could drive your friends around It is less likely that the action in the conditional takes place.

In the if-clause, were is often used instead of was: ‘If he were rich, he wouldn’t be working as a sale assistant’

IF "WERE TO" CONDITIONAL, COULD, MIGHT If You were to meet Mr James, You could see that he's a nasty little guy WERE + SUBJECT + TO INFINITIVE CONDITIONAL, COULD, MIGHT Were you to find walking difficult, You could try the easy way up.

Type 3- The ‘impossible’ and ‘hypothetical’ conditional

What is said in the main clause is an imaginary consequence of something that didn't happen; both condition and result are therefore impossible.

IF PAST PERFECT PERFECT CONDITIONAL If We had followed his advices We would have found a house near the river

IF PAST PERFECT COULD or MIGHT HAVE If You had told me before I could have got you the tickets Summary of inversions in the conditional sentences  In type 1 "SHOULD" INVERTED FUTURE or IMPERATIVE Should my mother call me Tell her I'm not feeling too well  In type 2 "WERE TO" INVERTED CONDITIONAL Were they to arrive tomorrow We would have to buy some food  In type 3

PAST PERFECT INVERTED PERFECT CONDITIONAL Had you seen what I saw you would have also believed it Other expressions used in conditional clauses:

UNLESS You won't finish the race unless you control your effort. " Si no…"

"A menos que..." "WHETHER…OR NOT" Whether you pay or not, you won't get in without an invitation. "Tanto….como si no " "ON CONDITION THAT" "I will only tell my age on condition that you tell yours."

"PROVIDED THAT"

"PROVIDING THAT" "What would you do supposing that you were given the chance to see the future ?" "SO LONG AS"

"AS LONG AS "Assuming that it's fine tomorrow, we'll go for a swim" "Siempre que, en tanto que, con la condición de que,...etc

"ASSUMING THAT"

"SUPPOSING THAT"

"SUPPOSE THAT"

"Suponiendo que.."