| CONDITIONAL SENTENCES |
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What is Conditional Sentence?
A Conditional Sentence has two parts:
1. If clause and
2. Main Clause.
| Example |
| If Clause | Main Clause |
 | If you come in time, we will go to see a movie. |
| (It means, if you come in time, we will go to see a movie and If you don’t come in time, we will not go to see a movie). |
The Conditional sentences are of three kinds:
| Example |
| • | Possibility or likely Condition | If you ask him money, he will give it to you. |
| • | Unlikely or imaginary Condition | If you ask him for money, he would give it to you. |
| • | Impossible Condition | If you had asked him for money, he would have given it to you. |
We can use – If, Can, Could, May, Might, Unless, Whenever, Whenever, Whatever, Whichever (in place of ‘if not’) to form Conditional Tenses.
The following are uses of Conditional Sentences:
| If + Simple present with Simple present. |
| If + Simple present with Simple future. |
| If + Simple past with Present conditional. |
| If + Past perfect with Perfect conditional. |
| If + Past perfect with Present conditional. |
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| USES OF CONDITIONAL SENTENCES: |
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| If + Simple Present with Simple Present. |
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 | Where the tense in both parts of the sentence is the simple present: |
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| 'If' Clause | + | Main Clause |
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| Simple Present | + | Simple Present |
| If it rains, | | you get wet. |
| If you heat ice, | | it melts. |
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| Note: | In these sentences, the time is now or always and the situation is real and possible. They are often used to refer to general truths. |
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| If + Simple Present with Simple Future. |
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| Where the tense in the 'if clause is the simple present, and the tense in the main clause is the simple future: |
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| 'If' Clause | + | Main Clause |
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| Simple Present | + | Simple Future |
| If it rains, | | you will get wet. |
| If I know the answer, | | I will tell you. |
| If you work hard, | | you will pass. |
| If you don't hurry, | | we will miss the train. |
| If you study regularly, | | you will do well in exams. |
| If he goes early, | | he will meet him. |
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| Note: | In these sentences, the time is the present or future and the situation is real. They refer to a possible condition and its probable result.
(It is an open Condition which may or may not be fulfilled) |
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| If + Simple Past with Present Conditional. |
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| Where the tense in the 'if' clause is the simple past, and the tense in the main clause is the present conditional: |
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| 'If' Clause | + | Main Clause |
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| Simple Past | + | Present Conditional |
| If it rained, | | you would get wet. |
| If I were a bird, | | I would fly. |
| If I knew the answer, | | I would tell you. |
| If you went to bed earlier, | | you wouldn't be so tired. |
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| Note: |
In these sentences, the time is now or any time, and the situation is unreal or imaginary. They are not based on fact, and they refer to an unlikely or hypothetical condition and its probable result.
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| If + Past Perfect with Perfect Conditional. |
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| Where the tense in the 'if' clause is the past perfect, and the tense in the main clause is the perfect conditional: |
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| 'If' Clause | + | Main Clause |
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| Past Perfect | + | Perfect Conditional |
| If it had rained, | | you would have got wet. |
| If you had worked harder, | | you would have passed the exam. |
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| Note: |
In these sentences, the time is past, and the situation is contrary to reality. The facts they are based on are the opposite of what is expressed, and they refer to an unreal past condition and its probable past result.
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| If + Past Perfect with Present Conditional. |
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| Where the tense in the 'if' clause is the past perfect, and the tense in the main clause is the present conditional: |
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| 'If' Clause | + | Main Clause |
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| Past Perfect | + | Present Conditional |
| If we had looked at the map, | | we wouldn't be lost. |
| If I had worked harder at school, | | I would have a better job now. |
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| Note: |
In these sentences, the time is past in the 'if' clause, and present in the main clause. They refer to an unreal past condition and its probable result in the present.
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Conditionals - IF Clauses
English Grammar
Conditional sentences have two parts: the if-clause and the main clause.
Example sentence: If it rains, I will cancel the trip.
If it rains is the if-clause and I will cancel the trip is the main clause.
The IF-clause introduces a condition. The main clause is the result of that condition.
What happens in the main clause is conditional to what happens in the if-clause. In other words the main clause only happens when the events in the if-clause happen.
There are 4 main types of conditional clauses (if-clauses)...
Conditionals Summary Chart
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As you can see, each type of conditional has its own combination of tense used in the if-clause and tense used the main clause. These different pairings of tenses give each type of conditional its own meaning.
Other types of conditional clauses
Now, these four types of conditional clauses are the traditional ones though there are OTHER types of conditional clauses.
IF + PRESENT SIMPLE, ...+ IMPERATIVE
We use the imperative to give instructions of advice.
- If you see John, tell him he needs to come to my office.
- If you travel abroad, remember your passport
- If you go to Australia, send me a postcard.
- If you go to the supermarket, bring back some milk.
- If Mike comes, call me.
- If you drink, don't drive.
The highlighted words are in the imperative. These sentences are similar to saying: If the first condition happens, you must do this (in the second/imperative clause).
Tense
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Present Tense
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Past
Tense
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