Normally conditional sentences are
called conditionals. These sentences usually contain the
conjunction IF. Sometimes they are called 'if
clauses'.
TYPES OF
CONDITIONALS
There are mainly two types of
conditionals:
THE REAL CONDITIONALS
The real
conditionals express
factual or habitual conditions which have the possibility to occur in the
future or generally occur in the present.
Example:
I’ll go if you give me the ball.
If I feel better, I’ll certainly
play.
If you do well in the exams, I’ll buy
you a gift.
STRUCTURES OF THE REAL CONDITIONALS:
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FOR FUTURE CONDITIONS
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If + subject + simple present tense +
subject + will/can/may/must + verb in base form. . .
Subject + will/can/may/must + verb in base form. . . + if + subject + simple present tense |
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Example:
If I have the money, I will buy
a new phone.
I can make you cry if you
keep doing that.
If he goes there, he may get
robbed.
If you go outside, you must wear
heavy clothes.
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FOR HABITUAL CONDITIONS
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If + subject + simple present tense +
subject + simple present tense. . .
Subject + simple present tense + if + subject + simple present tense. . |
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Example:
If I have the money, I always buy the necessary things.
If Alex gets a break, he usually
calls me.
He works hard if the payment is
good.
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FOR COMMANDS
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If + subject + simple present tense +
command form (simple present) . . . . .
Command form (simple present). . . . . + if + subject + simple present tense. |
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Example:
If you have the money, use it wisely.
Please call me if you
get a chance.
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THE UNREAL CONDITIONALS
The unreal
conditionals express
hypothetical conditions which have no possibility to occur in the past, present
or future but describe what could/might have occurred supposedly.
Example:
If I were rich, I would travel my
whole life.
If I had a car, I could go anywhere.
If we had not missed the train, we
would have reached the city.
Structures of Unreal Conditionals:
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FOR PRESENT/FUTURE CONDITIONS
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If + subject + simple past tense +
subject + would/could/might + verb in base form. . .
subject + would/could/might + verb in base form + if + subject + simple past tense |
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Example:
If I had the money, I would buy
a new phone.
If I were the president, I would
not support war policies.
If he were not ill, he could
come with us.
If I could play tomorrow, I
would definitely win the match.
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FOR PAST CONDITIONS
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If + subject + past perfect tense +
subject + would/could/might + have+ verb in past participle form
Subject + would/could/might + have + verb in past participle form + if + subject + simple past tense |
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Example:
If I had played well, we would
have won the match.
I could have caught you if you
had been a little closer.
If he had written well, I could
have given him a better mark.
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Note: There is another structure of unreal
conditional which does not use the conjunction if. Had replaces if and
creates a conditional sentence.
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Had + subject + verb in past
participle + subject + would/could/might + have + verb in past participle
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Example:
Had I reached earlier, I could have caught the train.
Had she found the watch, she would
have told me.
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