Conditionals

 

IF, EVEN IF, ONLY IF, AS LONG AS, PROVIDED, SUPPOSING, UNLESS, BUT FOR, IF NECESSARY, IF SO, IN CASE etc.

IF and WHEN

When can replace if in zero conditionals:

If you heat water to 100 degrees Celsius, it boils.
When you heat water to 100 degrees Celsius, it boils.

In the other types of conditionals, we cannot use when instead of if.

EVEN IF

Even if emphasises that something will happen, would happen or would have happened whatever the condition:

Even if we leave right now, we still won't catch the train.
I wouldn't go into the water even if I could swim.
Even if we had booked our flight earlier, it wouldn't have been cheaper.

ONLY IF

Only if makes the condition more restrictive:

Acetaminophen is dangerous to children only if dosage is too high.

If the if-clause is first, the subject and the auxiliary in the main clause are inverted:

Only if you like classical music is it worth coming tonight.

SO/AS LONG AS, PROVIDING/PROVIDED (THAT)

So/As long as and providing/provided (that) can be used instead of if to express a condition. Note that providing/provided (that) is a bit formal:

You can stay here as long as you keep quiet.
Provided/Providing (that) the bills are paid, tenants will not be evicted.

SUPPOSE/SUPPOSING, WHAT IF

Suppose/supposing and what if can replace if, mainly in everyday conversation, and are often used without a main clause:

Suppose/supposing you won the lottery, what would you do?
Suppose/supposing you can't find a job?
What if you are not accepted to university? What will you do then?

UNLESS

Unless is followed by an affirmative verb to express "if ... not":

My leg's broken. I can't stand up unless you help me. (I can't stand up if you don't help me.)

IF IT WEREN'T FOR / IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR, BUT FOR

These expressions mean "without". They are used in second and third conditionals and are usually followed by a noun phrase:

If it weren't for Miguel, we wouldn't know what to do now. (Without Miguel...)
If it hadn't been for your foolishness, we wouldn't have got lost. (If you hadn't been such a fool...)
But for your help, I would have been in big trouble. (Without your help... / If you hadn't helped me...)

IF IN DOUBT, IF POSSIBLE, IF NECESSARY etc.

We can make the if-clause shorter by omitting the subject and the verb be:

If (you are) in doubt, consult a dictionary.

In certain idiomatic expressions, the subject and be are normally omitted:

If necessary, you can call Jake at home.
I'd like a seat by the window if possible.

IF SO, IF NOT

If so and if not can stand for an if-clause which is understood from the context:

"According to the weather forecast, it might rain tomorrow." "If so, we'll go hiking another day."
I hope Peter gets here soon. If not, we'll have to start without him.

IN CASE and IF

An in case-clause gives a reason while an if-clause describes a condition:

I'll buy a sandwich in case I get hungry. (I'll buy a sandwich because I may get hungry later.)
I'll buy a sandwich if I get hungry. (I'll buy a sandwich when I get hungry.)

We can use should after in case:

Take an umbrella in case it should rain.

Conditionals and inversion

In formal English, the subject and the auxiliary can be inverted in the if-clause with if omitted:

Had it not been for your foolishness, we wouldn't have got lost. (if it hadn't been for your foolishness) 
Had we booked our flight earlier, it would have been cheaper. (if we had booked our flight earlier).

Should you see Kate, say hi from me. (if you should see Kate)
Were he to propose to you now, what would you say? (if he were to propose to you)
Were I you, I would stop smoking. (if I were you)
Were it not for Miguel, we wouldn't know what to do now. (if it weren't for Miguel)

 

UNREAL TIME AND SUBJUNCTIVES

The past tense is sometimes used in English to refer to an unreal situation. Although the tense is the past, we are usually talking about the present, e.g. in a Type 2 conditional sentence:

If dogs had wings, they would be able to fly.

Although had is in the past tense, we are not referring to the past - we are talking about a hypothetical situation. We call this the unreal past.

Other situations where this occurs are:

§  After other words and expressions like ‘if’ (suppose/supposing, if only, what if, imagine)

§  After the verb ‘to wish’

§  After the expressions I’d rather; I’d prefer; It’s time….

It's (high) time

The above expression is followed by past simple or continuous, though the time referred to is unreal.

·         It’s time we left. It’s high time I was going.

·         It's high time you hung up your trainers and started exercising your mind, not your body.

Wishes

§  Present/Future time

The verb to wish is followed by an unreal past tense when we want to talk about situations in the present that we are not happy about and would want to change a present/future state.

       I wish I had a motorbike. (I don’t have one now.) 

      I wish you weren’t leaving. (You are leaving.)

 

§  Would

Would is used when the speaker wants somebody or something else to change, or to describe an annoying habit.

       I wish he would stop smoking.        

      I wish it would stop raining. 

      I wish you wouldn’t make such a mess.

 

§  Past time

As with present wishes, when we refer to situations in the past we are not happy about or about actions that we regret, the verb form after wish is one stage further back in the past, so we use wish followed by the past participle. Same is used after if only to express regrets.

 I wish I hadn’t said that.(but I did) / If only I hadn’t eaten so much. (but I did)

 

§  Hope

Wishes about simple future events are expressed with hope.

 I hope it doesn’t (won’t) rain tomorrow.     

I hope you(‘ll) have a lovely time in Portugal (on your holiday next week).         

  

I’d rather/I’d prefer (followed by a clause)

§  I’d rather is followed by past verb forms in the same way as wishes about the present. It expresses preference about actions.

I’d rather you didn’t smoke in here.

Both I’d rather and I’d sooner are used with normal verb forms when comparing nouns or phrases.

I’d rather be a sailor than a soldier. (present)

I’d rather have lived in Ancient Greece than Ancient Rome. (past)

 

§  I’d prefer can be used in the same way but note that prefer in this type of sentence has an object it.

                  I’d prefer it if you didn’t go.

 However, I’d prefer is not followed by an unreal verb form in other situations.

                  I’d prefer tea to coffee.

                  I‘d prefer you to go swimming (rather than go jogging).

 

As if, as though – Real and unreal

The verb form used with as if/as though depends on whether the situation is true or unreal.

                  You look as if you’re having second thoughts. (True. He is having second thoughts.)

                  He acts as if he were in charge. (Unreal. He isn’t in charge)

Note, however, that the more colloquial like does not require this verb form change. Compare:

                  You look like you have just seen a ghost.

                  You look as if you had just seen a ghost.

 

Suppose and imagine – Understood conditions

The conditional part of these sentences is often understood but not stated.

·         Imagine we won the lottery!

·         Suppose/supposing someone told you that I was a spy!

·         Imagine we had never met! (we have met)

As with conditional sentences, if the event referred to is a real possibility, rather than imaginary, a present verb form is possible:

                  Suppose it starts raining, what’ll we do?

 

Formal Subjunctives - Insisting, demanding, etc.

After verbs such as demand, insist, suggest, require which involve an implied obligation, the subjunctive may be used in formal style. This has only one form, that of the infinitive, and there is no third person –s, or past form. The verb be has be for all forms.

They demanded that he leave at once.

The school Principal suggested that he be awarded a scholarship.

 

Formulaic Subjunctives

These are fixed expressions all using subjunctive. Typical expressions are:

                  God save the Queen!

                  Be that as it may …

                  Come what may ….

                  Suffice it to say ….

                  Far be it from me …but

·         be that as it may: (formal) despite that. Synonym nevertheless. E.g. I know that he has tried hard; be that as it may, his work is just not good enough. 

·         come what may: despite any problems or difficulties you may have. E.g. He promised to support her come what may. 

·         suffice (it) to say (that)… used to suggest that although you could say more, what you do say will be enough to explain what you mean. E.g. I won't go into all the details. Suffice it to say that the whole event was a complete disaster. 

·         Far be it from me to do something: something that you say when you are giving advice or criticizing someone and you want to seem polite. It is not really my place to do something. (Always followed by but, as in the example.) Far be it from me to tell you what to do, but don't you think you should apologize? Far be it from me to tell you what to do, but I think you should buy the book.

 

More on the subjunctive:

• The Subjunctive: Grammar
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv201.shtml

 

Worksheets - pdf exercises

  

Zero conditional - worksheet

First conditional - worksheet
First conditional - pdf exercises
Worksheet - first conditional
First conditional - download

Second conditional - worksheet
Conditional sentences - second
Second conditional - download
Worksheet - second conditional

Third conditionals - pdf exercises
The third conditional - pdf
Third conditional - pdf handout
Third conditional - pdf exercises

Zero / first / second / third
Conditional worksheet -> answers
Mixed conditionals - worksheet
Printables / worksheets
Conditional sentences - exercises
Conditionals - pdf exercises
If / unless - worksheet
If clauses - advanced 1
If clauses - advanced 2
If Clauses - all types 3
If Clauses - all types 4
If Clauses - all types 5
If Clauses - all types 7
If Clauses - all types 8
If clauses - worksheet
Worksheets pdf - print
If clauses - finish the sentences
Grammar worksheets - handouts
Conditional sentences - grammar