1 Conditionals:
Definition, Structure & Examples
Normally conditional
sentences are called conditionals. These sentences usually contain the conjunction IF. Sometimes they
are called 'if clauses'.
There are mainly two types of conditionals:
·
The Real Conditionals and
1.1.1.1
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:
o I’ll
go if you give me the ball.
o If I
feel better, I’ll certainly play.
o If you
do well in the exams, I’ll buy you a gift.
1.1.1.2
Structures of the Real Conditionals:
|
For Future Conditions |
|
If + subject + simple present tense + subject + will/can/may/must +
verb in base form. . . |
|
Example: o
If I have the money, I will buy a new phone. o
I can make
you cry if you keep doing that. o
If he goes there, he may get robbed. o
If you go outside, you must wear heavy
clothes. |
|
For Habitual Conditions |
|
If + subject + simple present tense + subject + simple present tense.
. . |
|
Example: o
If I have the money, I always buy the
necessary things. o
If Alex gets a break, he usually calls me. o
He works
hard if the payment is good. |
|
For Commands |
|
If + subject + simple present tense + command form (simple present) .
. . . . |
|
Example: o
If you have the money, use it wisely. o
Please call
me if you get a chance. |
1.1.1.3
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:
o If I
were rich, I would travel my whole life.
o If I
had a car, I could go anywhere.
o If we
had not missed the train, we would have reached the city.
1.1.1.4
Structures of Unreal Conditionals:
|
For Present/Future Conditions |
|
If + subject + simple past tense + subject + would/could/might + verb
in base form. . . |
|
Example: o
If I had the money, I would buy a new phone. o
If I were the president, I would not support
war policies. o
If he were not ill, he could come with us. o
If I could play tomorrow, I would definitely
win the match. |
|
For Past Conditions |
|
If + subject + past perfect tense + subject + would/could/might +
have+ verb in past particple form |
|
Example: o
If I had played well, we would have won the
match. o
I could
have caught you if you had
been a little closer. o
If he had written well, I could have given
him a better mark. |
Note: There is another structure
of unreal conditional which does not use the conjunction if. Had replaces if and creates a conditional
sentence.
|
Had + subject + verb in past participle + subject +
would/could/might + have + verb in past particple |
|
Example: o
Had I reached earlier, I could have caught the
train. o
Had she
found the watch, she would have told me. |