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A conditional is made up of two parts: the if-clause and the main clause. We can put either one first and it
doesnt change the meaning. We usually use a comma if we put the if-clause first. In the example below, if it
rains is the if-clause and well go to the cinema is the main clause.
Although in grammar books we often learn about the zero, first, second and third conditionals, there are also
other ways to use conditionals. Here, Ill explain some of the other possibilities.
Real Conditionals
Real conditionals talk about things that are either true, or likely to be true. Grammar books often talk about how
we use them to talk about general truths (the zero conditional) and to talk about the future (the first conditional),
but we can also use them in other ways.
The tenses in real conditionals follow the normal rules for tense and modal use.
This means that every time my husband cooks dinner, I clean up. And it means that every time John goes to
London, he visits his sister.
Advanced Conditionals
But we can also use different present tenses if were talking about general truths (though its more common to
use the present simple in both clauses.)
We can also use modal verbs in either clause, especially can and may.
If we want to tell people how they should behave or give general advice, we can use an imperative in the main
clause.
We can use will + infinitive or will + be + verb-ing in the main clause when were making a guess about the
present. This use of will isnt talking about the future. Rather, its using will to make a guess about the present.
We can also use the past continuous (to show that something started before and finished after another action in
the past) and the past perfect (to show that one thing happened before another thing in the past).
We can also use used to and would for past habits with the past real conditional.
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Advanced Conditionals
This means that I think its possible or likely that it will rain, and if it rains, then I will definitely stay at home.
We use the present continuous because in this conditional, we imagine that the rain started before 10am and will
finish after 10am. At 10am, the action of raining will be happening. Even though were using the present
continuous, were still talking about future rain.
We can use be going to in the main clause. This gives a feeling of we intend to stay at home.
We can use modal verbs in the main clause. If I think that the condition is probably going to happen but Im not
certain that the result will happen even if the condition does, then I can use a different modal in the main clause.
We dont use would in this case.
We can use can, may and must with their usual meanings in the if-clause.
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Advanced Conditionals
We can make the condition less certain by using should or happen to or both in the if-clause. Should is
extremely formal and sounds old-fashioned now. These examples mean that I am not very sure that it will rain.
We can make a first conditional very formal by dropping if and using should with inversion.
We can use will or wont in the if-clause when were using them with their modal meanings of willingness /
refusal / insistence. Otherwise, we dont use a future tense in the if-clause.
We can use will have + past participle (the future perfect) in the main clause to talk about something that will
happen before another point in the future.
If John has seen my message, hell be on his way here. (I dont know if John has seen my message or
not, but if he has, hell be on his way here.)
We can also use a past tense or present perfect in the if-clause when we think the condition in the if-clause
happened, and we want to draw a conclusion from it.
If Julie went to the concert last night, shell be tired today. (I think Julie went to the concert, so I
assume shell be tired today.)
If she caught the train, she should be here by now.
We can use the present continuous in the if-clause and a future tense in the main clause if we want to say that a
situation happening now will have an effect on the future.
Its sometimes possible to have an if-clause referring to the present or future and a main clause referring to the
past, especially with must have and cant have for deductions
If she got 100% on the exam, she must have studied very hard.
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Advanced Conditionals
If you go out in the sun without sun cream, you get burned. (= A general truth. This happens every time
you go out in the sun.)
If you go out in the sun without sun cream, youll get burned. (= A prediction about the future. I think
if you go out without sun cream later today, then after that you will get burned.)
When and if
For general truths conditionals, present habit conditionals and past habit conditionals, we can replace if with
when or whenever.
For habits, if tends to mean that something doesnt happen very often, whereas when suggests it happens
regularly.
When I have a day off, I like to go swimming. (I often have days off.)
If I have a day off, I like to go swimming. (I dont often have days off.)
This is different with future conditionals (the first conditional). With future conditionals, when and if have very
different meanings.
If it stops raining, well go out. (I dont know if it is going to stop raining or not.)
When it stops raining, well go out. (Im sure that it will stop raining later.)
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Advanced Conditionals
Unreal conditionals
We use this kind of conditional we are talking about something that is not real, either something that is
impossible or something that is imaginary or very unlikely. We move the tenses back one step (sometimes
called backshifting) to show this unreality. So, when we are talking about the present, we use the past tense or
past modals, and when we are talking about the past we use past perfect or modal with have + past participle.
(We also use the past tense to talk about future unreal things, which is less logical.) The second and third
conditionals are examples of unreal conditionals.
We dont use when with unreal conditionals.
If I had enough money, I would buy a car. (But I dont have enough money.)
If I knew her phone number, I would call her. (But I dont know her phone number.)
We can use other past modals in the main clause, like should, could, might or ought to.
We cant use modals that dont have a past form, like must. Instead we use would have to.
We can use were instead of was in the if-clause in formal English. (You should use this for exams!)
However, its very common to use was. The only place that we see were in everyday speech is in the fixed
expression if I were you.
When the verb in the if-clause is be, we can use were instead of was and drop if and invert were and the subject.
This is very formal.
Advanced Conditionals
If I had enough time next week, I would come and see you. (But I wont have enough time.)
If she passed the exam, she could become a doctor. (But I dont think that she will pass.)
We can use other past modals in the same way as with impossible things in the present.
If I had enough time next week, I could come and see you.
We can also use were instead of was in the same way as with impossible things in the present.
In the same way that we often use the past tense when were making requests in order to be more polite, we also
use the unreal conditional to be polite, even if the conditional is quite likely to be fulfilled.
If you came early and helped me get ready, it would be really helpful.
In the same way that we can use will in the if-clause of real conditionals when will has a volitional meaning
rather than a future meaning, we can also use would in the if-clause of an unreal present or future conditional
when would is used with a meaning of willingness / refusal / insistence. This is common in polite requests.
If you would help me, Id be very grateful. (= if you were willing to help me.)
In the same way as with real conditionals, we can use should in the if-clause. Again, this suggests that the
condition is very unlikely and is formal.
Again, we can also make the condition weaker by using happened to in the if-clause. And we can use should
and happen to together.
If she happened to read the newspaper, she would see your article.
If she should happen to read the newspaper, she would see your article.
We can use the structure be to in future unreal conditionals. It is more formal, and it makes the speaker sound
less certain that the usual use of the past simple. We use were for all subjects.
If she were to become a doctor, she would work in Canada. (Im very uncertain that shes going to
become a doctor.)
This can be made even more formal by dropping if and inverting were.
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Advanced Conditionals
We can drop if and invert were with the past continuous. This is very formal.
We can use a modal with a continuous infinitive in the main clause. This is more common with impossible
things in the present.
If it were raining, we wouldnt be going to the park. (In fact, we are going to the park now.)
If I knew her phone number, I wouldnt be trying to reach her by email. (In fact, I am trying to reach
her by email now.)
If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam. (But I didnt study hard and so I didnt pass.)
We can use different modal in the main clause, usually might or could.
If her car hadnt broken down, what time would she have arrived?
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10
Advanced Conditionals
We can drop if and invert had to make the conditional more formal.
We can also use the structure be to in unreal past conditionals. It is not very common. It makes the conditional
less certain and is very formal. We use were for all subjects.
If she were to have thought about it a bit more, she wouldnt have done that.
This can be made even more formal by dropping if and inverting were.
Were she to have thought about it a bit more, she wouldnt have done that.
Past unreal situation, present result. We can use the past perfect in the if-clause (like the third conditional) and
would + infinitive in the main clause (like the second conditional) to talk about something unreal in the past that
has a result in the present.
2016 www.perfect-english-grammar.com
May be freely copied for personal or classroom use.