ENGLISH CONDITIONAL SENTENCE

Conditional sentences are also called of conditional clauses. Conditional sentences are often used in written and spoken academic communication. You will find that they are particularly important in assignments that require analyzing problems and their solutions. Conditional clauses usually begin with if or unless. The main clause often contains a modal.

Generally form of conditional sentences

Main clause + if clause

Which is main clause always having modal auxiliary the form of if clause is such as:  simple present, simple past, past perfect.

1.Conditional sentences type I

 Type I expresses something that is likely, true in the present or future

S + MODAL V1 + V1…  IF + S + V1 ATAU TO BE V1

FACT:

Change word “If” on condition that, provided, or ’’ unless’’

Example:

If you revise thoroughly, you will pass the examination.

You use ’’unless’’ to express a negative condition.

You won’t pass the examination unless you revise thoroughly.

2. Conditional sentences type II

Type II expresses something that is unlikely, untrue in the present

S + MODAL V2 + V2… IF + S + V2 ATAU TO BE V2

FACT:

1. Change words if to because

2. Change tenses to simple present and omit the modal

3. Change from the negative sentence to positive form

Example:

Conditional: I might study in university if I graduated from senior high school

Fact: I don't study in university because I don't graduate from senior high school.

3. Conditional sentences type III:

Type III expresses something that is impossible. Untrue in the past

 S + MODAL V2 + HAVE + V3 ... IF + S + HAD + V3 ATAU HAD BEEN

 FACT:

1.         Change word if become because

2.         Change tense to simple present and omit the modal

3.         Change the negative form to positive form

1.         Real conditions

You use a ‘real’ conditional clause when you want to discuss a possible future.  Occurrence in this sentence, the writer points to the possible consequences of the Shenzhen River filling up with sea water.

“If the Shenzhen River fills up with sea water, it will affect the flow of water and could change the habitat of the Mai Po marshes”.

2.  Unreal or hypothetical conditions

You use an ‘unreal’ or ‘hypothetical’ conditional clause when you want to discuss an unlikely situation, e.g. when you want to speculate or wonder ‘what if’ about a situation or a problem.

“If the government increased the basic rate of income tax to 50%, the public would be outraged”.

You can use the pattern” if …were to-infinitive to discuss an imaginary future situation”.

If the government were to replace English with Putonghua as the usual medium of tertiary education, it would probably be very unpopular with students and teachers.

You will sometimes find it interesting to discuss ‘what might have been’, i.e. to discuss something that might have happened in the past, but did not actually happen (see Reference Material on Critiquing).

“If we had checked the equipment carefully, I’m sure the experiment would have been successful”.

3.  Necessary conditions

Sometimes you will need to indicate what is necessary for a situation to occur. When you want to indicate a necessary condition, you can use the following conjunctions:

Provided (that)    providing (that)   on condition (that)    as long as    only if,

 You can borrow my laptop provided that you return it by five o’clock.

“The universities will probably accept the proposal as long as the government provides sufficient funding”.

If you want to point out that one situation would not affect another, you can use even if.