Conditional sentence
In grammar, conditional sentences are sentences discussing factual implications or hypothetical situations and their consequences. Languages use a variety of conditional constructions and verb forms (such as the conditional mood) to form these kinds of sentences.
conditional sentence is a compound sentence that indicates that an event will occur or a job will be done if the requirements are met. there are three forms of conditional sentences:
- 1. Type 1 : He will come if you invite him
This conditional form used to express supposition of something that will happen and may still occur if the conditions mentioned in the adverb clause met. Conditional Sentences Type I refer to the future. An action in the future will only happen if a certain condition is fulfilled by that time. We don't know for sure whether the condition actually will be fulfilled or not, but the conditions seems rather realistic – so we think it is likely to happen.
formula for the formation of these types of conditional sentences:
Main clause (present future) + if + adverb clause (present)
become
if + Simple Present, will-Future
Example:
- I will do it if I have time.
- He will buy the shirt if he has the money.
if the above formula is reversed comma is needed to separate the two clauses.
Example:
- If I have time, I will do it.
- If he has the money, he will buy the shirt.
as well as "will" and "shall", can be used to help other verbs that indicate future like "be going to", "can" and "may".
Example:
- I may go out tonight if it doesn’t rain.
- I am going to attend the party if mom allows me to go.
- You can leave if you want to.
if the conjunction "when" used paper that means the conditions specified in the adverb clause must occur, so the adverb clause shows when it will happen.
Example:
- We will get there when the sun sets.
- They will get rest when they get here.
Note:
| Condition refers to: | IF Clause | Main Clause |
| future action | Simple Present | If the book is interesting, … | Future I | …I will buy it. |
| Imperative | …buy it. |
| Modal Auxiliary | …you can buy it. |
| action going on now | Present Progressive | If he is snoring, … | Future I | …I will wake him up. |
| Imperative | …wake him up. |
| Modal Auxiliary | …you can wake him up. |
| finished action | Present Perfect | If he has moved into his new flat, … | Future I | …we will visit him. |
| Imperative | …visit him. |
| Modal Auxiliary | …we can visit him. |
| improbable action | should + Infinitive | If she should win this race, … | Future I | …I will congratulate her. |
| Imperative | …congratulate her. |
| Modal Auxiliary | …we can congratulate her. |
| present facts | Simple Present | If he gets what he wants, … | Simple Present | …he is very nice. |
- 2. Type 2 : He would come if yu invited him
This conditional form used to express supposition of something that now no longer be possible to change but if the conditions mentioned in the adverb clause is fulfilled before going to the opposite of what happened today.
formula for the formation of these types of conditional sentences:
if + Simple Past, main clause with Conditional I ( would + Infinitive)
become
Main clause (past future) + if + adverb clause (past)
Example:
- I would do it if I had time.
- He would buy the shirt if he had the money.
If the above formula is reversed comma is needed to separate the two clauses.
Example:
- If I had time, I would do it.
- If hehad the money, he would buy the shirt.
Other than "would" and "should" we could use another helping verbs such as "be going to", "could" and "might" in this form.
Example:
- I might go out tonight if it didn’t rain.
- I was going to attend the party if mom allowed me to go.
- You could leave if you wanted to.
To be used in the past that this type of conditional sentence is "were" for all subjects in the adverb clause.
Example:
- If I were you, I would help her.
- If he were rich, he would go around the world.
Note:
| Condition refers to: | IF Clause | Main Clause |
| present / future event | Simple Past | If I had a lot of money, … | Conditional I | …I would travel around the world. |
| consequence in the past | Simple Past | If I knew him, … | Conditional II | …I would have said hello. |
- 3. Type 3 : He would have come if you had invited him
This conditional form used to express supposition of something that happened in the past that no longer will be changed but if if the conditions mentioned in the adverb clause is satisfied that occurred prior to sebalinya from the fact that at the time.
Conditional Sentences Type III refer to situations in the past. An action could have happened in the past if a certain condition had been fulfilled. Things were different then, however. We just imagine, what would have happened if the situation had been fulfilled.
formula for the formation of these types of conditional sentences:
main clause (past perfect future) + if + aderb clause (past perfect
become
If + adverb clause (past prefect) + main clause (past perfect future)
Example:
- I would have done it if I had time.
- He would have bought the shirt if he had had the money.
If the above formula is reversed comma is needed to separate the two clauses.
Example:
- If I had had time, I would have done it.
- If I had met her, I would have told her about it.
other than 'would' and 'should' we can use a verb other aids such as 'could' and 'might' in this form of conditional sentence.
Example:
- I might have gone out if you hadn’t arrived in time.
- They could haf left the house if hadn’t called them.
Note:
| Condition refers to: | IF Clause | Main Clause |
| present | Past Perfect | If I had known it, … | Conditional I | …I would not be here now. |
| past | Past Perfect | If he had learned for the test, … | Conditional II | …he would not have failed it. |
Exercise
Look at the following sentences and identify what type of conditional sentences they belong to. If the answer is type 2 and type 3, giving his fact.
- If we didn’t fetch her, Gerry wouldn’t go with us.
- If the bus hadn’t been late, I would have been here on time.
- If you didn’t agree with him, I wouldn’t ask you to work together.
- If she starts the work now, she will finish it tomorrow.
- If he had had something to eat, he wouldn’t have stolen the money.
- If both parties agree, we will sign the contract.
- If I didn’t see it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t believe it.
- If no more guess come, there will be enough food for everyone.
- If you hadn’t brought up the matter first, I wouldn’t have said anything.
10. If he had studied hard, he would have passed the exams.
Answer
- Type 2
Fact: We picked him up, so Gerry would go with us
- Type 3
Fact: the bus was late so I was not here on time
- Type 2
Fact: You agree with him, so I'll ask you to work together
- Type 1
- Type 3
Fact: He did not have anything to eat, then he will steal money
- Type 1
- Type 2
Fact: I believe, because I saw with my own eyes
- Type 1
- Type 3
Fact: You bring to the first issue, so I'll say nothing
10. Type 3
Fact: he did not pass the exam because he did not work hard
