Grammar reference

Conditionals(Lesson 6)

Conditional linking words and punctuation

Some common conditional linking words are:

If, when, as/so long as, until, unless, even if, no matter how/who/what/where/when, provided (that)

When the clause with the conditional linking word (if, unless ,etc.) is at the beginning of the sentence, there is a comma. When the main clause begins the sentence, there is no comma.

If you lend me your basketball , I’ll help you with your homework.

Can we go out and play basketball when we finish our homework?

Zero conditional

Form :If ,etc.+ Present Simple in the main clause

Use: to say what always happens.

If you stroke our cat, she purrs.

Thirst conditional

Form: If, etc. + Present Simple/Present Continuous/ Present Perfect +Present Continuous, Future or Imperative in the main clause

Use: to describe what may possibly happen.

Tell Mary to phone me no matter how late she gets up.

If you’re passing through London, you are always welcome to come and stay with us.

Unless you’ve finished before 5.00,I won’t be able to pick you up.

Second conditional

Form: if +Past Simple, would +infinite

Use: to talk about an improbable/impossible or hypothetical future situation and its consequence.

If a bear attacked me, I’d run away.=I’m imagining this situation. It’s very improbable.

Would/wouldn’t is the same for all persons.

The contraction of ‘would’ is ‘ d (I’d, you’d, he’d, etc.)and of would not is wouldn’t.

With the verb be you can use were(instead of was) after I and he/she/it.

Use were (not was) in the expression If I were you…We often use this expression for advice.

Third conditional

Form: If +Past Perfect +would have +past participle in the main clause.

Use: to describe something in the past that could have happened, but didn’t or shouldn ’ t have happened, but did.

I wouldn’t have cooked a vegetarian meal unless I had thought they were vegetarians.

She would have passed the exam if she had answered all the questions.

‘Mixed’ conditionals

It is possible to have sentences that mix:

-an if clause referring to the past with a main clause referring to the present or future

I would be happily married now if I hadn’t told Mary I didn’t love her.

-an if clause referring to the present or future with a main clause referring to the past.

He would have invited you if he wasn’t already coming to the dance with his girlfriend.

Modal verbs in conditional sentences

Modal verbs can, could, might, etc. can be used in first, second and third conditionals.

I might go to the match if there are any seats left.

If she had private classes, she could pass the exam.

If they had taught us how to use the machine safely, the accident might never have happened.

Polite expression

-would can be used after if in polite expressions.

If you wouldn’t mind waiting for a moment, the porter will take your cases up to your room.

-should is used in the if clause to make it even less likely. This is common in formal letters.

If you should require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

-should can replace if in formal letters.

Should you wish to contact me, I can be reached at the above address.

Relative clauses and pronouns

Relative pronouns

The most common relative pronouns are:

Who, whom: to refer to people

Which: to refer to things

That: to refer either people or things

Whose: the possessive of who and which

When: used after nouns referring to time

Where: used after nouns referring to place

Why: used to refer to reasons

1.Defining relative clauses

In defining relative clauses:

-the relative clause defines or identifies the person, thing, time, place or reason

Jane is the woman whose daughter I met in Los Angeles.

That is the house whose roof was blown off in the storm.

-that can be used instead of who or which

The girl that(who) shares an office with me talks all day long.

The library that (which) is being opened next month will offer much better facilities than this one.

-the relative pronoun can be left out if it is the object of the verb in the relative clause

The man (who/that)I spoke to yesterday told me it would be open.

Sue bought the blouse(which/that) we saw when we were in town the other day.

-no commas are used before and after the relative clause.

2.Non-defiining relative clauses

The relative clause gives extra information which can be left out. Commas are used before and after the relative clause.

Mary Wilcox, who is about to start work on a new book, will speak to us about her travels in India.

Susan, whose brother you met at the party, is going to work in Brazil.

My new car, which I love very dearly, is being repaired.

Paris, where I lived for three years, has become very expensive.

3.Prepastions in relative clauses

Prepositions can come before the relative pronoun or at the end of the relative clause depending on whether the sentence is formal or informal.

The person to whom I spoke told me the hotel was fully booked.(Formal)

Jane, who I bought my car from, has gone to the States. (Informal)