Conditional sentences

If the airport hadn’t lost my luggage, I wouldn’t have been delayed.

(Type 3)

If I had more money, I would stay at a better hotel.

(Type 2)

If I find a taxi, I’ll soon get to the hotel.

(Type 1)

Complex sentences with an adverbial clause of condition are called conditional sentences. Clauses of condition are usually joined to the main clause by means of the conjunction ‘if’ and therefore they are called ‘if-clauses’. Other expressions which can introduce ‘if-clause’ are: unless, providing, as long as, supposing, etc. The action in the ‘if-clause’ expresses the condition for the action in the main clause, so ‘if-clause’ can be called ‘a conditional clause’ and the main – ‘a result clause’.

On what condition?

E.g.:[ [I’ll join you] if (I am not busy tomorrow).

↓ ↓ ↓

main clause conjunction adverbial clause of

(result clause) condition (conditional clause)

The condition expressed in the ‘if-clause’ can be viewed by the speaker as a real one or as unreal, doubtful, hypothetical. In real conditionals the indicative or imperative mood is used, in unreal conditionals – oblique moods: the Conditional mood & Subjunctive II.

The Conditional Mood is formed with auxiliary verbs ‘should’ for the first person and ‘would’ for all persons and a bare infinitive. E.g.: What would you do in my place? – I should/ would find a job. = Щоб ти зробив на моєму місті?– Я б знайшов роботу.

Ex. 1 Respond to the suggestions using the following phrases: It would be great/ nice/ fun, I’d love to, I’d be happy to and so on.

1. Would you like a cup of coffee?

2. Why don’t we go out tonight?

3. I’m going to the theatre. Would you like to come with me?

4. How about going somewhere warm for the weekend?

5. Shall I give you a lift?

Ex. 2 Look at the pictures. What would you do in their place? E.g.: In her place I would shout for help.

Subjunctive II coincides (співпадає) in form with past tenses. The form ‘were’ is used for all persons instead of ‘was’. E.g.: What would you do in my place? – If I were you, I should/ would find a job.= Якби я був на твоєму місті, я б знайшов роботу.

Ex. 4 Give your advice in the following situations:

1. It’s my friend’s birthday soon. I don’t know what to give her as a present. – If I were you, I would …………………………………..

2. I want to go on holiday, but I don’t know where.

3. I’m bored. Have you seen any good films recently?

All in all, actions may be viewed by the speaker as real or unreal, referring to the present, past or future. Accordingly there are several types of conditional sentences.

Types of Conditionals
	If-clause (condition)	main clause (result)	Use
Type 1&0 real present & past	If + any present or past form of the Indicative M.	Future Indic./ Imperative (Present Ind-ve in Type0) can/may/must/might/should	true or likely to happen
	If I go to bed late I feel dreadful in the morning. (Type 0) If the weather is fine, we’ll go for a walk. (Type 1) If you see him, tell him to come immediately. (Type 1) If you saw him, why didn’t you tell him to come? (T 1 past)
Type 2 unreal present	If+ Pr.Subjunctive II (=Past Simple.&Cont)	Pr.Cond.M (should/would/ could/might +infinitive V)	untrue in the present
	If I were you, I wouldn’t be sorry at all. (I’m not you) If I had a choice, I would go somewhere warmer.
Type 3 unreal past	If+Past SubjunctiveII (= Past Perfect & Perfect Continuous)	Cond. M. (=should/would/ could/might + perfect inf. have V3/ have been Ving)	untrue in the past
	If he had followed my advice, he wouldn’t have lost all his money. If he had tried harder, he would have passed his exam
Mixed types	One of the clauses of a conditional sentence can refer to the present while the other to the past.
	If she didn’t love him, she wouldn’t have waited for him. If she had married him, she would be happy now.

Ex. 5 Transform conditionals Type 1 into Type2 & Type3.

If I do my homework, my teacher won’t be angry with me tomorrow.

If I did my homework, my teacher wouldn’t be angry with me tomorrow.

If I had done my homework, my teacher wouldn’t have been angry with me yesterday.

1. If I attend the lecture tomorrow, I will learn more.

2. If I have a computer, it will be easier to study.

3. I will improve my English if I do my lab works in time.

4. I will pass my exams easily if I attend all the classes this year.

5. If I study hard this year, I will have better results.