Lesson 3 The Use of the Oblique Moods in Complex Sentences of Unreal Condition

In complex sentences with subordinate clauses of unreal condition the forms of Subjunctive II are used in the subordinate clause to express an unreal condition and the Conditional Mood forms – in the principal clause to express an unreal consequence.

I. In sentences of unreal condition referring to the present or future (when both the condition and consequence are in the present, future, no particular time) Present Subjunctive II is used in the subordinate clause and in the principal clause the Present Conditional Mood, consisting of the mood auxiliary «should» or «would» + non-perfect Infinitive is used.

e.g. If he were not busy now they would turn on the radio.

If I was taking an exam now, I’d answer any question of my teacher now.

II. In sentences of unreal condition referring to the past (when both the condition and consequence refer to the past) Past Subjunctive II is used in the subordinate clause and in the principal clause the Past Conditional Mood, consisting of the mood auxiliary «should» or «would» + perfect Infinitive is used.

e.g. If he had known her birthdate he would have congratulated her.

If I had been studying harder, I’d have passed all my exams.

Quite often the condition given in the subordinate clause and the consequence presented in the principal clause refer to a different objective time. The following rules are observed then:

III. If the condition in the subordinate clause refers to no particular time or to the present, the consequence in the principal clause refers to the past, Present Subjunctive II is used in the subordinate clause and the Past Conditional – in the principal clause.

e.g. If he were not so absent-minded, he wouldn’t have left he wallet in the bank.

If you were not so indifferent to him you would have noticed that there was something wrong with him.

IV. If the condition in the subordinate clause refers to the past, the consequence in the principal clause refers to the present (in fact it is a past event with the result in the present), Past Subjunctive II is used in the subordinate clause and the Present Conditional – in the principal clause:

e.g. If I had been born in England I should be studying at UCL now.

Our teachers wouldn’t know what London sights to recommend to visit, if they hadn't been there before.

The Condition Referring to the Future

1. If the condition refers to the future, the Suppositional Mood (the mood auxiliary «should» for all persons + the Infinitive) is used in the subordinate clause, in the principal clause either the Indicative, the Imperative or the Conditional) Mood is used.

I want to know it.

e.g. If you should see Ann, let me know.

could you ask her to call me?

The Suppositional Mood in the subordinate clause makes the possibility of an event seem unlikely. In the example it implies that I do not expect you to see Ann, though it is slightly possible.

In sentences of this kind the conjunction «if» is often dropped and the inverted word-order is used.

e.g. Should you see Ann, let me know.

Such sentences are often translated by means of «если вдруг», «если случайно», «если так случится, что…», etc.

e.g. If I should meet her tomorrow, I shall speak to her.

Случись так, что я встречу ее завтра, обещаю с ней поговорить.

If he should come, tell him to ring me up.

Если вдруг он придет, попросите его позвонить мне.

Should it rain, you’d better stay there longer.

Should any of you come to my place, I‘ll be delighted.

2. If the condition expresses improbability or it makes situation more hypothetical in the if-clause Present Subjunctive II of the verb «to be» + to- Infinitive is used. In sentences of this kind the inverted word-order is also very common.

e.g. What would happen if the president were to enter the room?

Что бы случилось, если бы вдруг в комнату вошел президент?

He felt that if he were to live a thousand years he would never forget it.

Он чувствовал, что если бы ему было суждено прожить тысячу лет, этого он не забыл бы никогда.