Complex Sentences with Adverbial Clauses of Condition

Exercise 1

Define the type of subordinate clauses joined by the conjunction “if” and account for the tenses of the verbs in bold type. Translate sentences 2, 3, 7 into Russian.

1. I shall feel you are safer if I have you beside me (Voynich).

2. I shall be much obliged if you will allow him to continue using the library (Voynich).

3. I offered to relax the discipline considerably if he would behave in a reasonable manner (Voynich).

4. “I want to see Annette”. –“I don’t know if she will see you” (Maugham).

5. I’ll make a call and see if they’ll cooperate (Carter).

6. After tea Mrs Leidner asked me if I would like a stroll down to the river (Christie).

7. If you will kindly wait a few moments I will send someone to prepare him (Voynich).

8. I told Emily I adored her, and that if she did not confess she adored me I should be reduced to the necessity of killing myself with a sword (Dickens).

Exercise 2

Complete the sentences adding subject clauses, predicative clauses, object clauses or adverbial clauses of time and condition joined by “when” and “if”. Refer the action in the subordinate clauses to the future.

1. We will let you know about our plans when… We are not sure if our plans … The problem is when …

2. I wonder when the committee … I think that if all the members of the committee…

3. We were sure he would get used to the place when… We wondered if his new surroundings…

4. She will be a teacher of English when … I hope that if …

5. They decided that when their son … They wondered if he …

6. I’ll be very much obliged to you if … The question is if …

7. It is not known as yet when … and if …

8. He said he would take part in the discussion of the book if …

9. The man inquired if … and when …

10. The chairman stated that if …

11. Was it agreed when… If … we can safely fix the day of our departure.

Exercise 3

Analyse the forms of the verbs in bold type. Answer the following questions: 1) Which subjunctive mood forms are used in the two clauses of complex sentences with adverbial clauses of unreal condition? 2) Which combinations of perfect and non-perfect forms can be found in the two clauses?

1. You don’t know everything about me. I think that if you did, even you would turn from me (Wilde).

2. If you had come in yesterday at a particular moment … you would have found me in tears (Wilde).

3. I … have seen twenty-three of his plays publicly acted. But if I had not read them as well, my impression of them would be not merely incomplete, but violently distorted and falsified (Shaw).

4. If a dramatic author were to publish a pantomime, he could only make it intelligible to a reader by giving him the words, which the pantomimist is supposed to be uttering (Shaw).

5. If it should unfortunately happen, Mr. Cokane, that this leads to nothing but a disappointment for Blanche, probably she would rather not see you afterwards. But if all turns out as we hope, Dr. Trench’s best friends will then be our best friends (Shaw).

6. Sartorius: … in case difficulties arise and the match - you see I call it a match – be broken off, I should not wish Blanche to think that she had allowed a gentleman to-to- [Trench nods sympathetically] (Shaw).

7. It’s always been difficult. We’ve no hospital, let alone an isolation ward. If you should run into anything very nasty ring up Griffiths at Toniglan. … He’s the District Medical Officer (Cronin).

8. Presently he began again in his soft, murmuring purr “just the voice a jaguar would talk in if it could speak and were in a good humour”, Gemma said to herself with rising irritation (Voynich).

9. “There she goes”, he said, “there she goes, with two pounds’worth of food on board that belongs to me, and that I haven’t had”. He said that if they had given him another day he thought he could have put it straight (Jerome).

10. Still Beatrice had taken the trouble to go up to London and to buy the books for me. She would not have done that if she disliked me (Maurier).

11. I will do all I can to avoid having to use your evidence. But if there should be no other way, I will see that you have police protection from the moment that the subpoena is served on you (Sayers).

12. With regard to the sums of money mentioned by Monsieur Parker, if monsieur would give him the number of some of the notes, efforts would be made to trace them (Sayers).¹⁶

Exercise 4

Open the brackets using the appropriate form of the verb.

1. If your Eminence (to know) what I and my assistants have put up with from this man you (to feel) differently about the matter (Voynich).

2. Martel told me he believed they never (to go) through the expedition at all if it (not to be) for Rivares (Voynich).

3. Her jealous reproaches (to act) on his nerves, if he (to be) to bear much of them tonight (Voynich).

4. “I doubt whether it could be managed”, Marcone answered with a very grave face. “But - if it (to be) possible – you (to do) it?” (Voynich).

5. She had some jewelry – a diamond ring and pin and several other pieces. She (can, to get) fifty dollars for these if she (to go) to a pawnbroker (Dreiser).

6. Jim, dear, if anger and passion (can, to save) Italy, she (to be) free long ago, it is not hatred that she needs, it is love (Voynich).

7. But I wish you could have accepted the invitation of your English doctor friend; if you (to spend) a month in his house you (to be) more fit to study (Voynich).

8. I (to talk) to mother if I (to think) of it; but it went right out of my head (Voynich).

9. If I ever sincerely (to love) you, if I (to love) you still, I (not to loathe) so and (to hate) myself for my weakness as I do now (Hardy).

10. If I (to be) such a dog, I (can, to write) to him as well (Wilson).

Exercise 5

Translate the sentences into English paying attention to the use of verb-forms in the conditional sentences presented in indirect speech.

1. Мейбл сказала, что если бы она попыталась рассказать (рассказала бы) кому-нибудь о своей любви к белому человеку, ее бы назвали сумасшедшей.

2. Лэнни понимал, что если бы он проявил смирение и страх в разговоре с белым человеком, тот не ударил бы его.

3. Герт предупредил Лэнни, что если он сделает хоть один неверный (неугодный ему) шаг, это будет стоить ему жизни (по Абрахамсу).

4. Кэрри не понимала, что если бы она была одна, она должна была бы платить за комнату и стол, и не могла бы тратить весь свой заработок на одежду и другие вещи (по Драйзеру).

5. Друг Давида Копперфильда просил его не думать о нем плохо, если бы их вдруг когда-либо разлучили (по Диккенсу).

6. Джейн сказала своей подруге Элен, что если бы она была на ее месте, она бы возненавидела эту злую учительницу, которая постоянно мучила и унижала ее (по Бронте).

7. Джемма сказала, что если бы Овод согласился переделать свой памфлет и исключить из него вес личные нападки, он (памфлет) мог бы стать очень полезным (по Войнич).

8. Артур сказал Монтанелли, что если бы он получил свободу, он продолжал бы бороться против религии (по Войнич).

9. Как вы думаете, если бы Монтанелли мог отказаться от религии, может быть он мог бы спасти Овода, (по Войнич).

10. Что бы ты сделал, Гарри, если бы я сказал тебе, что я убил Бэйзила? – спросил Дориан Грей (по Уайльду).