Fact, Hypothesis and Neutrality

If I had known her condition earlier, I wouldn't pull that prank.

If I had a map, I could've driven faster.
It's time you left him.
She behaves as if she's boss.
It's not as though our fate is out of our control.
Just suppose we're caught.
If only I studied smarter!
In your place, I would have slapped her.

A. Were-subjunctive
B. Were to + infinitive
C. Should + infinitive
a. I'd enter the modeling industry if I were taller.
b. If it were to flood tomorrow, then the celebration would be postponed.
c. If a patient should get up, the nurses would be on guard 24/7.

no subordinating conjunction 'if', but instead begins with an

operator placed before the subject (inversion)

 Had I known, I would have act accordingly.

 Were a serious crisis to arise, everyone should have to work together.
 Should you ask questions, the RAs are there to help.

Other examples:

 Do you know whether he has decided to go?

 Carla told me whether she had made it to the final round.
 I doubt whether I'll be able to wake up early.

should - expresses tentative condition in 'if'-clauses, and for OPEN conditions

If you know/should know what will happen, please inform me.
Fact: We know that netbooks are affordable.
Idea: The idea is that netbooks should be made affordable.
SUBJUNCTIVE

 'that'-clauses, where the clause expresses an intention

 conditional and contrast clauses
 certain idioms
speaker assumes neither
the truth or falsehood
of a statement
It's best for him to keep his mouth shut.
I want Jeric to win.

Other constructions containing hypothetical clauses

Prepared by: mary Anne de Leon
Putative should
I'm glad she attended my debut.
I wish she had attended my debut.

Neutrality
(or factual meaning) is usually
expressed by a finite verb clause
She plays the piano everyday.
She played the piano yesterday.

Hypothesis
Other ways of expressing
hypothetical meaning
Fact
(hypothetical meaning) is usually
expressed by the past tense in
dependent clauses, and by
'would' + infinitive in main clauses