Admitere

Conditional Clauses
Page 159

Conditional clauses are formed of two types of sentences: the “if (subordinate) clause”
referring to the condition, and the main clause referring to the result of the condition.
There are 3 types of conditional sentences:
a) future-possible sentences which express a possible situation and refer to a future period;
b) the present- unreal sentences which refer to an unreal situation in the present;
c) the third type — sentences which refer to a past-unreal situation.

Subordinate clauses may be introduced by : if, (even if, if only) unless, so long as, in case,
provided (that), suppose, supposing (that) etc., of which in case and provided are used especially
in the first type of sentences, while supposed is used in the other two types. Unless is used when
a negative condition is implied; it has the same meaning as “if not” but it is more emphatic.
e.g.: The operator won’t be able to put you through to your friends unless you give
her the exact telephone number.

Inversion may occur in conditional clauses when if is omitted.

e.g.: If he had come earlier, we should have gone to the theatre.

We can make the “if clauses” more uncertain by using Should + short Infinitive instead
of the corresponding tense. In such cases inversion is sometimes used.
e.g.: If it is sunny tomorrow, we shall go skating.
If it should be sunny tomorrow, we shall go skating.
Should it be sunny tomorrow, we shall go skating.

In conditional sentences willingness may be expressed by will in the first type of sentences,
would in the second. Would may also be used in the first type of sentences to express politeness.
e.g.: If you will (would) answer my question, I shall be grateful to you.

Exercise 1.
1. If I had a burglar alarm in my handbag, I (shouldn’t be afraid, shouldn’t have been afraid)
shouldn’t be afraid of anybody.
2. If you leave this bag in the middle of the street, be sure someone (would, will) will steal it.
3. If I (was, were) were you, I shouldn’t care a fig for all that.
4. If the manager (was, had been) had been here, he would have taken the floor.
5. If yesterday (was, has been, had been) had been Sunday, we could have gone to the
concert.
 6. If I (would be, were) were in his position, I should turn down all the applications.

Exercise 2.
1. If I had a spare afternoon today, I should go to the swimming pool.
2. If the doctor came on time, the patient would be saved.
3. If mother were at home, she could cook dinner for us.
4. If he didn’t have to learn, he would go to the cinema.
5. If we found some bananas, we might have a fruit salad.
6. If she sent the money, mother might go to pay her a visit.
7. If we were in Bucharest, we should accept the invitation.
8. If he asked for money now, she could give it to him.

Exercise 3.
1. If the pupils had had more practice, they would have spoken better.
2. If he had been more hardworking, he would have made good progress.
3. If I had been more realistic in my plans, I might have got a first prize in the Town Hall
competition.
4. She could have swum better if she had paid more attention to her training.
5. I should have been more careful with the gas, if I had had a gas-stove.
6. If William had come to his English classes, he would have been a student now.

Exercise 4.
1. Had the pupils had more practice, they would have spoken better.
2. Had he been more hardworking, we would have made good progress.
3. Had I been more realistic in my plans, I might have got a first prize in the Town Hall
competition.
4. Had she paid more attention to her training, she could have swum better.
5. Had I had a gas-stove, I should have been more careful with the gas.
6. Had William come to his English classes, he would have been a student now.

Exercise 5.
1. If they (hang) hung the poster lower, people would be able to see the details.
2. Nobody would have recognized the burglar, if he (wear) had worn a mask.
3. Unless you listen to the instructions more carefully, you (not be able) won’t be able to
find your way out of the forest.
4. In case it (not be) isn’t inconvenient to yon, let’s meet at 6 o’clock sharp.
5. If he (be) had been in, I should have told him the bad news.
6. If you (have) had had the courage, I’m sure you should have answered him back.
7. Unless I learn to type, I (not be able) shan’t be able to save money.
8. If Mary’s shoes hadn’t such high heels, she (not fall down) wouldn’t have fallen
down.
 9. If you (call) call a dog a bad name, it will certainly bark at you.
10. If you work harder, you (have) will have more chances to pass the examination.
11. If Mike had had a drink at the party, the policeman (fine) would have fined him and
(take) would have taken his driving-licence.
12. If you were a liar, I (not trust) shouldn’t trust you.

Exercise 7.
1. If you should insist on that silly idea, we shall have an argument.
2. If anyone should ask about my mother-in-law, tell him she is abroad.
3. If you should happen to meet him, don’t tell him you saw me.
4. If the hunter should come face to face with the tiger he will probably run away.
5. If Susan should pass her examination, her parents will send her to the sea side.
6. If John should hear about your divorce, he’ll be angry with you.

Exercise 8.
1. Should you insist on this silly idea...
2. Should anyone ask about my mother-in-law...
3. Should you happen to meet him...
4. Should the hunter come face to face with the tiger...
5. Should Susan pass her examination...
6. Should John hear about your divorce...

Exercise 9.
1. If you will lend me the money...
2. Is she would pay us a visit...
3. If you would drive me home...
4. If my sister will baby-sit for me...
5. If you would accept the invitation...
6. If you will knit a pullover for me...

Exercise 10. Translate into English:

1. If you saw him now, you wouldn’t recognize him any longer; he is a mere shadow of
his former self.
2. If you weren’t such a liar, you wouldn’t be now in the unfortunate position of being
mistrusted by everybody.
3. I should have never accepted to leave the shelter if I had known that a misfortune was
going to happen.
4. He wouldn’t have had to earn so much money and wouldn’t have got into trouble if his
wife had been less fond of luxuries.
5. I could give you a lift in my car this time if you promise not to ask for a lift again.
6. In case I forget, please remind me of my promise.
 7. Should you be passing his office, you might enter and return the dictionary you
borrowed from him.
8. Supposing your partner accepted these proposals, what would be the next stage of the
negotiations?
9. If it had not snowed (but for the snow) our trip to the mountains wouldn’t have been so
pleasant.
10. He has told me several times that he will accept the job provided the salary is
satisfactory.

17.MODUL CONDIȚIONAL

Ca și in limba română și in alte limbi, modul condițional are două timpuri: prezent și
trecut/perfect, ambele formate cu ajutorul auxiliarelor should pentru persoana întâia singular si
plural și would pentru persoanele a doua și a treia singular și plural, la care se adaugă infinitivul
scurt al verbului de conjugat –prezent pentru condiționalul prezent și trecut/perfect pentru
condiționalul trecut/prefect.
Modulul condițional are in limba engleză funcții similare cu cele din limba română și în
alte limbi : este corelat cu propoziții secundare introduse de conjuncții condiționale: if provided
(that), providing (that), on condition (that), if only, in case (that) iar pentru negativ unless, if not.
Nu apare însă in propoziții secundare condiționale ci numai principale.
Nota 1: In engleza americană verbul should este foarte rar folosit ca auxiliar, si
deci condiționalul se construiește cu would la toate persoanele.
Nota 2: Pe de altă parte atât in engleza americană cât si in cea britanică se
folosesc de preferința –și in conversație si in scris –formele contrase afirmative –
I’d/you’d/he’d/she’d/we’d/you’d/they’d call/carry etc.
Nota 3: Deși se traduce tot prin ”dacă” , conjuncția whether nu introduce condiț
propoziții condiționale , ci propoziții subiective, completive, circumstanțiale etc.

CONDIȚIONALUL PREZENT

Așa cum se arată la paragraful anterior, in limba engleză britanică condiționalul prezent
se formează cu ajutorul auxiliarelor should (pers. I singular și plural) și would (celelalte
persoane, in amer și persoana I) la care se adaugă infinitivul scurt al vervului de conjugat.
Paradigma este dată in modelul următor:

Activ Pasiv

Afirmativ
We sould/I’d call/carry, etc. I/we sould/I’d be called/carried,
You/he/she/it/they would/you’d call/carry etc./you/he/she/it/they would/you’d be
called/carried

Interogativ
Should/would I , etc. call/carry? Should/would I, etc. be called/carried?
 Negativ
I/we should not/I shouldn’t call/carry
You/he/she/it/they would not/wouldn’t
call/carry
Interogativ-Negativ
Shouldn’t I call/carry, etc?
Wouldn’t you, etc. call/carry, etc?
I/we should not/I shouldn’t/I’d not be
called/carried,
You/he/she/it/they would not/wouldn’t be
called/carried
Shouldn’t I be called/carried, etc?
Wouldn’t you, etc. be called/carried, etc?

Funcția specifică a condiționalului prezent este indicarea unei acțiuni care se poate realiza
in prezent sau in viitorul nu prea îndepărtat, in cazul in care se îndeplinește condiția exprimată de
propoziția secundară condițională (sau, mai rar, de un complement circumstanțial condițional):
If I had more time, I should (gladly/certainly/willingly) go there.

Condiționalul prezent are și aspectul continuu, folosit însă destul de rar, in cazul in care e
vorba de o acțiune sau stare în curs în momentul vorbirii:
If I were you (= dacă aș fi in locul tău ), I should be singing instead of crying.

CONDIȚIONAL TRECUT/PERFECT

Condiționalul trecut (numit mai degrabă perfect, pentru rațiuni de simetrie cu alte timpuri
perfecte ale altor moduri) exprimă o acțiune care ar fi putut să se realizeze in trecut dacă s-ar fi
îndeplinit o anumită condiție.
Din aceste motive, se vorbește de o condiție ipotetică ireală și imposibilă, întrucât ea nu
se mai poate realiza sau este ireversibilă (toate acestea aplicându-se și limbii române și altor
limbi).
După cum s-a arătat, condiționalul trecut se formează cu aceleași auxiliare ca și cel
prezent la care se adaugă infinititvul trecut/perfect scurt (fară particula to) al verbului de
conjugat.

Activ Pasiv
Afir
mativ
I/we should/I’d have called/carried I/we should/I’d have been called/carried
You/he/she/it/they would/you’d have You/he/she/it/they would/he’d have been
called/carried called/carried

Interogativ
Should I have called/carried etc. Should I have been called/carried?

Negativ
I should not have called/carried etc. I should not have been called/carried etc
Interogativ-
Negativ
Shouldn’t I/we/ Shouldn’t I/w enot have been called/carried?
Should I not have called/carried?
 Notă: Dacă nu este legat de o condiție exprimată printr-o propoziție secundară
condițională sau printr-un complement circumstanțial condițional și condițional trecut poate fi
socotit echivalent al optativului trecut din limba română. In acest caz se folosește de preferință
would pentru toate persoanele, in forma accentuată –sau locuțiunile modale I’d rather, I’d
sooner.

FOLOSIREA MODULUI CONDIȚIONAL

Condiționalul propriu-zis (nu optativul) se folosește deci in corelație cu o condiție

exprimată –mai ales prin propoziții subordonate condiționale. Aceste propoziții sunt supuse
restricțiilor de folosire a timpurilor verbale cerute de regulile corespondenței timpurilor –aplicate
in engleză și in alte limbi dar nu și in română.
Aceste restricții se pot rezuma astfel:
1) Condiționalul prezent din propoziția principală cere in subordonată condițională un
subjonctiv sintetic II (identic cu preteritul, cu exceptia verbului to be care are forma were
la toate persoanele):
If I/you/he were in a hurry, the job would be spoilt.
Notă: Conjucția if se poate omite dacă se îndeplinesc două condiții : 1) Propoziția
secundară să preceadă pe cea principală, iar 2) verbul din propoziția secundară să fie o
formă personală aberantă (could, might, were, had etc.)
2) Condiționalul trecut din propoziția principală care în subordonata condițională un
subjonctiv analitic I (identic ca formă cu mai-mult-ca-perfectul la toate verbele):
If I had called on us the day before yesterday, you could have eaten
mother’s very special cake.
Notă: In acest caz conjuncția if se poate omite la toate verbele (întrucât forma
subjonctivului include pe had – formă personală aberantă ) singura condiție ce trebuie
îndeplinită fiind aceea a plasării propoziției secundare întaintea principalei.