GRAMMAR

CONDITIONS AND UNREALITY

Exceptions for Conditional Sentences

So far you have only learned the basic rules for Conditional Sentences. It depends on the
context, however, which tense to use. So sometimes it's possible for example that in an IF
Clause Type I another tense than Simple Present is used, e.g. Present Progressive or Present
Perfect.

Conditional Sentences Type I (likely)

Condition refers to: IF Clause Main Clause

Future I …I will buy it.

If the book is Imperative …buy it.

future action Simple Present
interesting, …
Modal
…you can buy it.
Auxiliary

Future I …I will wake him up.

Present Imperative …wake him up.

action going on now If he is snoring, …
Progressive
Modal
…you can wake him up.
Auxiliary

Future I …we will visit him.

If he has moved into his Imperative …visit him.

finished action Present Perfect
new flat, …
Modal
…we can visit him.
Auxiliary

Future I …I will congratulate her.

should + If she should win this Imperative …congratulate her.

improbable action
Infinitive race, …
Modal
…we can congratulate her.
Auxiliary

If he gets what he Simple

present facts Simple Present …he is very nice.
wants, … Present
Conditional Sentences Type II (unlikely)

Condition refers
IF Clause Main Clause
to:

Simple If I had a lot of …I would travel around the

present / future event Conditional I
Past money, … world.

consequence in the Simple Conditional

If I knew him, … …I would have said hello.
past Past II

Conditional Sentences Type II (impossible)

Condition refers
IF Clause Main Clause
to:

Past …I would not be here

present If I had known it, … Conditional I
Perfect now.

Past If he had learned for the Conditional …he would not have
past
Perfect test, … II failed it.

IF AND ALTERNATIVES, PRESENT AND FUTURE CONDITION

Conditionals: if, unless, in case, provided that, as long as, so that

• If and unless

Unless means the same as if ... not. It always refers to the conditional part of the
sentence and not the result part of the sentence:

If he doesn't get here soon, we will have to start the meeting without him.

Unless he gets here soon, we will have to start the meeting without him.

We often use not + unless, which means only ... if, when we want to emphasize a
condition:
They will only sign the contract if we give them an additional discount.

They won't sign the contract unless we give them an additional discount.

• If and in case

We use in case to talk about precautions we will take before a problem happens. We
use if to talk about what we will do after a problem happens:
We are going to insure the shipment in case the goods get damaged in transit.
(We will take our insurance first; the problem may or may not happen afterward.)

If the goods get damaged in transit, we'll make a claim.

(The damage may happen, and we will make a claim afterward.)

Note that that in sentence with in case, we often use going to rather than will because
we are often talking about something that we have already decided to do.

• Provided that vs as long as, etc.

We can use provided that/providing, as long as, and so long as when we want to
emphasize condition. Provided that and as long as mean if and only
if (providing and so long as are a little less formal):

I will agree to these conditions provided that they increase my salary.

(I will only agree if they give me more money.)
The strike will be successful as long as we all stay together.
(It will only succeed if we all stay together.)

• So that

We use so that to say what the result or purpose of an action will be:

I'll take a credit card so that we don't run out of money.

(The credit card will stop us from running out of money)

• Only if

Both an if and an only if clause may be placed at the beginning of a sentence. A comma
separates the condition clause from the outcome clause.

Note that he outcome of the only-if clause has the auxiliary verb placed before the
subject.

If you dry your dishes with a towel, they will be spotless! Only if you dry your
dishes with a towel, will they [will] be spotless!

If you use Zing dish soap, you get really clean dishes. Only if you use
Zing dish soap, would you [will] get really clean dishes.
Condition for Success vs Failed Outcome
An if clause poses a condition in order to achieve an outcome: if, only if, unless,
provided that. In contrast, the outcome of an otherwise or an or else clause states the
likely outcome if you do not do the action in the clause or sentence before it.

If you use a thermometer, you will know when your turkey is done. Use a
thermometer. Otherwise, you won't know when your turkey is done. (Introduces an
independent clause)

Only if you use a thermometer, will you know when your turkey is done. (Auxiliary
verb goes before subject) Use a thermometer, or else you won't know when your
turkey is done.

Unless you use a thermometer (+) you won't know when your turkey is done. (–)
Provided that you use a thermometer, you will have a delicious turkey. (+)

• Even if & Whether or not

An even if clause states a challenging or negative condition. "No condition will
change the outcome" Even if emphasizes the speakers intent to achieve the outcome or
goal without regard for a difficult or negative condition. A whether or not clause states
that no condition (or its alternative) will stop the completion of the outcome in the
main clause. That is, if the condition exists or if the condition does not exist, the
outcome will or must happen anyway.

I'll help you even if I don't have much time. I'll help you whether or not I have
much time.

I like to walk to work even if it is raining. I like to walk to work whether it is

raining or not.

• Omitting "if"

Offer advice on hypothetical situations

Were / Had / Should

If is commonly used to introduce a conditional clause. If can be omitted from a
conditional clause to shorten the sentence and place more emphasis on the result clause.
Were, had and should may be used without if by moving the auxiliary verb in front of
the subject. (Should is also used to mean in case.)

If I were you, I wouldn't get involved. Were I you, I wouldn't get involved.
If I had known, I would have said something. Had I known, I would have said
something.

If you should see him again, walk the other way! Should you see him again, walk
the other way!

• Subject–Verb Inversion
In a conditional clause, use normal subject verb word order after if. In a conditional
clause using were, had or should, move the auxiliary verb or be (main) verb before
the subject. Omit if.

If I were you, I would have asked him to pay me back. Were I [were] you, I would
have asked him to pay me back.

If the police had come, they would have stopped him. Had the police [had] come,
they would have stopped him.

If he comes back, call me. Should he [should] return, call me.

SUBJUNCTIVES AND THE "UNREAL" PAST

Present Subjunctive

Infinitive without to in all persons. It is common in formal British English.

I suggest she pone as soon as she arrives.
In less formal English, we use a present tense form or should. When to use present
subjunctive.

• That-clauses after report verbs, adjectives or nouns to express plans, urgency

intentions or suggestions.

The judge insisted that he pay/pays/should pay alimony.

Verbs usually followed by present subjunctive: insist, suggest, request, order,

recommend, propose, think.

• After if.
If he be found/is found guilty, he´ll go to prison.

• After whether.
We will continue whether he agree/agrees or not.

• After whatever
Whatever his reasons be/are, they are insufficient to excuse him.
Past Subjunctive

It exists only in were in all persons. We use it in formal English.

If the minister were here, he would not agree.

However, it is more common to use was and were in their usual way.

I wish you were more extroverted, I wish he wasn´t so shy (informal)

Were is more common only in the phrase If I were you, and for all persons in the
pattern were+subject+infinitive.

I wouldn´t argue if I were you.

Were the vote to go against me, I would resign.

Unreal past tenses

The unreal past is similar to the Past Subjunctive. It involves using past tenses to
propose impossible, unlikely, hypothetical conditions, to discuss imaginary situations,
to express wishes, and to make proposals and polite requests.

I wish I wasn´t so shy (but I am).

I wish I didn´t have to take the exam (but I do).
If only I had listened to you (but I didn´t).

We use unreal past to discuss imaginary situations, to express impossible wishes, and to
make proposals and polite requests. We can also use past subjunctive in the following
cases:

• After if when we think it is impossible that the condition will be fulfilled.

If she weren´t to eat/didn´t eat meat so often, she would be able to lower her
blood pressure.

• To replace an if-clause when we imagine past, present or future events being

different.

Had he agree, he would have become a champion.

Were he to agree, he would become the next coach.

• After if only to express regrets and frustration.

If only he was/were more adventurous.

• After wish when we are wishing for the virtually impossible. For more
reasonable wishes, we commonly use would or could.

I wish I weren´t/wasn´t having the injection tomorrow.

I wish I had listened to you. I wish you wouldn´t shout all the time.