IF - CLAUSES

The word ‘If’ is a conjunction.

Clause : A group of words which has a finite verb(main verb) and a subject is called a ‘clause’.

Clauses are classified into two types. They are :

1) Main clause/ Independent Clause

2) Subordinate clause / Dependent Clause

1. Main Clause: The clause which doesn’t depend on any other clause and gives complete meaning
individually is called a ‘Main Clause’ or ‘Independent Clause’.

2. Subordinate Clause : The clause which depends on Main Clause to get complete meaning and
doesn’t give complete meaning individually is called a ‘Subordinate Clause’ or ‘Dependent Clause’.

Ex : If you work hard, You will succeed. (Subordinate clause ) (Main Clause)

Note: ‘If clause’ sentences can be written in two ways.

1. When ‘if’ is used in the starting of the sentence ‘comma’ is placed soon after the Subordinate
clause or in the middle.

Ex: If you study well, you will get good marks.

If she were a doctor, she would do the operation.
If he had attended the interview, he would have got the job.

2. When Main clause comes at first and ‘If Clause’/ ‘Subordinate Clause’ comes next, no comma is
used.

Ex: You will get good marks if you study well.

She would fly in the sky if she were a bird.
He would have got the job if he had attended the interview.

There are Four Conditions in “If- clause”. They are :

1. Zero Condition
2. Possible Condition
3. Imaginary Condition
4. Impossible Condition

1. Zero Condition: This condition expresses the Scientific Truths, General Truths, Mathematical
Calculations, etc.

Structure : If + S+V1+O, S+V1+O

(If + Simple Present Tense, Simple Present Tense)

Eg: 1) If you heat ice, it melts.

2) If you heat water, it evaporates.

3) If you multiply any number with Zero, you get Zero.

4) If you freeze water at 0’c, it changes into ice.

5) If you multiply any number with one, you get the same number

The Zero Condition is also used to give instructions, using the imperative in the main clause.

Ex: 1. If Hari phones, tell him to meet me at the school.

2. If you are not sure what to do, ask Ravi.

3. If you want to come with me, inform me before 5.pm.

4. If you have doubts, call me. 5. If she asks you, answer her properly.

2. Possible Condition:

If we do something in the present, we will get result in the future but we are not sure whether we
get positive result or negative result.

Structure : If + S + V1 + O, S + will/shall + V1+O

(If+ Simple Present tense, Simple Future Tense)

Eg: 1. If you run fast, you will catch the bus.

2. If you study well, you will get good rank.

3. If he invites me, I will attend the party.

4. If she sings well, she will win the prize.

5. If you wake up early, you will not be late to college.

Unless: Unless means ‘if not‘. We should use this ‘unless’ only in the ‘possible condition’.

Ex: i. Study well otherwise you will get less marks.

A. Unless you study well, you will get less marks.

ii. She sings well. She will win the prize.

A. Unless she sings well, she will not win the prize.

iii. They play well. They will reach the finals.

A. Unless they play well, they will not reach the finals.

iv. Run fast or else you will not catch the bus.

A. Unless you run fast, you will not catch the bus.

v. He wakes up early. So he will not miss the train.

A. Unless he wakes up early, he will miss the train.

3.Imaginary Condition : This condition expresses some actions which will be possible only in the
imagination. This condition can be expressed in two Structures:

First Structure: (a) If+ S + V2 + O, S + would/ should/could + V1 + O

(if+ Simple past tense, conditional Past Tense)

Ex: i) I don’t have enough money. I can not help you.

A) If I had enough money, I could help you.

ii) She doesn’t have enough time. She will not finish the work.

A) If she had enough time, she would finish the work.

iii) He doesn’t have a bike so he will not give you a ride.

A) If he had a bike, he would give you a ride.

iv) He doesn’t study well, he will not get good marks.

A) if he studied well, he would get good marks.

Second Structure (b) If + S + were + O, S + Would/ Should / could + V1 + O

(If + Simple Past Tense , Past Conditional Tense)

Note: In this Imaginary condition , we should use only ‘were’ for all persons.

Eg: (i) I am not a bird. I can’t fly in the sky.

A. If I were a bird, I could fly in the sky.

(ii) She is not a fish. She will not live in water.

A. If she were a fish , she would lie in water.

(iii) He is not the Prime Minister. He will not pass an official order.

A. If he were the Prime Minister, he would pass an official order.

(iv) They are not animals. They can’t eat raw meat.

A. If they were animals, they could eat raw meat.

(v) I am not a hero. I will not fight with hundred people.

A. If I were a hero, I would fight with hundred people.

4. Impossible Condition/Unfulfilled Condition: This condition deals with the completed

actions/conditions which we can’t fulfill in the present or future. So these remain as unfulfilled
conditions.

Note: The questions should be in the past tense. If the question is positive, we will use negative in
the answer. If the question is negative, we will use positive in the answer.

Structure : If + S + had + V3 + O, S + would/should + have + V3 + O

(If + Past Perfect tense, Conditional Perfect Tense)

Eg :i) Hari studied well. He got good marks.

A) if Hari had not studied well, he would not have got good marks.

ii) She didn’t sing well. She didn’t win the prize.

A) If she had sung well, she would have won the prize.

iii)The driver was careless. So he met with an accident.

A) If the driver had not been careless, he would not have met with an accident.

iv) He did not have enough money. He did not help you.

A) If he had had enough money, He would have helped you.

v) She had enough time so she did not have pending works.

A) If she had not had enough time, she would have had pending works.

vi) He invited me so I attended the function.

A) If he had not invited me, I would not have attended the function.

vii) I went to village to meet my friends and relatives.

A) If I had not gone to my village, I would not have met my friends and relatives.

viii) She did not make mistake. She fought for justice.

A) If she had made mistake, she would not have fought for justice.

ix) They applied for jobs. They were selected.

A) If they had not applied for jobs, they would not have been selected.

x) We reached the station in time so we didn’t miss the train.

A) if we had not reached the station in time, we would have missed the train.

Inversion Method: We can make the Unfulfilled condition without using the conjunction ‘if’.

Eg: 1. If he had invited me, I would have attended the party.

A. Had he invited me, I would have attended the party.

2. If she had asked him, he would have helped her.

A. Had she asked him, he would have helped her.

3. They did not prepare well so they failed in the exams.

A. Had they prepared well, they would not have failed in the exams.

4. We did not have enough time. We did not complete the project.

A. Had we had enough time, we would have completed the project.

5. It did not work properly so I gave it for repair.

A. Had it worked properly, I would not have given it for repair.