Department of English March 2024

Second year S2

Grammar

LESSON 4: ADVERBIAL CLAUSES OF CONDITION (Part 1)

1. Complex sentences with adverbial clauses of condition (conditional sentences/

conditionals) are used to refer to an event, described by the main clause, that
depends on another event (condition), described in the subordinate clause.
Conditions are referred to as real or unreal.
2. Conditional clauses generally contain ‘any- words’ (such as any, ever, yet, ..etc instead
of ‘some- words’; such as, some, always, already..etc

If you ever have any problems, do not hesitate to contact me.

3. Adv clauses of condition are introduced by the following subordinators:

If, if………then, unless, what if, say, so/as long as, assuming (that), given that, once,
in case (that), on (the) condition that, suppose/ supposing (that), provided/
providing (that) = as/ so long as
You can’t travel to Canada unless you have a visa.

As long as you tidy up your room now, you can have a one hour screen time later.

Suppose/ supposing (that) I wrote a novel, who would venture to publish it?

What if we move the picture over here, will it look better?

If it hadn’t been for the flood, we would have had a good harvest.

 The conjunction “once” has different meanings; 1- ‘as soon as’ and 2- if (ever). It
introduces clauses of time (1) or condition (2).
 When “Only if” is placed at the beginning of the conditional sentence, it causes
inversion in the main clause

You will pass the test only if you study hard.

Only if you study hard, will you pass the test.

 “if” when combined with the modal be +to-infinitive in the subordinate clause
generally correlates with another modal verb or a modal expression in the main
clause:

If everyone is to hear you, you must speak up.

We ought to redouble our efforts if the profits of our company are to be increased.
He should leave school now if he is to catch the bus at 2

 If not/ unless are interchangeable except in certain type 1 sentences

If you don’t /unless you change your mind, I won’t be able to help you.

I’ll be surprised if you don’t succeed in the contest. (‘if … not’ is used an afterthought contrary
to ‘unless’ which means ‘except on the condition that’)

In the following example where “unless” = except on the condition that, the meaning will
completely change if it is replaced by “if … not”. This type of ‘unless- clause’ follows the main
clause and is usually separated by a comma or dash:

I couldn’t have got to the meeting in time – unless, of course, I had caught an earlier train.

I couldn’t have got to the meeting in time if I hadn’t caught an earlier train. (this sentence
conveys the opposite meaning of the previous one).

4. An adv clause of condition can be joined asyndetically provided that it has inverted
word order:

Should any inconvenience occur during your visit, contact the police officer.

 ‘if’ is sometimes left out at the beginning of a sentence, especially when the speaker
is making a stipulation or a threat. This is generally limited to the informal style of
speaking.

You want to get in, you pay like everybody else.

5. Regarding conditional clauses and their varied structure, two criteria should be taken
into account : the time reference and presumed reality or unreality of the situation
described. The purpose is to determine the choice of verb forms in conditional
sentences.
 Type 1: situation thought of as real; present, past of future time reference.
 Type 2: situation thought of as unreal or hypothetical; present or future time
reference.
 Type 3: situation thought of as unreal; past time reference.

Type 1 conditionals fall into the following subtypes:

A Conditional clause type 1 is a structure used for referring to possibilities in the

present or in the future

a) If domestic animals are endangered, they are normally protected by law. (real
condition referring to the present
b) If she was asked to parties, she always brought her daughter in law along. (real
condition referring to the past).
c) If I need legal advice, I will consult my lawyer. (real condition referring to the future).
d) If he visited Italy last summer, he is sure to know a few words of Italian.
If he visited Italy last summer, he will probably tell you about it sooner or later. (real
condition with mixed time reference)

 Modal verbs will and would can be used in type 1 to highlight willingness or
unwillingness
a) If you would wait a moment, I’ll call the house owner. (polite request)
b) If you would/will pay the house rent, we will agree to give you back your belongings.
(reference to willingness)

If you won’t stop smoking, you can only expect to have a bad cough. (reference to
unwillingness).

c) I will give you 100 dollars if it will help you launch the project. (contrary to the
standard model, the situation described in the main clause is likely to happen prior
to the context referred to in the conditional clause)
d) If you happen to see Ahmed, tell him to call me this evening. (the use of the
imperative mood in the main clause).
 Possible variations of the basic form (if + present + future)
1. If + present +may/might ( possibility)
2. If + present + may or can (permission or ability)
3. If + present + must, should (request or advice) Variations of the main clause
4. If + two present tenses (habitual results)
5. If + present continuous
6. If + present perfect Variations of the if- clause

 Type 1 and Type 2 sentences have different implications:

Type 1 conditional clause Type 2 conditional clause

 Subjunctive in the main clause
 Past simple/past subjunctive in the
conditional clause
If +simple present future (= will+ If+ simple past conditional (=
bare infinitive) would+ bare infinitive)
If I lose my job, I’ll go on the dole. (job If I lost my job, I’d go on the dole. (job
position insecure) position secure)
 Type 2 conditionals fall into the following subtypes:

A Conditional clause type 2 is a structure used for referring to unreal situation in the
present or in the future

{there is no difference in time between the first and second types of conditional
clauses. Type 2, like type 1 refers to the present or future. the past tense used in the if-
clause refers to unreality or improbability, but not a true past.

a) if I knew Korean, I’d talk to those tourists at the park. (unreal condition referring to
the present or the future)

b) would it be alright if I took a chair from this room? ( polite request)

If you took a taxi, you’d be in time for the meeting. (humble and reserved advice)

Type 2 variations
1) Variations of the main clause:
 The auxiliary used in the main clause is ‘would’; however, in some cases (BrE) we may
find ‘should’

-If you would turn down the volume of the TV, I would be able to put your brother to sleep.

-If you would save your money, you would be able to plan for your summer vacation.

-We should be grateful if you would be so kind and inform us about the results as soon as
possible.

 Might or could may be used instead of would: if I knew her number I could ring her up
 The continuous conditional form may be used instead of the simple conditional form:

Ahmed is on holiday; he is touring Ghardaia. If I were on Holiday I would be touring Ghardaia

too.

 When expressing habitual reactions in the past, we use if+ past tense + past tense:

if anyone asked him for help he never hesitated.

2) Variations of the if-clause:

 When the verb ‘to be’ is used in type 2 conditional clauses, it can be employed in the
form of the past simple (was) or past subjunctive (were) to be more formal

If I was/ were fluent in German, I would be a better translator.

 If+ past continuous: if my car was working I would drive you home.
 If+ past perfect: if he had taken my advice he would be a rich man now (mixture of
types 2& 3)
  The use of ‘should’ to state that something is not probable to happen.:

If we should finish early this afternoon, you could catch the second train.

 to refer to an unreal or unlikely future event, we use the modal expression ‘was/
were’ in the conditional clause (Example 1). This structure is also used with the
impersonal ‘it’ and a negative verb (example 2).

What would you say if I were to ask you to rent me your house?

If it weren’t for her dad’s money, she wouldn’t spend such a huge amount on her birthday
party.

 Variation in the use of ‘was/ were to’ (referring to the future) and the modal
expression ‘be+ to-infinitive’ (denoting obligation due to a previous arrangement) in
the past.

If they were to contact the head of department, the problem of the lack of rooms would be
settled rapidly.

If they were to contact the head of department, they should have done so immediately.

Type 3 conditional clauses express the speaker’s belief that the hypothetical condition was
not fulfilled. It generally includes ‘would’ (or occasionally ‘should’) in the main clause, and
the past perfect form in the conditional clause.

A Conditional clause type 3 is a structure used for referring to unreal situation in the past. We
use conditional type 3 to talk about situations which DID NOT HAPPEN in the past.

 Type 3 conditionals can have direct or inverted word order

If the members of the parliament had acted sooner, they would have prevented the war.

had the members of the parliament acted sooner, they would have prevented the war.

 Type 3 conditional clauses fall into the following subtypes:

a) The use of modals in the main or/ and the conditional clause)

If he had known the truth, he could have told us what to do.

If he were to have asked me/ should he have asked me, I would have been only too
willing to help. (formal)
b) conditionals used to talk about present and future situations which are no longer
possible

If my grandmother had been alive, she would have donated all her properties. the same
situation could be described with the type 2 model: If she were… she would..
 c) A combination of two types ‘ 2 and 3)to refer to situations, with a past time condition
and a present time consequence

If the journalist hadn’t escaped from the bombings in Ghaza, he wouldn’t have been in
Turkey now. (the same situation can be described by this model “ if he hadn’t … he
wouldn’t be…” )

If I had caught that plane I would be dead now.

d) the condition refers to the past and the consequence to the present= type 2 main
clause + type 3 conditional clause

If I had bought that dress yesterday, I would wear it to the next Eid fest.

 consequence refers to the past. Type 3 main clause + type 2 conditional clause

If you were more considerate, you would have written back to her long ago.

in reported speech, verb forms in type 2 and type 3 conditionals remain unchanged.

He concluded that if he were better qualified he would apply for the job.

PRACTICE
EXERCISE 1: complete these conditional sentences with a main clause or a subordinate
clause.

A. Type 1 conditionals.
1. I’ll let you take my book on the understanding that…………..
2. I’ll accept your apologies only on condition that…………….
3. If you continue to make steady progress, …………………..
4. We’ll just manage to meet the deadline if ………..
5. Ok…………….. if you will pay for food.
6. If you are really interested, …………
B. Type 2 conditionals
1. Assuming you had a long weekend, ……….
2. If I saw a house on fire, ………
3. If we get lost in a forest…………….
4. If it were not for my family, ………….
5. Should the charges exceed fifty pounds, the trainee ……..
6. If you were to choose …………
C. Type 3 conditionals
1. Our internal group wouldn’t have split up if ……………
2. If it hadn’t been for the referee, ………..
3. I wouldn’t have married him even if …………….
4. If only you had participated in the PhD contest………………..
5. If I hadn’t taken the necessary measures……………
6. My ancestors wouldn’t have sold the estate if………..

EXERCISE 2: paraphrase these sentences so as to use adverbial clauses of condition. Use

inversion where necessary .

1. Please do take a seat and I’ll bring you some coffee. If you…………….
2. Their partnership was doomed because of their because of their mutual distrust.
Had……….
3. My classmate didn’t answer her phone call because the teacher didn’t allow her. If
it…………..
4. She won’t get married if her parents disapprove of the match. Unless…………..
5. If you happen to find your car keys, let me know at once. Should…………………..
6. The road won’t be opened next week unless construction workers accelerate the
construction speed. Provided………………….