CONDITIONAL SENTENCE
Conditional sentences are sentences discussing factual implication or hypotethical situation and their consequences. Conditional sentences have two part: If-Clause and Result Clause. There are three kinds of conditional sentences. Each kind contains a different pair of tenses.
1. Conditional Sentence Type 1 (Real present/ True in the present or future)
· Definition : It is about something or condition that is possible to happen in the future.
· Function : Give statement that there is still a real possibility and implies the action in the If-clauses is quite possible.
· Formulation :
| If-Clause | Result Clause |
| Simple Present | Will / Can + Simple form |
Ø If + Subject + Present tense + (,) + Subject + Future tense
Example :
1. If I find the book, I will give it to you.
2. If she is here, I will be happy.
3. If they come here, we will help them.
4. If he does it, I will give him money.
5. If you leave the cage open, the bird will fly away.
Ø Subject + Future tense + if +subject + Present tense
Example:
1. I will help you if I have time.
2. She will be stupid if she is lazy.
3. He will do it if you visit him.
4. She will be angry if I do not visit her.
5. Rano will teach you if you come to his house.
Note: event though will is same with be going to, but be going to can not be used in conditional sentences.
2. Conditional Sentence Type 2 (Unreal present/ Untrue (Contrary to Fact) in the present/ future)
· Definition : It is about something or condition that is imposible to happen.
· Function : Gives statement that is impossible to happen and talks about situation that are contrary to fact i.e. situation that are the opposite of the true situation.
· Formulation :
| If-Clause | Result Clause |
| Simple Past | Would/ Could + Simple form |
Ø If + Subject + Simple past tense + (,) + Subject + Simple past future
Example :
1. If I didn’t pass the exam, I would repeat the test.
( I pass the exam, so I don’t repeat the test )
2. If she knew it, she would tell you.
( she doesn’t know it, so she doesn’t tell you)
3. If she were my mother, I would obey her.
( She isn’t my mother, so I don’t obey her)
4. If he didn’t do it, they wouldn’t do it.
( He does’t do it, so they do it)
5. If you were here, you would tell her about it.
( You are not here, so you don’t tell her about it)
Ø Subject + Simple past future + if +subject + Simple past tense
1. Elly would give him punishment if she were a teacher.
( Elly doesn’t give him punishment because she isn’t a teacher)
2. We would visit you if we knew your address.
( We don’t visit you because we don’t know your address)
Note: * if the fact positive, so if conditional is negative.
* Were is used for both singular and plural subject. Was is sometimes used in very informal speech but it is not generally considered grammatically acceptable.
3. Conditional Sentence Type 3 (Unreal past/ Untrue (Contrary to Fact) in the past)
· Definitin : it is about something or condition that is impossible to happen in the past time.
· Function : Gives statement that is impossible to happen in the past time.
· Formulation :
| If-Clause | Result Clause |
| Past Perfect Tense | Would/ Could have + Past Participle |
Ø If + Past Perfect tense + (,) + Past future perfect tense
Example :
1. If they had come earlier, they could have met me.
( they didn’t cone earlier, so they didn’t met me)
2. If he had done my job, I would have given him money.
( he didn’t do my job. Therefore, i didn’t give him money)
Ø Past future perfect tense + if + Simple perfect tense
Example :
1. My father would have sold the house if he has found the right buyer.
( My father didn’t sell teh house because he didn’t find the right buy
2. I would have gone out if I hadn’t been so tired last night.
( I didn’t go out because I was so tired last night)
Using progressive verb form in conditional sentence
It is used in progressive condition, this form is common in type 2 conditional sentences. It expresses an unfinished or continuing action or situation, which is the probable result of unreal condition.
Example :
1. She would be discussing the home work with Wahyu if she had a time.
2. They would be playing volly ball if it was holiday.
3. I would be happy if you accompanied me.
Using “mixed time” in conditional sentences
Sometimes Unreal Conditional sentences are mixed. This means that the time in the if-clause is not the same as the time in the result.
Example:
1. If she were my mother, i would be loving her so much.
2. If Ahmad spoke English, he would have been translator.
3. I would be proud of you if you won the competition.
Omiting “if”
Sometime if is omitted and the subject and verb are inverted.
Example:
1. Were she at home, thay would visit her.
(If she were at home, thay would visit her)
2. Should he asked her, she would marry him soon.
(If he asked her, she would marry him soon)
3. Had he studied hard, he would have passed the exam.
(If he had studied hard, he would have passed the exam)
Implied Condition
Often the if-clause is implied; not started. Conditional verbs are still used in the result clause.
Example:
1. I would have invited him, but i didn’t know his name.
2. She would have bough the coat, but i didn’t have enough money.
3. Ms. Ros would have punished her child, but she had to work.
Using as if / as though
Example:
1. She talks as if / as though she knew everything.
(She doesn’t know everything or she knows nothing)
2. He sings as if / as though he were a rock singer.
(He isn’t a rock singer)
3. She tells as if / as though she had attended the meeting.
(She didn’t attent the meeting)
Verb forms following “wish”
Wish used when the speaker wants reality to be different, to be exactly to be opposite.
There are three types of wish:
1. The future time form:
| Subject + wish + subject + would ..... Could ..... |
Example:
a. I wish Merry come to my office to interview.
b. It is raining, I wish it would stop.
c. I wish you to hurry.
2. The present time form:
| Subject + wish + subject + past tense ..... |
Example:
a. I wish I knw how to do it.
b. I wish Amir were here.
c. She wishes she could answer the question.
3. The past time form:
| Subject + wish + subject + past perfect tense...... |
Example:
a. I wish she had knocked the door before she enter the room.
b. They wish we had not forgotten his tasks.
c. She wishes she had been in Bali to holiday.
Using would to make wishes about the future
“Would” is usually used to indicate that the speaker wants something to happen or someone other than the speaker to do something in the future. The wish may or may not come true (be realized).
Example:
1. It is going to be a good movie. I wish it would be watched television tonight.
2. It is snowing. I wish it would make us play in the park.
3. They were going to go to Mecca. I wish they would not be forget me.
