CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

Sentence Structure
The basic type of a conditional sentence follows the syntactic pattern of a complex sentence
with initial subordinate clause most often introduced by the subordinating conjunction if.
(1) If he reads the book carefully, he will acquire some knowledge of methaphysics.
The subordinate clause is not restricted to initial position only but may also follow the main
clause.
(2) We won’t go bankrupt, if we budget carefully.
The subordinate clause can be introduced with other subordinating conjunctions besides if,
such as in case, provided, supposing, unless, assuming, etc.
(3) Unless they can get people in the organization to do what must be done, they will not
succeed.
(4) The meeting will start at 5:30, provided (that) there is a quorum.
(5) Assuming (that) everybody agrees, the project will get, the project will get under way next
month.
An issue to mention here that will be discussed later on is that parallel to the S-V-O structure
of the subordinate clause we can distinguish alternatives with subject-verb inversion that lack
a subordinating conjunction.
(6) Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I would not have believed it. (ACGEL: 1094)
Example 6 is an alternative to the basic type “If I had not seen it with my own eyes, I would
not have believed it.”

Types of Conditional Sentences

Conditional sentences are categorised into open and remote conditionals as regards the time
reference both in the subordinate clause and the main clause and the respective tense-aspect-
modality verb phrases that denote present, future, and past time in the discourse.

Open conditionals
Open conditionals are also referred to as ‘real’ as the main clause does not specify whether
the condition set up in the subordinate clause is fulfilled or not, though in quite a number of
cases the interpretation is that it is inevitable or already decided. The matrix of an open
conditional requires Present Simple or Present Progressive in the subordinate clause and
either Present Simple or a linguistic unit denoting future-time reference in the main clause –
Future simple will do being one of the possibilities.
(7) If Jill is here, she is/will be in her office.
(8) If it rains tomorrow, we are going to take a taxi.
(9) If you touch that wire, you will get an electric shock.
A point to draw attention to is the alternative variant with the modal verb should substituting
for the conjunction if in a subject-verb inversion word order pattern.
(10) Should you need further information, don’t hesitate to contact us. (standard official letter
ending)
(11) Should things go well, it would be nice to see the likes of Darren Patterson and Keith
Rowland getting a run.
Examples (10) and (11) illustrate formal context in which that pattern is widely used.
The types of open conditionals are not constrained only to a parallel time-reference in the
subordinate clause and the main clause and the apodosis. Various combinations determined
by the respective implicatures can pop up in a natural discourse.
(12) If he knows the answer, he got it from you.
The condition set up in the subordinate clause is regarded as real and is expressed by present
simple. The time reference in the apodosis is past, but the condition is interpreted as fulfilled.

Remote conditionals
Remote conditionals are often referred to as unreal as the condition set up in the subordinate
clause is hypothetical and evokes a hypothetical consequence in the main clause. Unlike with
the open conditionals remote conditionals specify explicitly that the condition is not fulfilled.
The two basic types of conditionals are presented in table below.

Verb Phrases in Hypothetical Conditions

conditional clause main clause

Second Conditional - present hypothetical past past modal
and future time reference
Third Conditional - past time hypothetical past Past perfective
reference perfect modal

The hypothetical conditions set up in the subordinate clause are counterfactual to reality, but
the distinction between the two types is the time-reference. A hypothetical condition with
present and future time reference is grammatically expressed by Past Simple or Past
Progressive in the subordinate clause, and a past modal verb in the main clause. That usage of
past tense is regarded as modal because it does not express temporal meaning. Instead it
signifies that the condition is hypothetical.
(13) If she tried harder next time, she would pass the examination.
The interpretation of the condition in sentence (13) is that the speaker actually doubts whether
she will try harder in the future.
(14) If he paid the fare, I could/might/would/ should take a taxi.
The interpretation of the condition in sentence (14) is that it is not likely for him to pay the
fare.
The choice of the past modal depends on the degrees of likelihood within the domain of non-
factuality.
The modal verb would is most frequent in the main clause, and though it is generally accepted
that it does not necessarily bear an additional modal meaning , yet one might argue that it is
not always the case. If we compare sentences (15) and (16), the interpretations are quite
different.
(15) If they were alive, they would be moving around.
(16) If they were alive, they could be moving around.
Would in sentence (15) denotes certainty about the event’s occurrence in the non-factual
reality, whereas could denotes just a possibility of moving around. In both sentences the
interpretation of the condition is that they are not alive.
The hypothetical past progressive in the subordinate clause indicates an activity in progress
and is often used to indicate limited duration within the present time.
(17) If she were trying harder, her parents wouldn’t be so anxious.
The hypothetical indicative was for 1st and 3rd person singular is often substituted for the
Subjunctive were.
(18) If she was/were still in Paris, she would call on him this evening.
The alternative to the conjunction if is a subject verb inversion with were and should.
(19) Were she still in Paris, she would call on him this evening.
(20) Should she be still in Paris, she would call on him this evening.
The construction be + infinitive (were to) often occurs in hypothetical conditional clauses
with present-time reference either with subject verb inversion or introduced after the
conjunction if.
(21) But were he to come, he would most likely be invited before the summit starts.
(22) If he were to come, he would most likely be invited before the summit.
A hypothetical conditional with past time reference is grammatically expressed by the
hypothetical past perfect or past perfect progressive in the subordinate clause and a past
perfective modal in the main clause.
(23) If they had invited him to the conference, he would have attended.
(24) If they had invited him to the conference, he might have attended.
Instead of would, another past perfective modal could be used as regards the degrees of
likelihood and the meaning implied. If we substitute might for would in example (24), the
interpretation is slightly different.
The perfective modal with might suggests that the speaker speculates about a possibility
he/she is not that certain about in the domain of non-factuality as he/she is when using would.
A subject-verb inversion is frequent with remote past conditionals.
(25) Had I had any inkling of this, I would have acted different.
Example (25) is an alternative to the basic type (26).
(26) If I had had any inkling of this, I would have acted differently.
Just like the case with the open conditionals, remote conditionals are not restricted to parallel
time-reference in the subordinate clause and the main clause.
The most distinct and frequent types are the combinations illustrated in examples (27) and
(28), known as Mixed Conditional Sentences.
(27) If I had followed your advice, I would be rich now.
The hypothetical condition in the subordinate clause is set up in the past expressed by past
perfect, and the hypothetical consequences in the main clause refer to present time and are
expressed by a past modal.
(28) If I were ill, I would have stayed at home.
The hypothetical condition is set up at present expressed by the modal past simple, whereas
the time-reference in the main clause is past, expressed by past perfect. In both clauses, the
hypothetical situation is counterfactual to the designated reality