CONDITIONAL SENTENCE

A sentence expressing a condition along with its consequence.

If you work hard, you will become a hard-worker.
1. Parts
There are two parts:
o CONDTION/ CONDITIONAL CLAUSE: IT STARTS WITH A CONDITIONAL
MARKER AND STATES A CONDITION.
CONDITIONAL MARKERS:
Words starting the condition/ words introducing the condition.
(If/ Unless/ When/ If not/ In case/ On condition that / Provided that /
Providing that / as long as / so long as)
If you learn more, you will become wiser.
UNLESS: Negative Condition (Except if / If NOT)
Unless you go, I will get angry.
Meaning: If you do not go, I will get angry
Except for the condition that you go, I will get angry.
When (We are sure of the result)
When Jack enters home, he shouts.
In Case (Double Sided Condition)
If it rains, I will take the umbrella.
Meaning: I do not take the umbrella till it rains.
In case it rains, I will take the umbrella.
Meaning: I take the umbrella whether it rained or not.
If you go out, I will call the police.
On condition that you go out, I will call the police.
Providing that you go out, I will call the police.
Provided that / so long as / as long as
KEEP IN MIND THAT CONDITIONAL CLAUSE CAN ONLY BE POSITIVE OR
NEGATIVE.
 IT CANNOT BE INTEROGATIVE / IMPERATIVE / OPTATIVE /
EXCLAMATORY.
If you come / if you do not come
If do you come WRONG
If come WRONG
If I wish WRONG
If wow WRONG

o RESULT / RESULT CLAUSE: A part of conditional sentence showing the

consequence.
• Interrogative
Will you call me if I help you?
• Optative
If you help me, may God help you.
• Statement / Declarative
If you go out, I will / won’t call you.
 • Imperative
If you have questions, get out of the class.
• Exclamatory
If you help me, WOW! I can’t imagine it.
2. Structures
• Periodic Structure (Informal)
o If Clause / Conditional Clause + , + Result + .
If you give me a piece of paper, I will be so glad.
• Balanced Structure / Loose Structure (Formal)
o Result Clause / Result / Main Clause + If Clause / Conditional Clause + .
I will be so glad if you give me a piece of paper.
3. Kinds
There are two kinds:

Real / Possible Conditional Sentences

It denotes a possible condition with a possible result.
1. If you listen to me, you automatically understand me.
2. If you do not listen to me, you won’t understand me.
There are two categories or kinds:
o Zero / Balanced
It shows a general fact or sth generally acknowledged.
1. If + Present Tense , Present Tense
2. Present Tense + If + Present Tense
If you heat ice, it becomes water.
Ice becomes water if you heat it.
If you have not learned RESPECT, you are not wise.
If you have not lived in Afghanistan, you do not know what poverty is.
FURTHER USE:
It also shows present / past habits.
When you call Rob, he cries.
Rob cries when you call him.
When you called Rob, he cried.
Rob cried when you called him.
o First / Possible
It is a type of conditional sentence showing a possible condition with a
possible result in the present or in the future.
STRUCTURES:
If + Present Tense + , + Future Tense
If + Present Tense + , + Imperative Sentence
If you know what I say, I will start the next part.
If you have a problem, go out and solve it.
NOTE THAT ALL PRESENT TENSES CAN BE USED IN CONDITIONAL CLAUSE AS
WELL AS ALL FUTURE TENSES IN RESULT CLAUSE.
If + Simple Present / Present Continuous / Present Perfect / Present Perfect
Continuous.
Future simple / Future Continuous / Future Perfect / Future Perfect
Continuous
1. If you do your homework, you will be encouraged by your teacher.
2. If you are listening to music while walking, you are not going to
recognize people well.
FURTHER USES:
1. IT GIVES ORDER / COMMAND.
If you need more information, call me.
If they lose money, punish them.
2. IT SHOWS ACCIDENTAL ACTIONS.
 Showing accidental actions, we need to use (SHOULD in IF CLAUSE)
If you should see the manager, deliver my HELLOS.
Meaning: If you accidentally saw the manager, you can deliver my HELLOS.
If you should go out, buy me a laptop.
Meaning: If you accidentally went out, buy me a laptop.
WHILE USING SHOULD IN IF CLAUSE, DELETING IF IS POSSIBLE.
Should you see the manager, deliver my hellos.
Should you go out, buy me a laptop.
Unreal / Impossible conditional sentences
Are conditional sentences showing an impossible condition with an
impossible result.
If I were in the class, I would get angry at student A.
Meaning: I am not in the class and I cannot get angry at student A.
If student C had been present last day, she would have understood future
time clauses.
Meaning: She was absent and she could not understand future time
clauses.
TYPES OF UNREAL CONDITIONAL SENTENCES
1. Second conditional sentence
It expresses an unreal condition along with an unreal result in the present
or future.
• If I had money, I would give you now.
Meaning: I do not have money now, I cannot give you.
• If I saw a lion tomorrow, I would have a heart attack.
UNIMPLIED AND IMPLIED STRUCTURES
✓ If + simple past tense + , + subject + would + base verb
✓ Subject + would + base verb + if + simple past tense
 ✓ Were/was + Subject + ROTS + , + Subject + Would + Base Verb +
ROTS.
▪ If I had a pen, I would give it to student Z.
▪ I would give a pen to student Z if I had it.
▪ If I were you, I would study harder.
▪ Were I you, I would study harder.
▪ If I were in Kabul, I would be sad.
▪ Were I in Kabul, I would be sad.
▪ If I were in the class, I would ask you to speak up.
▪ Were I in the class, I would ask you to speak up.
FURTHER USES OF SECOND CONDITIONAL SENTENCE
1. It gives advice.
If I were you, I would speak up.
If I had the opportunity that you have, I would definitely get happy.
2. Talking and asking about unreal future events.
What would you do if you saw a tiger in the class tomorrow?
What would be your reaction if you got Crona Virus in the class tomorrow?
I would not show any reaction if I got Crona Virus in the class tomorrow.
Third Conditional Sentence
A type of conditional sentence expressing a past unreal condition along
with a past unreal result.
1. If + Past Perfect Tense + , + Subject + Would + Have + 3rd Form of a Verb
+ Obj. / Comp. (INFORMAL)
2. Subject + Would + Have + 3rd Form of a Verb + Obj. / Comp. + If + Past
Perfect Tense. (FORMAL)
If I had had enough money, I would have given you last day. (Periodic
Structure)
I would have given you money if I had had it last day. (Loose Structure)
Meaning: I did not have enough money last day, I could not give you.
If I had seen you last day, I would have told you the story. (Periodic
Structure)
I would have told you the story if I had seen you last day. (Loose Structure)
Meaning: I did not see you last day and I could not tell you the story.
If you had not come last day, you would not have understood the lesson.
(Periodic Structure)
You would not have understood the lesson if you had not come last day.
(Loose Structure)
Meaning: You came last day and you could understand the lesson.
If I had studied my lessons, I would have passed the test. (Periodic
Structure)
I would have passed the test if I had studied my lessons. (Loose Structure)
Meaning: I did not study and I did not pass the test.
IMPLIED THIRD CONDITIONAL SENTENCE
It is third conditional sentence not having a conditional marker and getting
used in spoken English.
Had + Subj. + Third Form of a Verb + Object / Comp. , Subject + Would +
Have + Third Form of a Verb + .
• Had I studied my lessons, I would have passed the test.
• Had you not come last day, you would not have understood your
lesson.
• Had I seen you last day, I would have told you the story.
• Had I had enough money, I would have given you last day.
MIXED CONDITIONAL SENTENCE
A type of conditional sentence in which the condition is from one type and the result
is from another type.
UNREAL CONDITIONAL CLAUSES
• IF + SIMPLE PAST TENSE
• IF + PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE + FUTURE TIME EXPRESSION
 • IF + PAST PERFECT TENSE
EX:
If I had some money, (Present Unreal Condition)
If I was traveling tomorrow, (Future Unreal Condition)
If I had seen you last day, (Past Unreal Condition)
UNREAL CONDITIONAL RESULTS
• WOULD + BASE VERB
• WOULD + BE + ING FORM + FUTURE TIME EXPRESSION
• WOULD + HAVE + THIRD FORM OF A VERB
EX:
I would help you. (Present Unreal Result)
I would be helping you tomorrow. (Future Unreal Result)
I would have helped you. (Past Unreal Result)
STRUCTURES OF MIXED CONDITIONAL SENTENCE:
 1. IF + SIMPLE PAST TENSE + , + SUBJECT + WOULD + BE + ING FORM + FUTURE
TIME EXPRESSION
2. IF + SIMPLE PAST TENESE + , + SUBJECT + WOULD + HAVE + THIRD FORM OF A
VERB
3. IF + PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE + FUTURE TIME EXPRESSION + , + SUBJECT +
WOULD + BASE VERB
4. IF + PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE + FUTURE TIME EXPRESSION + , + SUBJECT +
WOULD + HAVE + THIRD FORM OF A VERB
5. IF + PAST PERFECT TENSE + , + SUBJECT + WOULD + BASE VERB
6. IF + PAST PERFECT TENSE + , + SUBJECT + WOULD + BE + ING FORM + FUTURE
TIME EXPRESSION.
Examples:
✓ If I had seen you last day, I would be happy now.
✓ If my brother was coming tomorrow from Kabul, I would jump for joy now.
✓ If my sister had studied hard, her teacher would be happy now.
✓ I would have told you, if I was going abroad next week.
✓ If you were going out tomorrow, I would have bought a ticket for you.
✓ If you had invited your brother, mommy would be talking so happily tonight.