The conditional tenses
219 The present conditional tense
A This is formed with would/should + infinitive for the first person and
would -i- infinitive for the other persons.
. ,,».j -i-i-i-.ij …^.fc
B
Affirmative Negative
Interrogative
Negative interrogative
/ would/I’d work or 1 should work
you would/you ’d work etc.
/ would not/wouldn ’t work or
/ should not/shouldn 7 work
you would not/wouldn’t work etc.
would/should 1 work?
would you work? etc.
should I not/shouldn’t I work?
would you not/would* ’t you work? etc.
It is used:
(a) In conditional sentences (see 221-9).
(b) In special uses of would and should (see chapter 22).
(c) As a past equivalent of the future simple, would/chould must be used instead of will/shall when the main verb of the sentence is in the past tense: t
I hope (that) I will/shall succeed.
1 hoped (that) 1 would/should succeed. I know (that) he unit be in time. I knew (that) he would be in time. He thinks (that) they will give him a visa. He thought (that) they would give him a visa.
1 expect (that) the plane will be diverted. I expected (that) the plane would be diverted. (For will/shall, would/should in indirect speech, we chapter 31.)
220 The perfect conditional tense
A This is formed with would/should and the perfect infinitive:
• • •• i «-» i- -t.j
1 IU3 la IV! lin.u mill »» *>«••« _.
Affirmative / would/should have worked
you would have worked etc.
Negative / would not/should not have worked etc.
Interrogative would/should I have worked? etc.
Negative interrogative should / not have/shouldn ’t I have worked? would you not have/wouldn’t you have worked? etc.
Other contractions as in 219,
Affirmative
Negative Interrogative Negative interrogative
196
221
A
21 Conditional B It is used:
(a) In conditional sentences (see 221-9).
(b) In special uses of wou!d and should (see 230-7).
(c) As a past equivalent of the future perfect tense: I hope he will have finished before we get back.
I hoped he would have finished before we got back.
Conditional sentences
Conditional sentences have two parts: the if-clause and the main clause. In the sentence If it rains I shall stay at home ’If it rains’ is the ifclause, and ’I shall stay at home’ is the main clause. There are three kinds of conditional sentences. Each kind contains a different pair of tenses. With each type certain variations are possible but students who are studying the conditional for the first time should ignore these and concentrate on the bask forms.
L Conditional sentences type 1: probable
i The verb in the if-clause is in the present tense; the verb in the main clause is in the future simple. It doesn’t matter which comes first. If he runs he ’It get there in time. The cat will scratch you if you pull her tail.
This type of sentence implies that the action in the if-clause is quite probable.
Note that the meaning here is present or future, but the verb in the ifclause is in a present, not a future tense, if + will/would is only possible with certain special meanings. (See 224.) Possible variations of the basic form Variations of the main clause Instead of if + present + future, we may have:
(a) if + present + may/might (possibility)
If the fog gets thicker the plane may/might be diverted. (Perhaps the plane will be diverted.)
(b) if -i- present + may (permission) or can (permission or ability) If your documents are in order you may/can leave at once. (permission)
If it stops snowing we can go out. (permission or ability)
(c) if + present + must, should or any expression of command, request or advice
If you want to lose weight you must/should eat less bread. If you want to lose weight you had better eat less bread. If you want to lose weight eat less bread, ’fyou see Tom tomorrow could you ask him to ring me?
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21 Conditional
(d) if + present + anotner present tense
if + two present tenses is used to express automatic or habitual
results:
If you heat ice it turns to wafer, (will turn is alto possible.) // there is a shortage of any ”product prices of that product go up.
(e) When if is used tojnean as/since (see 338 A), a variety of tenses can be used in the main clause:
Ann hates London. – If she hates it why dots she live there?/she ought to move out. (Ifw could replace If she hates it here.) This is not, of course, a true conditional clause^.
2 Variations of the if-dause
Instead of if + present tense, we can have:
(a) if + present continuous, to indicate a present action or a future arrangement
If you are waiting for a bus (present action) you’d better join the
queue.
If you are looking for Peter (present action) you’ll find him upstairs.
If you are staying for another night (future arrangement) I’ll ask the jj
manager to give you a better room. 1
(b) if + present perfect i If you have finished dinner I’ll ask the waiter for the bill.
If he has written the letter I ’II post it.
If they haven’t seen the museum we ’d better go there today.
222 Conditional sentences type 2
A The verb in the if-clause is in the past tense; the verb in the main clause is in the conditional tense:
// / had a map I would lend it to you. (But I haven’t a map. The
meaning here is present.)
If someone tried to blackmail me I would tell the police. (But! don’t
expect that anyone will try to blackmafl me. The meaning here is
future.)
There is no difference in time between the first and second types of conditional sentence. Type 2, like type 1, refers to the present or future, and the past tense in the if-clause is not a true past but a subjunctive, which indicates unreality (as in the first example above) or improbability (as in the second example above).
B Type 2 is used:
1 When the supposition is contrary to known facts:
// / lived near! my office I’d be in time for work. (But I don’t live near my office.)
// / were you I’d plant some trees round the house. (But I am not you.)
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198
199
21 Conditional
If anyone interfused him he got angry, (whenever anyone
55TS1 Scarcity of anything pnces of that thing went uP. ,,, itr f”s Used to mean ’as’ or ’since1, a variety of tenses is (&£Tm£ -a* clause, if .past tense here has a past mearung.
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££w-*«• – // ^ -* *••« *«* «* ^he buy/has he
f±’^2 ^1^. – If you knew she was short of inZyyou should have lent her some./why didn ’t you lend her some?
•> Variations of the if-clause
” Instead of if + simple past we can have:
’31 l^:l^^ and), hate fly,ng. If we were going by boa, I’d
’VMW forking I would/could dnve you to the station. <b) if* past•*•*** dicf hg wou[a ^ a rich man now. ,T J£££T- i- » -I 3. FT more „_*. see 223., (For if-would, see 224.)
223 Conditional sentences type 3
. Thp verb in the jf-clausc is in the past perfect tense; the verb HI the
^sinV” perfect conditional. The time is past and the iTdiuon” nn,’« be -Tfiiled because the act.on in the if-clause d,dn t
HaPP/n had knou-n that you were coming 1 would have met you at the ,,r*>rt (But I didn’t know, so i didn’t come.) ”f% had Hied t<> leave the country he would have been stopped at the frontier. (But he didn’t try.) K Possible vanauons of the basic form
i A idht may be used instead of would: ’ C° /Vu/it«A,« earlier we could have saved his life, (ability)
ff I kndZnd him earlier we might have saved his life, (poss.bd.ty) Ifluraccents had been in order we could have left at once. (ability or permission)
„« form of the perfect conditional may be used:
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,hP oast perfect continuous in the if-clause:
3 WC7LT^^W’ ,f, hadn’t o«n wearing on* I’d have been
seriously toured.
21 Conditional
\
4 A combination of types 2 and 3 is possible:
The plane I intended to catch crashed and everyone was killed. If I
had caught that plane I would be dead now or
/ would have been killed, (type 3)
If I had worked harder at school / would be sitting in a comfortable
office now; I wouldn ’t be sweeping the streets. (But I didn’t work
hard at school and now I am sweeping the streets.)
5 had can be placed first and the if omitted:
If you had obeyed orders this disaster would not have happened * Had you obeyed orders this disaster would not have happened.
224 Special uses of will/would and should in if-clauses
Normally these auxiliaries are not used after if in conditional sentences. There are, however, certain exceptions.
A if you will/would is often used in polite requests, would is the more polite form.
If you will/would wait a moment I’ll see if Mr Jones is free. (Please wait.)
/ would be very grateful if you would make the arrangements for me. if you would + infinitive is often used alone when the request is one which would normally be made in the circumstances. The speaker assumes that the other person will comply as a matter of course.
If you ’dftll up this form.
(in a hotel) If you ’d just sign the register.
(in a shop) If you ’d put your address on the back of the cheque.
(in a classroom) If you ’d open your books.
B if 4 will/would can be used with all persons to indicate willingness: If he ’II listen to me I’ll be able to kelp him, (If he is willing to listen . . 😉
// Tom would tell me what he wants for his dinner I’d cook it for m him. (The speaker implies that Tom is unwilling to tell her.) won’t used in this way can mean ’refuse’:
If he won’t listen to me I can’t help him. (If he is unwilling to listen/If he refuses to listen . . .) ,
If they won’t accept a cheque we ’II have to pay cash. (If they refuse to accept. . .)
C will can be used to express obstinate insistence (230 B):
If you >will play the drums all night no wonder the neighbours complain. (If you insist on playing . . .)
D if + would like/care can be used instead of if + want/wish and is more polite:
If you would like to come I’ll get a ticket for you.
If you ’d can to see the photographs I’ll bring tktm round.
If he ’d like to leave his car here he can.
B
D
200
201
21 Conditional
But if we rearrange such sentences so that would like has no object, we can drop the would:
If you like I’ll get a ticket for you but
If you ’d like a ticket I’ll get one for you.
If he likes he can leave his car here but
If he’d like to leave his car here he can or
He can leave it here if he’d like to.
if + should can be used in type 1 to indicate that the action, though possible, is not very likely. It is usually combined with an imperative and is chiefly used in written instructions:
If you should have any difficulty in getting spare parts ring this
number.
If these biscuits should arrive in a damaged condition please inform
the factory at once. should can be placed first and the if omitted:
Should these biscuits arrive . . . (See 225 B.)
225 if + were and inversion of subject and auxiliary A if + were instead of if + was
1 Usually either can be used, were being more likely in formal English:
If she was/were offered the job she ’d take it. If Tom was/were here he ’d know what to do.
2 But were is a little more usual than was in the advice form /// were/ was you I would/should . . . :
’If I were you I would wait a bit,’ he said. (See 287 C.) were is also more usual in the infinitive construction:
If Peter were/was to apply for the post he’d get it. (See 222 B.)
3 were, not was, is used when the auxiliary is placed first:
Were I Tom I would refuse. (See B below.)
When if means ’since’ (see 222 C) was cannot be replaced by were, were can replace was after if only (see 228) and wish (see 300).
B if + subject + auxiliary can be replaced in formal English by inversion of auxiliary and subject with if omitted:
/// were in his shoes …» Were I in his shoes . . .
If you should require anything…»
Should you require anything. . .
If he had known . . . – Had he known. . .
226 if, even if, whether, unless, but for> otherwise, provided, suppose
A even if – e.ven though Compare:
You must go tomorrow if you are ready and You must go tomorrow men if you aren’t ready.
202
21 Conditional
H
-* ^wnai
B whether … or » if… or
You must go tomorrow whether you are ready or not. C unless + affirmative ver|> * if + negative Unless you start at once you ’II be late * If you don’t start at once you ’II be late. Unless you had a permit you couldn ’t get a job * I/’you hadn’t a permit you couldn’t get a job. Note the difference between:
(a) Don’t call *me if you need help and
(b) Don’t call me unless you need help.
In (a) he won’t .help her even if she needs help.
In (b) he will help her if she needs help but doesn’t want
non-urgent calls.
unless -t- he’d/you’d like/prefer etc. normally replaces if he/you wouldn’t like etc.:
I’ll ask Tom, unless you ’d prefer me to ask/unless you ’d rather I asked Bill.
D but for » ’if it were not for/if it hadn’t been for’
My father pays my fees. But for that I wouldn ’t be here. The car broke down. But for that we would have been in time. E otherwise* ’if this doesn’t happen/didn’t happen/hadn’t happened’ We must be back before midnight; otherwise we ’II be locked out * If we are not back by midnight we’ll be locked out. Her father pays her fees; otherwise she wouldn’t be here If her father didn ’t pay her fees she wouldn’t be here. I used my calculator; otherwise I’d have taken longer If I hadn ’t used my calculator I’d have taken longer. In colloquial English or (-t- else) can often replace otherwise: We must be early or (else) we won’t get a seat.
provided (that) can replace if when there is a strong idea of limitation or restriction. It is chiefly used with permission.
You can camp here provided you leave no mess. suppose/supposing . . . ? – what if. . . ?
Suppose the plane is late? –
What if/What will happen if the plane is late?
Suppose no one had been there? –
What if no one had been there? suppose can also introduce suggestions:
Suppose you ask him/Why don ’fyou ask him?
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200
21 Conditional
’ An in case clause gives a reason for the action in the main clause: Some cyclists carry repair outfits in case they have a puncture = Some cyclists carry repair outfits because they may have/because it is possible they will have a puncture.
1 always slept by the phone in case he rang during the night = I always slept by the phone because (I knew) he might ring during the night.
An in case clause can be dropped without changing the meaning of the main clause. In a conditional sentence, however, the action in the main clause depends on the action in the if-clause, and if the if-clause is dropped the meaning of the main clause changes. Compare:
(a) BILL: /’// come tomorrow in case Ann wants me and
(b) TOM: /’// come tomorrow if Ann wants me.
In (a) perhaps Ann will want Bill, perhaps she won’t. But Bill will come anyway. His action doesn’t depend on Ann’s, in case Ann wants me could be omitted without changing the meaning of the main verb. . In (b), a conditional sentence, Tom will only come if Ann asks him. His action depends on hers. We cannot remove if Ann wants me without changing the meaning of the main verb.
B An in case clause is normally placed after the main clause, not before it. Note, however, that in case of + noun = if there is a/an + noun: In case of accident phone 999 = If there is an accident phone 999. This may have led to the confusion of if-clauses and in case clauses.
228 if only
only can be placed after if and indicates hope, a wish or regret, according to the tense used with it.
A if only + present tense/will expresses hope: // only he comes in time = We hope he will come in time. If only he will listen to her = We hope he will be willing to listen to her.
B if only + past/past perfect expresses regret (see also wish + past/past perfect. 300):
If only he didn ’t smoke! =
We wish he didn’t smoke or We are sorry he smokes.
If only ( = I/We wish) Tom were here!
If only you hadn’t said. ’Liar’! *
We wish you hadn’t said. ’Liar’/We are sorry you said. ’Liar’.
C if only •*• would can express regret tbout a present action as an alternative to if only + past tense (it has the same meaning as wish + would):
If only he would drive more slowly! = We an sorry that he isn ’t willing to drive more slowly or a not very hopeful wish concerning the future:
204
229
A
21 Conditional
If only (m I/We wish) the rain would stop! (We don’t really expect it to stop.)
(See also wish, 300-1.)
if only clauses can stand alone as above or form part of a full conditional sentence.
J9 Conditional sentences in indirect speech A Type 1, basic form. The tenses here change in the usual way: He said. ’If I catch the plane I’ll be home by five’ » He said that if he caught the plane he would be home by five. Type 2, basic form. No tense changes:
’If / had a permit I could get a job,’ he said = He said that if he had a permit he could get a job. Type 3, basic form. No tense changes:
’If she had loved Tom,’ he said. ’~ke wouldn ’t have left him’ H« said that if she had loved Tom she vwuldn’t have left him.
) Examples of if-clauses -t- commands and requests in indirect speech (see also 320-1):
He said, ’If’you have time wash the floor’ or
He said, ’If you have time would you wash the floor?’ »
He told/asked me to wash the floor if I had time (note change of
order) or
He said that if I had time I was to wash the floor. ’If you see Ann ask her to ring me,’ he said * He said that if I saw Ann I was to ask her to ring him. (The infinitive construction here would be clumsy and less clear.) PETER (on phone): If you miss the last bus get a taxi Peter says that if we miss the last bus we are to get a taxi. (The infinitive construction would be much less usual here.) (For if you would . . . requests, see 284 F.) if-clauses + expressions of advice in indirect speech: ’Ifyou f«el HI,’she said, ’why don’t you go to bed?’or ’.. .you’d better go to bed’ She advised me toga to bed if I felt ill or Shi said that if I felt ill I’d better/I should go to bed. ’If I wen you I’d stop taking pills,’ she said She advised me to stop taking pills.
if-clauses + questions are usually reported with the if-clause last: ’If the baby is a girt what will they call her?’ he wondered H* wondend what they would call the baby if it was a girl. ’If the door is locked what shall I do?’ she asked She asked what she would do if the door was locked.
205