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Conditionals (if, unless, as long as, provided, suppose, in case, etc.)

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Conditional clauses or if clauses describe the result of a certain condition. They are used to speculate about the result. The if clause tells you the condition (If I have time), and the main clause tells you the result (I’ll come to see you.)

We use it to talk about things that are generally true or scientific facts. We can use if or when.

  • If you mix yellow and blue (the condition), you get green (the main clause).
  • I usually take some aspirin (the main clause) when I get a headache (the conditional clause).
  • If it rains, the grass gets wet.

We talk about the future or present situations that we believe are possible or real to happen.

  • If the weather is fine (the condition), we will go for a walk (the main clause).
  • If he asks me, I’ll help him.
  •  I can’t stay in this flat unless I get a well-paid job.

= There is a real possibility that this condition will be fulfilled.

We talk about future or present situations that are impossible or unlikely to happen.

  • If we had a big garden (the condition), we would have a dog (the main clause).
  • If I had time tomorrow, I’d come.

= It’s very improbable; it’s a hypothetical situation, and we do not think it could happen.

Note

  •         If I were you, I wouldn’t trust him.

In this situation it is better to use were rather than was. Using was is more informal, it sounds uneducated.

We are talking about a condition in the past that did not happen, so it is an unreal past situation.

  • If he had asked me (the condition), I would have helped him (the main clause).
    But he didn’t ask me.
  • If you had studied hard, you would have passed the exam.
    But he didn’t study hard.

A mixed conditional is when the two parts of the conditional refer to different times. Mixed conditional clauses are of two types.

A: If you had gone to the dentist yesterday, your tooth wouldn’t hurt you now.

–>But he didn’t go to the dentist yesterday, and his tooth hurts him now.

B: If he didn’t like him, he would have sacked him a long time ago.
–>But he likes him so he didn’t sack him.

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