Conditionals: imagined situations
Conditional sentencesconsider imagined or uncertain situations and the possible results of these situations. The most common types of conditional sentences involveif:
[imagined situation]IfI get the job in Milan,[result]I’ll be pretty happy.
[outcome]We’ll have the party in the garden[imagined situation]as long asit doesn’t rain.(or …if it doesn’t rain. or …on condition that it doesn’t rain.)
See also:
Conditionals:if
Conditionals: other expressions (unless, should, as long as)
If
Conditional sentences
Conditional sentences consist of a conditional clause and a main clause:
[conditional clause]Ifa lot of people come,[main clause]we’ll have to get extra chairs.
[conditional clause]Unlessyou book weeks in advance,[main clause]you won’t get a flight.
The verb in the conditional clause reflects the speaker’s point of view on whether the imagined situation is likely or impossible:
If youwinthe next match,willyou be in the semi-final?(present simple +willindicates the speaker thinks winning the match is possible or likely)
If Iwona million pounds, Iwould givethis job up tomorrow!(past simple +wouldindicates the speaker thinks winning a million pounds is not likely to happen)
If wehad wonthe competition, wewould have hada free trip to Moscow.(past perfect +would haverefers to an impossible condition – the event did not happen)
Order of clauses
Conditional clausesusually come before main clausesbut they may also come after them:
If you see Dora, will you give her a message?(conditional clause first; a comma is normally used in writing)
I’ll go to Bristol tomorrowif the weather is good.(conditional clause second; a comma is not normally used in writing)
Verb forms in the conditional clause
The verb in the conditional clause may be in the simple form or the continuous form, depending on the meaning:
If youowemoney, you must pay it back immediately.(simple)
If you’re feelinghungry, we can go and get something to eat.(continuous)
If hehadtime, he always called in to see us.(simple)
If theywere working, we always tried not to disturb them.(continuous)