COLEGIUL MIHAI VITEAZUL BUMBESTI-JIU IANOSI GIORGIANA ENGLISH TEACHER

CONDITIONALS AND WISHES

There are several structures in English that are called conditionals. "Condition" means "situation or circumstance". If a particular condition is true, then a particular result happens. If y = 10 then 2y = 20 If y = 3 then 2y = 6 ZERO CONDITIONAL: CERTAINTY It is used to show what always happens in a given situation, to express the laws of nature or a general truth: If you heat ice, it melts. Notice that we are thinking about a result that is always true for this condition. The result of the condition is an absolute certainty. We are not thinking about the future or the past, or even the present. We are thinking about a simple fact. We use the present simple tense to talk about the condition. We also use the present simple tense to talk about the result. The important thing about the zero conditional is that the condition always has the same result. This use is similar to, and can usually be replaced by, a time clause using 'when' (When I am late, my father takes me to school.) If I am late, my father takes me to school. She doesn't worry if Jack stays out after school. Conditional 0 is formed by the use of the present simple in the if- clause followed by the present simple in the result clause. The two clauses are separated by a comma. We can also put the result clause first without using a comma between the clauses. If he comes to town, we have dinner. We have dinner if he comes to town. In this kind of conditional, if can be replaced by when. When you put salt on ice, it melts. FIRST CONDITIONAL: REAL POSSIBILITY Type 1 conditionals are used to express a real or very probable situation in the present or future. The tense used in the result clause is future simple. It is formed by the use of the present simple in the if-clause to refer to a probable or possible present or future result: If we hurry, we will get there in time. (It is quite possible that we will get there in time.) To indicate a present action or future arrangement we use present continuous in if-clause: If you are looking for Mary, you will find her downstairs. To indicate the completion of an action we use present perfect in if-clause: If he has lost his keys, he will be angry. 1

To express permission, possibility, command, advice we use, in the result clause, can/may/might/must/should + bare infinitive. If he is in trouble, you must help him. In Type 1 conditionals we often use unless which means 'if ... not'. In other words, '...unless he hurries up.' could also be written, '...if he doesn't hurry up. If it rains, we will stay at home. Unless it doesnt rain, we will stay at home. He will arrive late if he doesnt hurry up. He will arrive late unless he hurries up. Peter will buy a new car if he gets his raise. Peter wont buy a new car unless he gets his raise. SECOND CONDITIONAL: UNREAL POSSIBILITY OR DREAM The Second Conditional can be used to talk about imaginary present situations, where we are imagining something different from what is really the case. We can also use it to talk about things in the future that are unlikely to happen, as the condition is unlikely to be met. We use the past tense in the condition part and would for the result. IF Condition past simple If I had the time, past simple If I won the lottery future Time present Result WOULD + base verb I would learn Italian. WOULD + base verb I would travel around the world. impossible I don't have the time, so I'm not going to learn Italian. unlikely There's a very small chance of winning the lottery, so the trip is unlikely Possibility

We can use other modal verbs in the past tense in the result part of the sentence: IF Condition past simple If If If If I had the time, I had more time, I had more time, I had more time Result WOULD + base verb I would learn Italian. I might learn Spanish. I should learn some more about IT. I could learn Hindi. Although unlikely to happen, the speaker is sure that they would do it given the opportunity. Although unlikely to happen, it is only a possibility anyway. (uncertainty) Although unlikely to happen, the speaker is saying that it would be a good idea, but is not committed to it. Although unlikely to happen, it is only a possibility anyway. (ability) Certainty

With the verb to be, there are two forms that can be used with I, he, she & it: 2

IF I, he, she, it If I, he, she, it If

Condition Were I were you, Was I was you,

Result

I'd marry her.

I'd marry her.

THIRD CONDITIONAL: NO POSSIBILITY Type 3 conditional is used to refer to an imaginary situation in the past, a condition in the past that did not happen. That is why there is no possibility for this condition. The third conditional is also like a dream, but with no possibility of the dream coming true. If I had studied more, I would have passed the exam. (I didnt study much, so I didnt pass the exam.) Condition Past Perfect If I had known, Result WOULD HAVE + Past Participle I would have helped. I didn't know and didn't help. What actually happened

IF

Condition past perfect

Result WOULD HAVE+ past participle I would have helped. I could have helped. I might have helped. you should have helped.

Certainty

If If If If

I had known, I had known, I had known, you had known,

Although this didn't happen, the speaker is sure about the result. Although this didn't happen, the result is only a possibility. Although this didn't happen, the result is only a possibility. Although this didn't happen, it is only a good suggestion or piece of advice.

MIXED CONDITIONALS We can form mixed conditionals, if the context permits it, by combining an if-clause from one type with a main clause from another. If clause Result clause 3

Type 2 If the plane landed late last night, Type 2 If you were less impulsive, Type 3 If I hadnt drunk the bad milk,

Type 1 he wont be on time for work today. Type 3 you wouldnt have spoken to your supervisor like that. Type 2 I would be fine now.

WISHES We can use wish/if only to express a wish. Verb Tense Example + past simple/past continuous I wish I was/were 10 years old. (but Im not) If only I were travelling with you and not alone! It would be much more fun. (but Im not) + past perfect I wish I had saved more money during my twenties. (but I didnt) If only I hadnt been so harsh to her! We could still be friends. (but I was) + subject + would + bare I wish you would stop spreading infinitive rumours. If only it would be sunny on my birthday. -

Use - to say that we would like something to be different about a present situation - to express regret about something which happened or didnt happen in the past

- to express: - a polite imperative - a desire for a situation or persons behaviour to change

If only is used in exactly the same way as wish but is more emphatic or more dramatic. We can use were instead of was after wish and if only: I wish I were/was a famous writer! After the subject pronouns I and we, we can use could instead of would: I wish I could study art history.

Bibliography Joseph Parsalis, Nicholas Stephens, Access to FCE, New Editions, 2002 Bob Obee, Virginia Evans, Upstream Advanced, Students book, Express Publishing, 2003 Bob Obee, Virginia Evans, Upstream Upper intermediate, Students book, Express Publishing, 2003 www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/relative-clauses www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-conditional.htm http://esl.about.com/od/gramma1/a/conditional.htm 4