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IF CLAUSES
Il periodo ipotetico è formato da una proposizione principale e da una subordinata
che pone la condizione affinché quanto detto nella principale si verifichi.
subordinata principale
Tipo 0 if + simple present / past simple present / past If / when you pour boiling
water into a glass, it cracks.
Tipo 1 if + simple present future If you come, I’ll be happy
Tipo 2 if + simple past would If you came, I’d be happy
Tipo 3 if + past perfect would have If you had come, I’d have
been happy
TIPO 0
In the 19th century people were imprisoned, if/when they didn’t pay their debts.
TIPO 1
If you leave that bottle of milk out of the fridge, it will go bad. (condizione probabile)
If you leave milk out of the fridge, it goes bad. (condizione abituale)
subordinata principale
Don’t wake him up if he is present progressive imperative
sleeping
Should è spesso usato nel periodo ipotetico per attenuare l’idea di probabilità:
TIPO 2
If the earth didn’t turn on its axis, one half of the world would be in eternal night.
In questo tipo di periodo ipotetico è usato were per tutte le persone come congiuntivo
passato del verbo be: in linguaggio informale si può trovare anche was :
subordinata principale
I’d be touring Europe now, if I had a car simple past conditional
progressive
If you asked him, he might help you simple past
modal
3
Should, usato nel periodo ipotetico del tipo 2, accentua l’idea di improbabilità:
If you were to use a smaller screwdriver, I think you’d have less difficulty.
Would può essere usato in frase subordinata retta da if solo come verbo modale per
esprimere volontà, mai come condizionale:
TIPO 3
He would have stopped, if he had realized that the traffic lights were red.
subordinata principale
If you hadn’t been driving so fast, the past perfect past conditional
accident would never have occurred.
Nel periodo ipotetico le frasi subordinate possono essere introdotte, oltre che da if, da
espressioni come: provided (that), providing (that), so long as, on condition that,
unless.
Supposing, suppose e imagine sono usati per lo più con frasi del tipo 2 e 3.
Imagine / suppose the world were going to end tomorrow: what would you do?
4
In linguaggio formale le frasi subordinate con should, were, had possono essere
espresse invertendo l’ordine soggetto / verbo ed eliminando if :
Should you decide to consider the possibility of a discount please let us know as
soon as possible.
Had she taken more time to think, she might have acted more sensibly
Were it not for the expense involved, I would accept your proposal.
HOMEWORK
Complete the following sentences by inserting the verbs either in the present or future
tense.