CONDITIONALS

CONDITIONALS

            Conditionals are used to talk about a possible situation and it consequences. Conditionals have two parts – If Clause and Main Clause. Conditional expressions can also use linkers like ‘Only if’, ‘Unless’, ‘When’ etc. instead of ‘If’.

Conditionals are of four types –

1. ZERO CONDITIONAL  -  It is used for universal truths ,facts and instructions.

[If + Simple Present…………..Simple Present]

Eg: i) If you heat ice, it melts.

            (Simp.Pre)       (Simp. Pre)

2. OPEN CONDITION – It indicates  that something will happen if a certain condition is fulfilled.

[If + Simple Present……………..will/shall/can/may + Plain infinitive]

Eg: i) If you ask him, he will help you.

ii)  If she works hard, she will pass.

3. UNREAL CONDITION – It is also called Negation. It is opposed to reality i.e. the condition in the If Clause is unlikely to happen or imaginary. It is not true past.

[If + Simple Past ……………would/could/should/might + Plain infinitive.]

Eg: i) If I spoke English well, my job would be a lot easier.

ii) If you asked him, he would help you.

iii) If I were the Education Minister, I would abolish examinations.

4. UNFULFILLED CONDITION – It refers to the past. It indicates that something did not happen because a certain condition was not fulfilled.

[If  + Past Perfect ………..would/could/should/might + have + Past Participle(V3)]

Eg: i) If you had asked him,  he would have helped you.

ii) If she had worked hard, she would have passed the examination.

EXERCISE

1. If he runs fast, he _______________(catch) the train.

2. If it ___________(rain), our programme will be cancelled.

3. They will come if you ___________(invite) them.

4. If he had played sensibly, we _________(win) the match.

5. I shall inform you when my sister_________(come) here.

6. If I sell this car, I __________ a Santro (buy).

7. If he asked me, I _____________(help) him.

8. If wishes __________(be) horses, beggars would ride.

9. I shall invite you when the dinner _________(be) ready.

10. If they ______________(start) early, they would have caught the train.