Conditional Sentence



Conditional Sentence

Conditional Sentences are also known as Conditional Clauses or If Clauses. They are used to express that the action in the main clause (without if) can only take place if a certain condition (in the clause with if) is fulfilled. There are three types of Conditional Sentences.

Conditional Sentence Type 1

→ It is possible and also very likely that the condition will be fulfilled.

Form: if + Simple Present, will-Future

Example: If I find her address, I’ll send her an invitation.

more on Conditional Sentences Type I ►

Conditional Sentence Type 2

→ It is possible but very unlikely, that the condition will be fulfilled.

Form: if + Simple Past, Conditional I (= would + Infinitive)

Example: If I found her address, I would send her an invitation.

more on Conditional Sentences Type II ►

Conditional Sentence Type 3

→ It is impossible that the condition will be fulfilled because it refers to the past.

Form: if + Past Perfect, Conditional II (= would + have + Past Participle)

Example: If I had found her address, I would have sent her an invitation.

Conditional Sentences are also known as Conditional Clauses or If Clauses. They are used to express that the action in the main clause (without if) can only take place if a certain condition (in the clause with if) is fulfilled. There are three types of Conditional Sentences.

1.IF Clause Type 1

Form

if + Simple Present, will-Future.

(a)Example

If I find her address, I will send her an invitation.

Note : The main clause can also be at the beginning of the sentence. In this case, don’t use a comma.

(b)Example: 

 I will send her an invitation if I find her address.

Note: Main clause and / or if clause might be negative. See Simple Present und will-Future on how to form negative sentences.

Use

Conditional Sentences Type I refer to the future. An action in the future will only happen if a certain condition is fulfilled by that time. We don’t know for sure whether the condition actually will be fulfilled or not, but the conditions seems rather realistic – so we think it is likely to happen.

(a)Example: 

 If I find her address, I’ll send her an invitation.

I want to send an invitation to a friend. I just have to find her address. I am quite sure, however, that I will find it.

(b)Example

 If John has the money, he will buy a Ferrari.

I know John very well and I know that he earns a lot of money and that he loves Ferraris. So I think it is very likely that sooner or later he will have the money to buy a Ferrari.

2.IF Clause Type 2 

→ It is possible but very unlikely, that the condition will be fulfilled.

Form

if + Simple Past, main clause with Conditional I (= would + Infinitive)

(a)Example 

à  If I found her address, I would send her an invitation.

Note :

1.The main clause can also be at the beginning of the sentence. In this case, don’t use a comma.

2.Main clause and / or if clause might be negative. See Simple Past und Conditional I on how to form negative sentences.

3.Were instead of Was 

 In IF Clauses Type II, we usually use ‚were‘– even if the    pronoun is I, he, she or it –.

Example 

If I were you, I would not do this.

Use

Conditional Sentences Type II refer to situations in the present. An action could happen if the present situation were different. I don’t really expect the situation to change, however. I just imagine „what would happen if …“

(a)Example 

 If I found her address, I would send her an invitation.

 I would like to send an invitation to a friend. I have looked everywhere for her address, but I cannot find it. So now I think it is rather unlikely that I will eventually find her address.

(b)Example 

 If John had the money, he would buy a Ferrari.

( I know John very well and I know that he doesn’t have much money, but he loves Ferraris. He would like to own a Ferrari (in his dreams). But I think it is very unlikely that he will have the money to buy one in the near future.)

3.IF Clause Type 3 

It is impossible that the condition will be fulfilled because it refers to the past.

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