4 This pattern is used to describe imaginary – often impossible – events”.
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The verb in the if clause is in the past tense; the verb in the main clause is in the conditional sentences. The formulas will be explained more through the table
below:
Table 2.4 The Formula of Type Two of Conditional Sentences Started from
If Clause Ended with Main Clause
If Clause Main Clause
If + S1 + V2... S2 + Would + V1...
If I sold my boat, I would take you to dinner.
If I were snowing, I would drive you home
If I lived in Europe, I would eat pizza often.
There is no difference in time between the first and second types of conditional sentence. They refer to present or future, and past tense in the if
– clause is not true past but a subjunctive, which indicates unreality as in the first
example above or improbability as in the second example above.
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Here are the explanations below:
1 Variation in Main Clause will be presented below:
Similarly, the past tense can be used with might or could:
If you tried again, you would succeed. certain result If you tried again, you might succeed. possible result
If it stopped snowing, you could go out. ability or permission
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2
Variation in the if clause will be explained more below:
3
If + past continuous If
I were going by boat, I’d feel much happier. 4
If + past perfect If
he had taken my advice, he would be a rich man now.
37
John Shepherd, Multilevel English Grammar Programme, London: Prentice Hall Macmillan, 1995, p. 144.
38
A.J Thompson and A.V Martinet, A Practical,.. p. 197.
39
A.J Thompson and A.V Martinet, A Practica,:.. p. 218.
Marcella Frank also states in her book „Modern English’: “A conditional
clause containing a past unreal form may be combined by a main clause containing a present unreal form”, e.g. If the boy had listened to his parents last
year, he would not be in trouble now.
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c. Type Three of Conditional Sentences:
This kind of conditional sentences indicates past time, unreal, and unfulfilled situation.
41
The verb in the If clause is in the past perfect tense; the verb in the main clause is in the perfect conditional. In addition, it explains about
past time and the condition cannot be fulfilled, because the action in the if clause did not happen.
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The formulas will be explained more through the table below:
Table 2.5 The Formula of Type Three of Conditional Sentences Started from
If Clause Ended with Main Clause
If Clause Main Clause
If + S1 + had + past perfect S2 +would +have + past participle
If we had not wasted time We would not have missed the train.
Table 2.6 The Formula of Type Three of Conditional Sentences Started from
Main Clause Ended with If Clause
H
40
Marcella Frank, Modern English, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc, 1972, p. 37.
41
George Wishon and Julia Burks, Let’s Write..., p. 251.
42
A.J Thompson and A.V Martinet, A Practical English......, p. 200.
Main Clause
If Clause
S + would + have + past participle
If + S1 + had + past perfect
I would have been more sympathetic,
If she had not accused me of lying.
Here we know that the conditional sentences can not be fulfilled, because the sentence refers only to past event. Also, there is variation in the basic form in
this type of conditional sentences. More explanation will be conveyed below: Variation in the Basic Form
Might or could can also be used in these following sentences: a.
If we had found him earlier, we could have saved his life. Ability b.
If we had found him earlier, we might have saved his life. Possibility c.
If our documents had been in order we could have left at once. Ability or permission
There are some additions in conditional sentences forms likeinversion of subject and auxiliary, with if omitted and if only;
1 Inversion of Subject and Auxiliary, with if omitted
Where if is followed by an auxiliary verb, e.g. by were, had, or should, it is
possible to invert auxiliary and omit the if : a
If I were rich = were I rich were must be used with this contraction, never
was. b
If he had known = had he known. c
If war should break out = should war break out.
2 Inversion of Subject and Auxiliary, with if omitted
Only can be placed after if which indicates hope, a wish, or regret according to the tense to be used with.
If only + present tensewill expresses hope: a
If only he comes in time = we hope he will come. b
If only he will listen to her = we hope he will be willing to listen. If only + pastpast perfect express regret it has same meaning as wish + pastpast
perfectly: a
If only he did not smoke = we wish he did not smoke or we are sorry he smokes.
b If only = IWe wish Tom here
