7
Based on the definitions above, the writer concludes that conditional sentence is a sentence which consists of two clauses; a main
clause which containing modal auxiliary and a subordinated clause which begins with if, unless or adverb clauses.
2. The Types of Conditional Sentence
There are three different types of conditional sentences. Each type is composed of a different combination of tenses. According to Marianne
C. Murcia and Larsen Freeman “conditional sentence is divided into
three types ”, they are:
a. Future conditional
: If I have money, I will take a vacation b.
Present conditional : If I had money, I would take a vacation
c. Past conditional
:If I had had money, I would have taken a vacation.
4
George E. Wishon also stated that there are three types of conditional sentences:
a. Future-Possible Condition
b. Present-Unreal Condition
c. Past-Unreal Condition.
5
In the first type, the sentence expresses a future-possible condition refers to an action that may or not may take place in the future. The
present tense of the verb is used in the if clause, and the future tense is used in the main clause.
In present-unreal condition, the sentence describes a situation which does not exist or unreal. We do not expect the condition in the if clause to
become a fact. The past tense of the verb is used in the if clause, and the modal would, should, could, and might are used in the main clause.
4
Murcia. loc. cit.
5
Wishon. loc. cit.
8
In this type, the subjunctives were in the if clause is used for all persons: if I were, if he were, if we were, if you were,
etc. The third type of conditional sentence is past-unreal condition. This
conditional sentence indicates past time and indicates an unreal and unfulfilled situation. In this conditional sentence, the past perfect is used in
the if clause, and would have, should have, could have, and might have are used in the main clause.
3. The Form of Conditional sentence
As stated in chapter I, the writer has limited the discussion only at conditional sentence type 2, but it is necessary to know the basic forms of
each types of conditional sentence.
Table 2.1 The Basic forms of three types of conditional sentence
6 MEANING OF
THE “IF CLAUSE”
VERB FORM IN THE “IF CLAUSE”
VERB FORM IN THE “RESULT
CLAUSE” EXAMPLES
True in the present future
Simple present Simple present, Simple future a
If I have enough time, I write to
my parents every week. b
If I have enough time tomorrow, I will write to my parents.
Untrue In the presentfuture
Simple past would + simple form
c
If I had enough time, I would write
to my parents. in truth, I do not have enough time, so I will
not write them. Untrue in the past
Past perfect Would have + past participle
d
If I had had enough time, I would have written
to my parents yesterday. In truth, I
did not have enough time, so I did not write to them.
After the writer distinguishes three types of conditional sentence, the writer presents the form of conditional sentence type 2 further.
6
Betty Schrampfer Azar, Understanding and Using English Grammar, London:
Prentice-Hall Inc, 1989, p. 347
