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Common ESL Errors Workbook |
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Conditional Forms |
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Conditional sentences indicate that something has not happened, but you are imagining the possibility. All conditionals have an if clause and a result clause or the word wish.
For real conditionals the possibility of something happening exists.
If I pass the test, I will be very happy.
Unreal conditionals are hypothetical.
If I got a new job next week, I would begin immediately. (It probably won’t happen.)
Or they are contrary to fact, meaning they didn’t happen in the past.
I would have gone to the party last night, but I was sick.
I would have gone to the party last night if I hadn’t been sick.
1. Real conditions (true or probably true)
| Verb in if clause | Verb in result clause | |
| Present fact or habit | Simple Present | Simple present |
| Example: If I do my work, my boss doesn’t yell at me. | ||
| Future Predictive | Simple present | Modal + simple verb (can, will, may, might, could, should) |
| Example: If I go to school early tomorrow, I can get a lot of this homework done. | ||
2. Unreal conditions (untrue — it didn’t happen or can’t/won’t happen)
| Verb in if clause | Verb in result clause | |
| Present or future (hypothetical or contrary to fact) | Simple Past | Modal (would, might, could)+ simple verb |
| Examples: If he had enough money, he would begin his own business. If I weren’t so angry, I could talk to him. | ||
| Past (contrary to fact) | Past Perfect | Modal + have + past participle |
| Example: If I had borrowed more money, I would not be in this bad situation. | ||
NOTE: With unreal conditionals and untrue wishes, when you use the verb be in the if clause, the form is always were.
Example:
(incorrect) If he was the teacher, he would give all A’s.
(correct) If he were the teacher, he would give all A’s.
(correct) I wish he were here with me.
Many native speakers of English violate this rule and use was instead of were, for example, they might say If I was you, I would take that job instead of If I were you....
3. Wish and Hope
Wish
| wish | ||
| Present | wish | simple past (use “were” for all pronouns) |
| Example: I wish they were here now. | ||
| Past | wish | Past perfect (e.g., had been, had gone) or modal (would, could) + have + past participle (e.g., been, gone) |
| Examples: I wish he had been here with me. I wish he could have been here with me. | ||
Hope
For future wishes we use hope. Wish is seldom used in the future.
I hope I can get this project done on time. (There is a possibility of getting it done on time.)
If you use wish in the future, you are already sure it is not true (unreal conditional).
I wish I could get this project done by tomorrow. (But you surely can’t be done by tomorrow.)
I wish you could come to the party tomorrow. (But you have already told me you can’t.)
4. Other phrases using could and would
Some phrases sound like they are conditionals, but they are just polite phrases.
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