English Grammar If Clause | Conditional Clause

Lesson -2

English Grammar If Clause | Conditional Clause

Examples

 Simple Present Positive            Type I

         

               1. I eat breakfast so I won’t get hungry during class.

         A. If I don’t eat breakfast, I will get hungry during class.

       2. They are obedient or they will be punished.

       A. If they are not obedient, they will be punished.

       3. They are strong enough so they can play games.

       A. If they are not strong enough, they can’t play games.

        4. It stops snowing so we can go out.

       A. If It doesn’t stop snowing, we can’t go out.

Simple Present Negative      Type II        

1.       He doesn’t have a map. He can’t lend it to you.

A.      If he had a map, he could lend it to you. (But he doesn’t have a map.)

2.       I don’t live near my office therefore I will not be in time for work.

A.      If I lived near my office, I would be in time for work. (But I don’t live near my office.)

3.       I am not you so I will not plant trees.

A.      If I were you, I would plant trees.

4.       I am not a bird so I can’t fly in the air.

A.      If I were a bird, I could fly in the air.

Imperative sentences            Type I

1.   Read well and get a good result.

A.   If you read well, you will get a good result.

2.    Sing sweetly and get a prize in the competition.

A.   If you sing sweetly, you will get a prize in the competition.

3.    Run fast and catch the running bus.

A.   If you run fast, you can catch the running bus.

4.    Eat healthy food and get good health.

A.   If you eat healthy food, you will get good health.

    Simple Past/Past perfect sentences     Type III     

1.    I knew computers so I did these graphics.

A.   If I had not known computers, I would not have done these graphics.

2.    I learnt grammar so I could talk fluently.

A.   If I had not learnt grammar, I could not have talked fluently.

3.    I did not know her number so I could not ring her up.

A.   If I had known her number, I could have rung her up.

4.    We did not invite him so he could not attend here.

A.   If we had invited him, he could have attended here.

    Was/were becomes → been           Type III

1. They were not good students so they were dismissed

A. If they had been good students, they would not have been dismissed

2. He was on leave so he did not attend meeting.

A. If he had not been on leave, he would have attended meeting.

3. He was lazy so he got least rank.

A. If he had not been lazy, he would not have got least rank.

4. The teacher was angry so she punished the students.

A. If the teacher had not been angry, she might not have punished the students.

Don’t have/doesn’t have          had 

1.   I don’t have money so I can’t buy a car.

A.  If I had money I could buy a car.

2.   He doesn’t have a ladder so he can’t climb the tree.

A.  If he had a ladder he could climb the tree.

      Did not have            had had

1.    He did not have a car so he did not give me a lift.

A.   If he had had a car, he would have given me a lift.

2.    I did not have money so I could not build a building.

A.   If I had had money, I could have built a building.

Had to+V1        had not had to +V1 (in If clause)

1.   I had to help Ravi so he was saved.

A, If I had not had to help Ravi, he would not have been saved.

Had to + V1         would/ should/ could/ might have +had to+V1 (in Main clause)

1. The servant did not come so we had to wash the clothes.

A .If the servant had come, we would not have had to wash the clothes.

2. I did not have license so I had to pay a fine.

A. If I had had license, I would not have had to pay a fine.

               

Had can be placed first and the if omitted:

 If he had had more money, he would have travelled around the world.

 Had he had more money, he would have travelled around the world.

 Been is used when the sentence is in passive form (in Past Tense).

 Be is used when the sentence is in passive form (in Present Tense).

Exercise

1.   It may rain. Then the match will be cancelled.

A.  If it rains, the match will be cancelled.

2.   You must work hard, otherwise you won’t pass.

A. If you work hard, you will pass.

3. You must ask him. Then he will help you.

A. If you ask him, he will help you.

4. He is not you so he will not accept the offer.

A. If he were you, he would accept the offer.

5. It is not possible so I could not do it.

A. If it were possible, I could do it.

6. I am not you so I shall provoke the old man.

A. If I were you, I should not provoke the old man.

7. You did not invite them so they did not come.

A. If you had invited them, they would have come.

8. The workers’ demands were not granted so the strike was not called off.

A. if the workers’ demands had been granted, the strike would have been called off.

9. You were not more courteous so he did not agree.

A. If you had been more courteous, he would have agreed.

10. It is not possible so I will not visit Moscow.

A. If it were possible, I would visit Moscow.

11. You don’t become a doctor so you can’t save many lives.

A. If you became a doctor, you could save many lives.

12. He did not start early so he missed the bus.

A. If he had started early, he would not have missed the bus.

13. She was not hungry so she did not eat food.

A. If she had been hungry, she would have eaten food.

14. I am not C.M. or I will help the poor.

A. If I were C.M., I would help the poor.

                  Some more important if-Clause Structures

Instead of if + Present tense, we can have:

If + Present continuous+ ………, Sub +will/shall/may/can + V1+ ………….                   indicates a Present action or a future arrangement.

If you are waiting for a bus, you will better join the queue (present action).

If you are looking for peter, you’ll find him upstairs (present action).

If you are staying for another night, I’ll ask the manager to give you a better room (future arrangement). 

If +Present Perfect+ …………., Sub+ will/shall/may/can + V1+ ………….

If you have finished dinner, I’ll ask the waiter for the bill.

If he has written the letter, I will post it.

If + Past Continuous +………………., Sub +would/should/might/could + ……………..

If my car was working, I would drive you to the station.

If we were going by boat, I would feel much happier.