English Grammar If Cause | Conditional Sentences

Lesson -1

Clause → a Clause is a group of words having both a subject and a predicate of its own.
Eg:   He returned          when the sun set.
         Main clause        subordinate clause

If it stops raining, we shall go to park.
   If clause main clause

Phrase →   a Phrase is a group of words which doesn't give a  complete sense and has                           no Subject and no Predicate.

Eg: She is in the garden. 
       Phrase

                       

Story:

      Here is a story of 3 fish swimming happily in a pond. News comes of fishermen coming to fish them out of water. The first fish immediately escapes to safety. The second one plans to escape at the eleventh hour and the third one unaware of the approaching danger lazes about and never escapes.

1. The first one is sure to escape. (Probable condition)

2.The second ones escape is unsure.(doubtful/imaginary condition)

3. The third one never escapes. (Unfulfilled/impossible condition)

• The conditionals are used to talk about possible or imaginary situations. A "Condition" is a "situation or circumstance".

For example: If a certain condition is true, then a particular result happens.

Conditionals are divided into four types:

→ 1.Zero condition

→ 2.Open/Probable condition/Type I

→ 3.Improbable /Imaginary condition/Type II

→4.Unfulfilled/Impossible condition/Type III

1.      Zero Condition

The zero condition is used to:

→ State Natural truths

     → State Scientific facts

If + Sub +V1+ …………….., Sub + V1+ ……………………

    

  Eg: 1.If you study hard, you will get success.              

       2.If it rains, I will take an umbrella.

3. Improbable/Imaginary condition/Type II

It tells us about an action which is unlikely to happen or which is purely imaginary.

Syn: If +sub +V2 + ………….., sub+should/would/could/might +V1 ………….

    Eg: 1.If I got million dollars, I would buy a new house and cars.

     2. If I married Mary, I would be happy.

4. Impossible /unfulfilled condition/Type III

It tells us about an action which did not take place because a certain condition was not fulfilled.

Syn:  if +sub + had +V3………, sub +would/should/could/might +have +V3

     Eg:1.If I had won the lottery, I would have bought a car.                   

            2.If I had seen him in the office, I would have told him to call you.

   IF CLAUSE TABLE

TYPE	IF CLAUSE	MAIN CLAUSE
I	Simple Present (V1)	Simple Present (V1)
II	Simple Present (V1)	Simple Future/conditional future Will/shall/can/may +V1
III	Simple Past (V2)	Past Condition (Would/should/might/could+V1
IV	Past Perfect (had +V3)	Perfect Condition (Would/should/could/might+have+V3

RULES OF IF CLAUSE

     →Simple Present Positive sentences                       Type I

     → Simple Present Negative sentences                    Type II

     →Imperative sentences                                           Type I

     →Simple Past/Past perfect sentences                    Type III

   →was/were becomes → been

    →Don’t have/doesn’t have → had 

    →Did not have →had had

    → had to+V1 → had had to +V1 (in If clause) 

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

Note: In Type III the Positive sentence becomes Negative sentence The Negative sentence becomes Positive sentence.

Shall/will        

                                            certain result

Should/would 

Can/could                   ability/permission

May/might                  possibility

Let's meet in the Second Lesson