1 IFC Session 5 Mulder If Clauses. 2 IFC Session 5 Mulder Type 0 Used for facts, generalisations and timeless statements. Normally present tense in the

1 IFC Session 5MulderMulder

If Clauses


Type 0

• Used for facts, generalisations and timeless statements.

• Normally present tense in the main clause and the if clause:

If you melt ice, you get water.If you want to succeed, you must work hard.


Type 1

• Used for realistic situations in which the speaker thinks that it is possible that the conditions can be fulfilled:

If the baby wakes him up, he will be very unhappy.

If she hasn’t had any breakfast before she comes, she’ll get very hungry.

4 IFC Session 5Mulder

• Note that we normally stick to the use of the present in the if clause and the will-future in the main clause.

• It is possible to use other tenses though.

Compare:If she doesn’t have breakfast before she comes, she’ll

be hungry.If she hasn’t had breakfast before she comes, she’ll be

very hungry.


Type 2

• Used for unreal or hypothetical situations where the speaker doesn’t think the conditions will be fulfilled.

• We use the past form in the if clause, and would + verb in the main clause:

If he was more motivated, he would have better chances of promotion.


Type 3

• Used for situations where the conditions were not fulfilled in the past. It is therefore impossible for the situation to change.

If I had known he was a gambler, I wouldn’t have married him.


Mixed Conditionals

• Note that we can combine conditionals depending on whether the conditions are still unfulfilled up until the moment of speaking.

Compare:If you had brought the umbrella (you didn’t bring it), we

wouldn’t be wet now.If you had brought the umbrella, we wouldn’t have got

wet. (You didn’t bring it and we got wet)

8 IFC Session 5Mulder

• Note that we often use should to talk about future situations. In this construction we can use type 1 and type 2 conditionals:

If you should forget the PIN number, we will provide you with another.

If such problems should occur, we would tackle them directly.


Exceptions

• It is possible to use “will” and “would” in the if clause, but only in exceptions:

If you would be so kind as to consider me, I would be grateful. (polite form)

If you won’t do the washing up, then I won’t do the ironing! (willingness & refusal)


• The Imperative can be used instead of the “will” clause in the First Conditional

Get her toy if you want her to stop crying.If you don’t like the music, turn it off.


Compare the following:• If you pull a cat’s tail, it screams.• If you pull my cat’s tail, she will scream.• If you pulled my cat’s tail, she would scream.• If you had pulled my cat’s tail, she would have

screamed.


Complete the Following

• If we _________(come) late, we _________ (apologize).

• I _________ (have) a drink, if you _________ (offer) me one.

• If I _________ (win) the lottery, I _________ (buy) a car.

• If you _________ (touch) snow, it _________ (melt)


Related StructuresWish Sentences / If only• Used to express regret that something is not the case• Tenses used are generally those of the 2nd conditionalTo talk about the present:I wish I knew the telephone number.(I wish + simple past)To talk about the future:I wish I wasn’t writing the Linguistics Mid Term tonight.(simple past – didn’t have to past progressive – wasn’t

writing)


To talk about the past:I wish I had listened more in class. (past perfect)To talk about hypothetical situations:I wish I was rich. I wish they would call me back.If only:• Can replace I wish, making the sentence more

emphatic.


• Note that wish + would can only be used with dynamic verbs and if the subjects of the verbs are different

I wish I could speak to them (NOT I wish I would…)

I wish he would speak to them.I wish he liked dogs. (Not I wish he would like

dogs)


It’s (high) time, I’d rather, I’d prefer

• Can be followed by a past tense of an infinitive• It’s (high) timePast:It’s high time we drank up and left. (more emphatic, something overdue)Infinitive :It’s time to drink up now, ladies and gents. It’s time for Sally to decide what she wants to do.


I’d rather

Past:I’d rather he did it for me. I’d rather my mom had told me earlier. Infinitive:I’d rather do it myself (subject same)*Only possible if the subject is the same.


I’d prefer

Past:I’d prefer it if you stayed.I’d have preferred it if I could have eaten more

pizza. Infinitive:I’d prefer to watch television.I’d prefer for him to swim tomorrow.

Documents

1 IFC Session 5 Mulder If Clauses. 2 IFC Session 5 Mulder Type 0 Used for facts, generalisations and timeless statements. Normally present tense in the