SEMINAR

CONDITIONAL CLAUSES

Introduction

            There are a number of structures in English that are called the conditionals which are used to talk about possible or imaginary situational. “A condition is a situation or circumstance” The most common type of conditional sentence uses ‘if’. These are the easiest conditional sentences to form and understand. There are two parts to a conditional sentence. These two parts also called clauses. (A clause is any part of a sentence with a subject and a verb)

Part 1  -           The if or condition clause: the event that needs to occurs; also called the 

dependent Clause because it is not a complete sentence and is dependent on the sentence.

Part 2 -           The result or main clause or what happens when the event in the if/condition clause occurs; also called the independent clause.

Conditionals

            They describe the result of something that night happen (in the past). They are made using different English verb tenses. Conditional Sentences are also known as conditional clauses or ‘if’ clauses. They are used to express that the action in the main clause. They are used to express that the action in the main clause (without if) can only take place if a certain condition (in the clause with ‘if’) is fulfilled.

Types of Conditionals

            There are four types of conditional sentences. They are classified according to their specific implications.

There are :

1.      The Zero conditional

2.      The first conditional

3.      The second conditional

4.      The third conditional

Each type of conditional sentences uses different tenses to show the difference in their implications.

The Zero Conditional

            The zero conditional is normally used to talk about facts and to express universal truth. The present’s simple tense is used in both the main close and the subordinate clause. We use zero conditional to talk about general causes and effects and also about scientific or biological facts.

From         If + Present Simple, ...................... present simple

Examples :

1.      If you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils.

2.      If people eat too much, they get fat

3.      If you touch a fire, you get burned

4.      People die if they don’t eat

5.      you get water if you mix hydrogen and oxygen.

The First Conditional

            First conditional is used for present or future activities which are likely to happen of course, We can’t know what will happen in the future, but this describes possible things, which could easily come true. The first conditional has the present simple after ‘if’ clause, then the future simple in the other clause.  

From         If + Present Simple, ...................... will infinitive.

Examples

1.      If it rains, I won’t go to the park.

2.      If I study today, I’ll go to the party tonight.

3.      If I have enough money, I’ll buy some new shoes.

4.      She will miss the bus if she doesn’t leave soon.

5.      If I see her, I will tell her.

The first conditional describes a particular situation, whereas the zero conditional describes what happens in general.

The Second Conditional

The Second Conditional is used for present or future activates which are unlikely or impossible to happen. We use the past simple tense in the ‘If’ clause and the should/would +infinitive construction in the main clause.

Form-Jf + past simple,................would + infinitive.

Examples

1. If won the lottery, I would buy a big house (I probably won’t the lottery)

2. If I met the  queen of England, I would say hello

3. She would travel all over the world, if she were rich

4. If you asked me, I would help you. Second conditional is different from the first conditional because this is a 10^th more unlikely.

The Third Conditional

            This is the only type of condition which deals with past situations. The action mentioned did not really happen. We use the past perfect tense in the ‘if’ clause and the should/would+ have+ past participle construction in the main clause.

From----If + past perfect,................would + have + past participate

Examples

1. If she had studied, she would have passed the exam (but, really we know she study and so she didn’t pass).

2. If I hadn’t eaten so much, I wouldn’t have felt sick (but I did eat a lot, and so I did feel sick).

3. If we had taken a taxi, we wouldn’t have missed the flight.

4. She wouldn’t have been tired, if she had gone to bed earlier.

5. She would have become a teachers, if she had gone to university.

CONCLUSION

	If Clause	Main Clause
Zero conditional General Truth	Present Simple	Present Simple
First conditional Probable situation	Present Simple	Future
Second Conditional Unlikely to happen	Past Simple	Would + infinitive tense
Third conditional Impossible Situation in past	Past Simple	Would + have + Past Perfect

                                                                                                      

Bibliography

·        Kuriakose, T.T (2004). Grammarian: A Comprehensive manual of English Grammar. Surya publication Kottayam

·        John, Thomas (1995). English Grammar and composition Capsule. New jyothi publications, Thiruvanathapuram

·        Mathew, P.M (1997). The New English master. Thapasya Books, Pathanamthitta.

Webliography

https://www.tesol-direct.com