Conditional Sentences

Conditional Sentences are sentences which have two clauses, and use an “if, then” structure. For instance, “If I get a good education, then I will get a good job.” Mistakes made in conditional sentences frequently have to do withverb tense or verb form. Conditional sentences may use different tenses in each clause, but the tenses must make chronological sense (e.g. the present tense cannot happen before the past tense).

“If” Clause: Verb In Present, Main Clause: Verb In Past

If the “if clause” is in the present tense, the “result clause” may notmake sense if written in the past tense.



Incorrect: If I think I am finished clearing out my inbox, I was dreaming.

Because the “if clause” is in the present tense, the “result clause” should be in the present tense: I am dreaming.



Incorrect: If John loves Mary, they were married.

As the “if clause” is in the present tense, it would make more sense, chronologically, if “result clause” were written: they will be married.

“If” Clause: Verb In Past, Main Clause: Verb In Present

If the “if clause” is in the past tense, the “result clause” should use “would + root form of verb”



Incorrect: If we went to the party, we miss the lecture.

Because the “if clause” is in the past tense, the “result clause” should be written: we would miss the lecture.



Incorrect: If you left, I follow.

Because the “if clause” is in the past tense, the “result clause” should be written: I would follow.



Exception:

The “result clause” can be written in the present tense if the condition is long-term or permanent.



Correct: If they went to school, they are educated.

Wrong Verb Form In The Unreal “If” Clause

If the “result clause” uses “would + root form of verb”, the “if clause” should be in the simple past.



Incorrect: He would move to Tuscany, if he has the money.

Because the “result clause” uses “would”, “has” should be changed to “had”.



Incorrect: We would better understand other cultures if we will travel to other countries.

Because the “result clause” uses “would”, “will travel” should be changed to “travelled”.

“Was” Instead Of “Were” In The Unreal “If” Clause

If the “result clause”uses “would”, the “to be” verb in the “if clause” should use “were”, regardless of traditional grammar rules.



Incorrect: He would move to Tuscany, if he was smart.

Because the “result clause” uses “would”, the “if clause” should be written: if he were smart.



Incorrect: I would like to become rich, if I was able.

Because the “result clause” uses “would”, the “if clause” should be written: if I were able.

Main Clause: “Would”, “If” Clause: Verb In Present

If the “result clause” must use “would”, the “if clause” should be in the past tense. If the “if clause” must be in the present tense, use “will” in the “result clause”.



Incorrect: I would be rich if I win the lottery.

If the “result clause” must be left as “I would be rich”, the “if clause” should be changed to “if I won the lottery”.



Incorrect: I would be rich if I win the lottery.

If the “if clause” must be left as “if I win the lottery”, the “result clause” should be changed to “I will be rich”.

“If” (Conditional) Clause: Would; Main Clause: Future

The “if” clause of a conditional sentence is, well, conditional; it always tells what might happen if  something was different. To use a conditional verb in the conditional clause is overkill – kind of like a double negative. If the main clause is in the future tense, the “if” (conditional) clause should be in the present tense. Be sure to look for conditional sentences which use words other than “if”: “unless”, for example.



Incorrect: I will go to school unless I would get sick.

The conditional clause in this sentence is “unless I would get sick”. The verb should use the present tense: “unless I get sick”.



Incorrect: The course will be offered providing there would be enough students.

The conditional clause is “providing there would be enough students”. The clause should be changed to: “providing there are enough students”.



Incorrect: The factory will close if the economy would continue to be weak.

The conditional clause in this sentence is easily identified by the word “if”. The main verb in the clause should use the present tense: “…if the economy continues to be weak.” The infinitive verb “to be” is correct, as it is used after a present tense verb.

“If” Clause in Future Tense, “Result” Clause Using “Would”

“Would” is the past tense of “will”; it is used with “if” to create a conditional verb tense. When used in the result clause of a conditional sentence, “would” usually implies the past tense, so the “if” clause should use a tense which uses or implies the past. The future tense should not be used in the “if” clause of a conditional sentence.



Incorrect: The children would be extremely happy if you will bake some cookies for them.

The “if” clause uses “will”; the tense should be changed to the conditional simple tense.

Correct: The children would be extremely happy if you would bake some cookies for them.



Incorrect: I would be rich if I will win the lottery.

The “if” clause should be changed to the simple past: …if I won the lottery.



Incorrect: If there will be a quiz tomorrow, I would study tonight.

Even if the “if” clause comes first, a past tense should be used. In this sentence, the subjunctive works best.

Correct: If there were a test tomorrow, I would study tonight.

Main Clause: “Will”, “If” Clause: Verb In Some Past Tense

If the "result clause" must use the future tense (will), the “if clause” must be in the present tense. If the “if clause” must be in the past tense, the “result clause” should use “would”.



Incorrect: If you were coming to visit, I will bake some cookies.

If the “result clause” must remain in the future tense, the “if clause” should be written: If you are coming to visit.



Incorrect: If you were coming to visit, I will bake some cookies.

If the “if clause” must remain in the past tense, the “result clause” should be written: I would bake some cookies.

Main Clause: “Will”, “If” Clause: “Will”

Chronologically, it would make sense to have both clauses in the future tense. However, in English, we frequently imply the future tense rather than say it outright. If the “result clause” of a conditional sentence is in the future tense, generally the “if clause” is written in the present tense.



Incorrect: If you will go to the party, I will go, too.

The “if clause” should be written in the present tense: if you go to the party.



Incorrect: If the kids will do their chores, they will be able to go play with their friends.

The “if clause” should be written in the present tense: If the kids do their chores.

Conditional Sentences: missing “would”

The “if clause” can come before or after the “result clause”. When the “if clause” of a conditional sentence is non-factual, the “result clause” should use a modal verb. The verb “will” is the future tense of “to be”; “would” is the modal verb.



Incorrect: If you had closed the door, the cat will not have run outside.

The “if clause” of this sentence is non-factual (obviously, they did not close the door, or the cat would not be outside). Because the “if clause” is non-factual, the “result clause” should use the modal verb “would”: ...the cat would not have run outside.



Incorrect: I will not be so upset if you were better about cleaning up your half of the room.

The non-factual “if clause” (“if you were better about cleaning up your half of the room”) requires the “result clause” (“I will not be so upset”) to use a modal verb: I would not be so upset....

“Would Have” in the “If Clause”

Use of the conditional past tense ("would have") in the "if clause" is common in everyday speech, although it sounds a little childish. In formal writing, the conditional past tense is used in unreal situations; it can be used in the “result clause” of a conditional sentence. In the “if clause”, the past perfect tense should be used.



Incorrect: If Mark would have cleaned up his room, his mother might not be so angry.

The verb in the “if clause”, “would have cleaned”, should be changed to the past perfect tense, “had cleaned”.

Correct: If Mark had cleaned up his room, his mother might not be so angry.



Incorrect: Mary would have used more chocolate in the cookies if she would have had a larger quantity.

“Would have used” is appropriately used in this sentence because it is in the “result clause”; “would have had” should be changed to “had had”.

Correct: Mary would have used more chocolate in the cookies if she had had a larger quantity.

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