Conditionals

1. Conditionals Usually just IF, but sometimes UNLESSand other forms

2. Conditionals in English typically involve TWO clauses— The if-clause and the main clause. If you give me a cookie, I will be your friend. if-clausemain clause

3. What causes students to make mistakes with if ? Students typically make three wrong assumptions about the meaning and use of if.

4. Three wrong assumptions • If in English has only one meaning • If is always associated with would • If is alwaysunreal or imaginary

5. Wrong If in English has only one meaning If is always associated with would If is always unreal or imaginary Right If in English has a variety of meanings or uses. If often appears without would If often occurs in contexts that are real Three wrong assumptions

6. English conditionals are of THREE basic types Factual Future Imaginary

7. These three types can be further divided into a total of sixteen (or more) distinct sub-types. Students probably do not need to understand all 16 in detail… but the teacher should probably have a general idea about all 16.

8. At least understand the THREE basic types.

9. Factual Is real No will No would If equals when Future Is real Yes will No would Ifdoes not equal when Basic characteristics of the three types: • Imaginary • Is unreal • No will • Yes would • If does not equal when

10. Type 1: Factual Conditionals

11. Factual has seven distinct types • 1. Factual, timeless, generic • If you heat water, it boils. • 2. Factual, timeless, habitual present • If I eat green apples, I get sick. • If I slap my sister, Mom gets mad. • 3. Factual, timeless, habitual past • If I ate green apples, I got sick.

12. Factual has seven distinct types • 4. Factual, timebound, implicit inference, present • If it’s raining, then my car is getting wet. • If x = 3, then x + 4 = 7. • If Jack needs money, then finding a job makes sense. • 5. Factual, timebound, implicit inference, past • If Jack needed money, then finding a job made sense. • 6. Factual, timebound, explicit inference, present • If it’s raining, then my car must be getting wet. • 7. Factual, timebound, explicit inference, past • If he needed money, then finding a job must have made sense.

13. If = when (or whenever) only for factual, timeless conditionals. If you heat water, it boils. When you heat water, it boils. Whenever you heat water, it boils.

14. Type 2: Future Conditionals

15. Future has five distinct types • 8. Future, condition/result, strong-strong • If you eat your vegetables, I will buy you an ice cream cone. • 9. Future, condition/result, strong-weak • If you eat your vegetables, I might buy you an ice cream cone. • 10. Future, condition/result, weak-strong • If you (should) happen to eat your vegetables, I will buy you an ice cream cone. • 11. Future, condition/result, weak-weak • If you (should) happen to eat your vegetables, I might buy you an ice cream cone.

16. Future has five distinct types • 12. Future, imperative [not exactly future*] • If you see John, tell him to call me. • If you don’t understand, ask questions. • If your mom says it’s okay, borrow her Harley. • *Imperative is not exactly a future idea, but I have rather arbitrarily grouped the imperative conditionals with future conditionals because they seem to fit here as well as anywhere else, and I don’t want to create a whole new category just for them—even though such a category could be justified.

17. In future conditionals, if does not equal when (or whenever) Future conditionals usually apply only to a single, particular case—a one-time occurrence—not broadly to all cases.

18. Type 3: Imaginary conditionals Imaginary conditionals are the only conditionals that are truly subjunctive. Only these describe unreal conditions; Factual and Future conditionals describe conditions that are real, or at least possible.

19. Imaginary has four distinct types • 13. Imaginary, hypothetical, present • If I had more money, I would buy a car. • 14. Imaginary, hypothetical, future • If she were to ask me to marry her, I would say no. • 15. Imaginary, counterfactual, present • If I were a bird, I would fly to you. • 16. Imaginary, counterfactual, past • If I had been a bird, I would have flown to you.

20. Hypothetical Something that is not true at the moment, but could happen. If I had more money… If I got better grades… Counterfactual Not true now and forever impossible If I were a bird… If I were you… If Susan had been alive at the time of Napoleon… What’s the difference between hypothetical and counterfactual?

21. Review • Conditionals in English are basically of three types, Factual, Future, and Imaginary • The three types can be subdivided into 16 (or more) smaller groups. • The three basic types use will and would differently. • Student don’t necessarily need to learn 16 groups, but they probably should learn three.

22. An exercise Given ONE clause of a conditional sentence, create a reasonable FULL sentence.

23. ConditionalsDirections: Complete the following sentences with a clause that is grammatically correct and a reasonable “first choice” answer for most native speakers. Answers that are grammatically correct but feel “forced” or unreasonable for most native speakers will not receive full points.

24. 1. If I felt better today, I would go skydiving. 13 Imaginary (i.e., unreal), hypothetical, present

25. 2. If you get sick, turn the other way. 12 Future, imperative

26. 2a. If you get sick, I will feel sad. 12 Future, condition/result, strong-strong

27. 3. If you had done what I told you, you would have avoided trouble. 16 Imaginary, counterfactual, past you wouldn’t be in jail now. 16 Imaginary counterfactual, past—but with a present consequence.

28. 4. If anyone asks for me, refer them to my lawyer. 12 Future, imperative

29. 5a. If anyone insults me, I insult them back. 2 Factual, timeless, habitual, present (If = when = whenever)

30. 5b. If anyone insults me, I will tell my mom. I tell my mom. 8 Future, condition/result, strong-strong 2 Factual, timeless, habitual, present (If = when = whenever)

31. 5c. If Susan insults me, It’s because she’s jealous of my curly hair. 4 Factual, timebound, implicit inference (The verb “is” DOES NOT mark an inference; therefore, the inference is implied.)

32. 5d. If Susan insults me, It must be because she’s jealous of my curly hair. 4 Factual, timebound, explicit inference (The verb “must be” DOES mark an inference; therefore, the inference is not implied but rather is explicit.)

33. 5e. If anyone insults me, punch them out. 12 Future, imperative

34. 6a. If we don’t understand our teacher, we ask questions 2 Factual, timeless, habitual present (If = when = whenever)

35. 6b. If we don’t understand our teacher, it’s a normal day. 4 Factual, timebound, implicit inference present

36. 7. If you think that I’m going to let you copy my test answers, you’ve got another thing coming. 4 Factual, timebound, implicit inference, present

37. 7. If you think that I’m going to let you copy my test answers, you must be crazy 6 Factual, timebound, explicit inference, present

38. 8. If we had known you were coming, we would have left earlier… and burned the map. 16 Imaginary, counterfactual, past

39. 9a. If he should call, ask him what he wants. 12 Future imperative

40. 9b. If he should call, (then,) maybe we all should call. 4 Factual, timebound, implicit inference, present

41. 10. If Ed were to go back to his old job, he would make more than he’s making now. 14 Imaginary, hypothetical, future

42. 11. He may have to drop out of school if they find what was stashed in his locker. 9 Future, condition/result, strong-weak (May is weak; will is strong.)

43. 12. Don’t give him the package if he can’t give you a receipt. 12 Future, imperative

44. 13. He won’t pass the examination if he doesn’t sit next to Tiffany. 8 Future, condition/result, strong-strong

45. 14. Her headache usually goes away if she soaks her head in Clorox for 15 or 20 minutes. 2 Factual, timeless, habitual, present

46. 15. X plus Y equals seven if X equals 2 and Y equals 5. 1 Factual, timeless generic— or maybe 4 Factual, timebound, implicit inference, present

47. 16. He would have finished the test by now if he had used the other end of his pen. 16 Imaginary, counterfactual, past

48. 17. Be more polite if you want a cookie. 12 Future, imperative

49. 18. Pay cash if you can. 12 Future, imperative

50. 19. He would be a better missionary today if he had not slept through Seminary. Imaginary, counterfactual, past— but with a present consequence.