8/3/2019 Advanced 01 Conditions and Wishes (en)

1/4

CONDITIONS AND WISHES

If the if-clause comes first, we use a comma. Otherwise, theres

no need of it.

Other words that may be used instead of ifare: unless, so long

as, as long as, provided (that), given (that), on condition

(that).

01.Type 0

Its used for talking about general truths, scientific facts or

things that always happen under certain conditions.

If + present simple // present simple

Examples:

If you cross an international date time, the time changes.

Phosphorus burns if you expose it to air.

If it gets cold enough, water becomes ice.

If I dont do my homework, I learn nothing.

If Mary doesnt eat dinner, she gets hungry at midnight.

02.Type 1 (possible and probable)

Examples:

If you go, you will enjoy yourself.

If you should go, you will enjoy yourself. + formal

Should you go, you will enjoy yourself. ++ formal

03.Type 2 (possible but not probable)

Examples:

If you went, you would enjoy yourself.

If you were to go, you would enjoy yourself. + formal

Were you to go, you would enjoy yourself. ++formal

If + past simple // would + infinitive

If + present simple // future simple

8/3/2019 Advanced 01 Conditions and Wishes (en)

2/4

04.Type 3 (impossible)

Examples:

If you had gone, you would have enjoyed yourself.

Had you gone, you would have enjoyed yourself. +formal

Here lies Fred

Who was alive and is dead.

Had it been his father

I had much rather;

Had it been his brother,

Still better than another;

Had it been his sister

No one would have missed her;

Had it been the whole generation,

Still better for the nation.

But since tis only Fred

Who was alive and is dead,

Theres no more to be said. (Horace Walpole)

*Would -> certainty

Could -> ability or permission

Might -> possibility

Should or ought to -> opinion or advice.

05.Wishes

a) If only... is used as an intensified form of ifto express a

hypothetical wish. The if onlyclause always comes before the

main one, though they usually stand alone.

Referring to the present (possible but not probable):

If only we had the right tools (we could fix this in no time)

or

If only he would work harder (he might get a raise)

Referring to the past (impossible):

If only we had known before this happened (we would have

prevented it)

If + past perfect // would* + present perfect

if only + past simple // modal + infinitive

if only + past perfect // modal + present perfect

if only + would + infinitive // modal + infinitive

8/3/2019 Advanced 01 Conditions and Wishes (en)

3/4

b) The verb to wish expresses a desire for a situation that does

not exist right now in the present. A wish is a desire to change

a real situation into an unreal one. We also use this

construction to express regret about a situation that we would

like to change.

Referring to the present (possible but not probable):

I wish I lived in a palace.

I wish I were thin.

-Can you help me?

-No, I'm sorry. I wish I could, but I have an appointment.

Referring to the past (impossible):

I wish I hadn't said that, but in fact I did.

Referring to the future (possible and we dont know the

probability):

I wish the bus would come. I'm cold.

I wish you'd have a car to take me to the beach.

Exercises. Complete the following sentences using your

imagination.

01. If it rains,

02. She ought to sleep ten hours

03. Were you to go to Paris,

04. Water becomes ice

05. Id have passed the exam

06. Id love you

07. Had you told the truth,

08. If I were younger,

09. If you should love him,

wish + past simple

wish + past perfect

Wish + would + infinitive

8/3/2019 Advanced 01 Conditions and Wishes (en)

4/4

10. He will run

11. If you know your abc,

12. If you hadnt sold your house,

13. I wish

14. Had I known,

15. If only

16. I might have hired him,

17. Might the facts be misunderstood,

18. If I were you,

19. I would have left

20. Nobody would have noticed

21. You ought to study

22. You should leave now

23. I can do it whenever I want

24. If you invited me,

25. If Im fired,

26. If only we had

27. I would phone

28. If only we had known you (we would have

lent you some money)