Present Real Conditionals

Herbal Remedies

9

Focus on Grammar 4Part IX, Unit 21By Ruth Luman, Gabriele Steiner, and BJ WellsCopyright © 2006. Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Herbal Remedies

If people are sick, they go to a doctor. But some people also use herbal remedies for basic healthcare. For example, if you aren’t sleeping well, you can drink chamomile tea. If you suffer from motion sickness, ginger settles your stomach. When you have a cold, you can add garlic to your food. Make a lavender compress when you have a headache. If you get a burn, try the juice of the aloe plant. But if you take herbs, tell your doctor. Some herbs may interfere with other medicines.

Present Real Conditionals 1

If people get sickIf people get sick, , they sometimes try herbsthey sometimes try herbs..

If your body temperature is above 98.6If your body temperature is above 98.6ºº,, you have a feveryou have a fever..

Use present real conditionals for general truths. Usethe simple present in both clauses.

if clause result clause

if clause result clause

Present Real Conditionals 2

If people get sick,

if clause result clause

they try herbal remedies.

Conditional sentences have an if clause (condition)and a result clause.

Present Real Conditionals 3

If I’m feeling sick, I eat more garlic.

if clausesimple present or

present progressive

result clausesimple present

Use real conditionals for habits and things thathappen again and again.

When

If I have a sore throat, I take licorice root.

When I have a sore throat, I take licorice root.

You can often use when instead of if.

Use with Modals

If you aren’t sleeping well, you can drink chamomile tea.

If you get a burn, you might use aloe gel.

You can use modals in the result clause.

Practice 1Combine each group of words to make a sentence with a conditional clause and a result clause.

Example: drink green tea / may lower your blood sugarIf you drink green tea, you may lower your blood sugar.

1. take ginkgo / memory might improve

2. use tea tree oil / can heal skin problems

3. take evening primrose oil / could lower your cholesterol

If you take ginkgo, your memory might improve.

If you use tea tree oil, it can heal skin problems.

If you take evening primrose oil, you could lower your cholesterol.

Use with Imperatives

If you take herbs, tell your doctor.

If you have a headache, make a lavender compress.

You can use imperatives in the result clause.

Practice 2

If you have insomnia, you should take a lavender bath.

Look at the chart. Make conditional sentences with modals or imperatives.

1. 2. 3.

If you have mild depression, you can take St. John’s wort.

If you have a cough, drink slippery elm tea.

If you have a cold, you can take Echinacea.

If you have insomnia, take a lavender bath.

Problem Herbal Remedyinsomnia lavender bathmild depression St. John’s wortcough slippery elm teacold Echinacea

Example:

Clause Order

If you have motion sickness, eat ginger root.

if clause result clause

if clauseresult clause

Eat ginger root if you have motion sickness.

If you have motion sickness, eat ginger root.

A conditional sentence can begin with the if clause or the result clause.

Be Careful!Use a comma between the two clauses only when the if clause comes first.

eat ginger root.

if clause

,

if clause

Eat ginger root ,

If you have motion sickness

if you have motion sickness.

Practice 3 Reverse the order of the clauses in each sentence. Be careful with punctuation.

Example: If you are nauseous, ginger settles your stomach.Ginger settles your stomach if you are nauseous.

1. If you get a burn, use aloe gel.

2. Make a lavender compress when you have a headache.

3. If you take herbs, tell your doctor.

Use aloe gel if you get a burn.

When you have a headache, make a lavender compress.

Tell your doctor if you take herbs.

Use with Negatives

If I’m not sleeping well, I don’t drink coffee.

If I drink slippery elm tea, I don’t cough as much.

You can make either or both clauses negative.

Practice 4Complete the sentences with remedies used in your family or culture.

Example: If you have a cold. . .If we have a cold, we eat a bowl of chicken noodle soup.

1. If you have a headache. . .

2. When you can’t sleep. . .

3. If you have a stomachache. . .

4. Whenever you have the hiccups. . .

5. If you ___________ . . .

References

Copyright © 2006 Pearson Education and its licensors. All rights reserved.