ESL Blogs

My dear friends! From our previous grammar tests it is clear, that most of you have some problems with the Subjunctive Mood and conditional sentences. I have already explained about subjunctine here:

http://www.myenglishclub.com/group/improving-grammar-with-tanya-and-dan/forum/topics/grammar-terms.

Here is the link to the description of WOULD RATHER:

http://www.myenglishclub.com/group/improving-grammar-with-tanya-and...

So, now I will explain you the conditional sentences.

The Unreal Conditions

Such conditions are used to describe unreal actions.

It the conditional clause the predicate must be in the Subjunctive form.

Subjunctive Past is used when we speak about the present or the future actions.  All verbs except "to be" are used in the form of the Simple Past Tense, i.e., with the ending -ed for the regular verbs (lived, wanted) or in the second form for the irregular verbs (knew, came). The verb "to be" is used only in plural(were) for all persons (I were, he were....).

Subjunctive Perfect is used when we speak about the past actions. All verbs are used in the form of the Past Perfect Tense, i.e., had+past participle, passive (had been, had known). The Subjunctive Mood is used in subordinate clauses.

The predicate of the main clause must be

Would + the infinitive without “to” in the simple form for the present and future conditions.

Would + the infinitive without “to” in the perfect form for the past conditions.

1. The Unreal Condition in the Present and the Future

If I knew his phone number, I would call him right away (It means that I don't know his number and can't give him a call now).

2. The Unreal Condition in the Past

If it hadn't been so hot yesterday, we would have spent the day outside (It means, it was really very hot yesterday and I spent all the day in the hotel room).

3. The Mixed Condition.  We use such conditional sentences when the reason was in the past and the result is in the present or future.

If I had answered your questions yesterday, I wouldn't have to do it today

Now, we can replace would with could if we mean an ability, or with might if we mean low probability.

If he didn’t speak so quickly, I could understand him (He speaks quickly and I can’t understand him)

If I knew his address, I might call on him. (I don’t know his address)

If the fire brigade had arrived in time, it could have saved the house (It didn’t arrive in time and the house burnt down)

If the firemen hadn’t arrived in time, the house might have burnt down (They arrived in time and the house was saved)

Now, let’s consider the conditional sentences with one or two more subordinate clauses.

First, those clauses can’t contain any modal auxiliaries. Besides, to find the correct tense of the predicate in such a clause, we should compare the action it describes with the action described by the conditional clause. Like in the indicative sentences, there are three cases:

1.   Both actions are(were) simultaneous. In this case we use the simple or the progressive present (past) tenses.

2.   The action in the additional subordinate clause was earlier than that in the conditional clause. In this case we use the present perfect or simple past for the present conditions and the past perfect for the past conditions. This case is very rare.

3.   The action in the additional subordinate clause will (would) be in the future (future past). In general, in such a case we use ‘going to’ . We can also use the  progressive tenses (sometimes the simple tenses meaning some scheduled action) if we are 100% sure the action will/would take place.

Here are a few examples.

If I knew when he is coming, I would meet him.

If I had been told I was going to become a teacher, I wouldn’t have believed that.

If I knew he is sick, I would call on him.

If I had known he was sick, I would have called him.

If you had told me what had happened, we wouldn’t have quarreled.

If I knew he has left (left a few days ago) I wouldn’t call him.

Today I'd like to propose you the test where you should find and correct the mistakes again. This test is a little different from previous. First, all sentences are either subjunctive or conditional. Besides, you should correct only predicates. Moreover, in the conditional sentences the conditional clauses are correct. Please, don't try to change anything except the predicates and pay attention to the time modifiers.  I hope, the assignment is clear.

So, here is the test.

1. If people always thought what they sad, they wouldn’t be offended others.
2. If  he had known I had been in California, he would come there.
3. I wish that it didn’t happen so suddenly.
4. It is about time that those students learn the tenses.
5. If I thought, he lied, I didn’t talk to him.
6. If  you were coming my way, I were able to give you a ride.
7. If I had thought it would rain, I might take an umbrella.
8. If had listen to what I had been told, I wouldn’t have been fooled now.
9. I would rather that he will not come tomorrow.
10. If he had known what reaction my article might cause, I wouldn’t have published it.
11. If I had thought I waited, I could hurried up.
12. If I hadn’t been in a hurry when I pack, I might not forget some necessary stuffs.
13. If I were you, I would find a better job long ago.
14. He would rather that he didn’t meet her at all.
15. If she had found the right buyer when she is broke, she would have sold her house.

Good luck and have a great Sunday!

July 20. Here are the correct answers.

1. If people always thought what they say, they wouldn’t __ offend__ others.
2. If he had known I was in California, he would have come there.
3. I wish that it hadn’t happened so suddenly.
4. It is about time that those students learned the tenses.
5. If I thought, he lies, I wouldn’t talk to him.
6. If you were coming my way, I would be able to give you a ride.
7. If I had thought it was going to rain, I would have taken an umbrella.
8. If I had listened to what I was told, I wouldn’t be fooled now.
9. I would rather that he__ not come tomorrow.
10. If he had known what reaction my article was going to cause, I wouldn’t have published it.
11. If I had thought I was being waited, I would have hurried up.
12. If I hadn’t been in a hurry when I was packing, I might not have forgotten some necessary stuffs.
13. If I were you, I would have found a better job long ago.
14. He would rather that he hadn’t met her at all.
15. If she had found the right buyer when she was broke, she would have sold her house.

Thank you all for taking part!