C1.

1 - UNIT 6
GRAMMAR
REAL & UNREAL CONDITIONALS

Conditional sentences determine two things generally: a real or an unreal situation.

In the case of a ‘true’ situation, the sentence will state what happens, what has
happened or what is most likely to happen. However, in an ‘untrue’ situation, it will
state what did not happen or is not likely to happen.

If there is a​ ny risk of post-operatory infection, the doctors usually ​administer ​a

strong antibiotic. ​(In this case, this scenario is real or could happen.)

​ e ​hadn't had ​these financial problems, my parents ​would have let ​me continue
If w
at school. ​(The situation cannot be reversed.)

REAL CONDITIONALS

What is interesting when using the ​if-​clause and the main clause is the flexibility that
there is to state what is real and not real. Let’s take a look at some examples of
patterns in the ​if​-clause​ that suggest that an event or situation is ​real​.

➢ if + present simple, + present simple

If there is a​ ny risk of post-operatory infection, the doctors usually ​administer ​a

strong antibiotic.

➢ if + present simple, + present continuous

If ​you t​ hink ​this is a good opportunity, you’​ re making​ a big mistake.

➢ if + present simple, + ​will ​+ bare infinitive

If ​the situation ​changes​ in any way, they ​will call​ you immediately.

➢ if +​ going to,​ + ​will ​+ bare infinitive

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If we’re ​going to set up our own business, w
​ e’ll ​need t​ o realise enough capital to
get through the first couple of years.

➢ if + present simple, + ​might ​+ bare infinitive

If we don’t save enough money, we might end up having problems with paying the
mortgage.

➢ if + past simple, + past simple

​ anted ​to meet, they ​had ​to call their

Before smartphones were invented, if people w
friends and make plans.

‘​Will’ ​is not generally used in the ​if​-clause.

If we’re not finished by the end of the week, we run the risk of losing the deal. ​(​*​If we
won’t be finished)

There is an exception, however. When determining a result of something happening,

the use of ​will ​in the ​if-​ clause is acceptable.

I could offer to collect your parents from the train station​ if​ it w
​ ill​ help…

or

A: The dog bit my hand!

B: Well, ​if ​you w
​ ill ​insist on stroking her when she is eating, what do you expect?

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UNREAL CONDITIONALS

➢ if + past simple, + ​would ​+ bare infinitive

If​ we a
​ te​ more healthily there ​wouldn’t be s​ o many cases of heart disease.

➢ if + past perfect, + ​would have ​+ past participle

If we ​had known about this proposal beforehand, we ​would have gone ahead with
it.

We can use modals other than ​would ​in the main clause.

If we had planned better, we m ​ ight have managed to avoid the delays that we
incurred at the beginning of the trip.

Would i​ s very rarely used in the ​if​-clause. Instead, the past simple is used.

​ ere more of us, we ​would be able to deal with the extra workload. ​(​*​If there
If there w
would be more of us​)

Notice that when the ​if-​ clause is first in the sentence, it is followed by a
comma. There is no comma when the main clause comes first.

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MIXED CONDITIONALS

We can sometimes vary the conditionals by mixing the tenses around.

➢ if + past tense, ​would have​ + past participle

​ asn’t for the bad weather, we ​would have gone on more excursions this
If it w
summer. (​ =There was very bad weather, so we didn’t go on so many excursions.)

​ bare infinitive
➢ if + past perfect, ​would +

If laws ​had been enforced sooner, there w

​ ould be fewer animals in danger of
extinction in Africa.

Other aspects to take into account:

● In formal contexts, we can also use ​were ​instead of ​was ​when using the
if​-clause.

If i​ t ​were e
​ asy, everybody would be doing it.

​ ’
● When giving advice, we say ‘​if I were you, I would …

If I​ w
​ ere y​ ou, I w
​ ould a
​ ccept her apology.

● We use if + were + ​to​-infinitive rather than if + past simple when explaining

possible or imaginary situations.

If companies ​were to give their employees Fridays off in summer, they would boost
morale and raise the level of motivation too.

● This pattern is not used, however, with state verbs, such as ​belong, doubt,
​ r​ understand.​
know o

If we ​understood more about black holes and gravity, we might be able to make
time travel possible. ​(​*​If we were to understand more about black holes ...)

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IF … NOT​ AND ​UNLESS

➢ If … not ​and ​unless c​ an also be used in real conditional sentences when the
meaning is ‘except if’.

Unless we act now, we may never recover from the effects of global warming. (= ​If
we do​n’t​ act now …​)

➢ However, use ​if … not​, and not ​unless

➢ when the outcome is unexpected.

I will be very surprised i​ f ​we do​n’t come to an agreement before the end of the
month.

➢ when asking questions.

How do you expect people to react ​if y​ ou do​n’t ​behave yourself?

➢ Unless ​is used instead of ​if … not when an idea, thought or plan that was not
originally intended is thought of at a later time.

​ nless, o
We must have healthier food in the school canteens - u ​ f course, underage
obesity is what we want to continue to see.

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OTHER CONDITIONAL EXPRESSIONS

EVEN IF & EVEN THOUGH

➢ We can use ‘​even if​’, to mean ‘whether or not’ and ‘​even though​’, to mean
‘despite the fact that’. Take a look at these examples:

Even if y​ ou could afford to go on holiday with them, you still need to bear in mind
that they may not renew your contract next year. ​(= Whether or not you can afford to
go)

Even though she has said that your contract will be renewed, it’s still not a full gone
conclusion. Anything could happen. (​ = Despite the fact that she has said that…)

IF ONLY & WISH

➢ We use ‘​if only​’ or ‘​wish​’ + past simple in order to express that you want a
present situation to be different.

I really do ​wish ​that time travel was/were possible.

If only​ time travel was/were possible.

Iw​ ish ​she had arrived sooner.

If only​ she had arrived sooner.

➢ ‘If only’ and ‘wish’ are also used when being critical.

I ​wish ​the children would wipe their feet before coming into the house.

If only t​ he children would take off their shoes before coming into the house.

Note that ​* ​I wish I would is not correct! Instead, we say ‘I wish I had’ or ‘I wish
I could’.

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OTHER USEFUL EXPRESSIONS THAT CAN BE USED WITH CONDITIONALS

● as long as / so long as (a little more informal)

​ s long
I don’t think your parents would have a problem in you staying the weekend a
as​ you promise to do your homework first.

● but for

But for the help of the emergency services that were first on the scene, the
hurricane would have claimed many more lives.

● in the event of

In the event of an earthquake, visitors should make way to the emergency exit and
follow the emergency drill.

● supposing

Supposing t​ hat we decided to accept your proposal, would you be in a position to

close the deal today?

● provided that / providing that

I don’t think your parents would have a problem in you staying the weekend
provided that​ you promise to do your homework first.

● should you (with inversion)

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department.