Difference between revisions of "WS:conditionals"
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(→The first conditional) |
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| − | <li>If we finish in time, we < | + | <li>If we finish in time, we <span style="color:darkblue;">can go</span> to the 7:30pm <abbr title="séance, s'emploie pour le cinéma. Cf. Showtime (cable network)">showing</abbr>.</li> |
| − | <li>If she's flying in late Monday, she < | + | <li>If she's flying in late Monday, she <span style="color:darkblue;">may want</span> us to start later on Tuesday morning, so she can recover from jet lag.</li> |
| − | <li>If I have my daughter, I < | + | <li>If I have my daughter, I <span style="color:darkblue;">Ø leave</span> work early to pick her up from the airport. (general truth)</li> |
| − | <li>If I have my daughter Friday evening, I < | + | <li>If he has his daughter, he <span style="color:darkblue;">Ø leaves</span> work early to pick her up from the airport. (general rule: note that the -s is added to the verb as there is no modal auxiliary) |
| − | <li>If I have my daughter Friday evening, I < | + | <li>If I have my daughter Friday evening, I <span style="color:darkblue;">will (have to) leave</span> work early to pick her up. (more specific)</li> |
| + | <li>If I have my daughter Friday evening, I <span style="color:darkblue;">may ask</span> for Friday afternoon off so I can go shopping and clean the house. | ||
</ol> | </ol> | ||
=The second conditional= | =The second conditional= | ||
=The third conditional= | =The third conditional= | ||
Revision as of 15:08, 17 April 2013
In general, the standard EFL grammars have divided the conditional mode in English into 3 types on the basis of both syntax and semantics:
(It was not simply done to encourage students to learn the ordinals from 1st-3rd :)
Quickly, in the part of the sentence that does not include the condition (which is often introduced by if), the following modals are frequently found
- The first conditional = Ø, can, will, may, shall V
- The second conditional = d, could, would, should, might V
- The third conditional = primarily də, coulda', woulda', shoulda' (and mighta') Ved
The first conditional
- If we finish in time, we can go to the 7:30pm showing.
- If she's flying in late Monday, she may want us to start later on Tuesday morning, so she can recover from jet lag.
- If I have my daughter, I Ø leave work early to pick her up from the airport. (general truth)
- If he has his daughter, he Ø leaves work early to pick her up from the airport. (general rule: note that the -s is added to the verb as there is no modal auxiliary)
- If I have my daughter Friday evening, I will (have to) leave work early to pick her up. (more specific)
- If I have my daughter Friday evening, I may ask for Friday afternoon off so I can go shopping and clean the house.
