Time and conditional clauses

conditional and time clauses

index

what are time clauses?

third conditionals

conditionals

identifying a time clause

zero conditionals

mixed types

time clause rules

first conditonals

time clauses and the conditionals

second conditionals

quiz

what are time clauses?

1 what are time clauses?

Time clauses are used in English to show a period of time based on an action or event, similar to dependent clauses in conditional sentences.For example, I will cook dinner when I get home. ‘When I get home’ is a clause showing a point in time, based on an action/event (the time that I get home), in place of a time such as I will cook dinner at 7pm. Time clauses are grammatical units that require subjects, verbs and objects, but they do not always use the same verb rules as the main clause.

identifying a time clause

Time clauses start with adverbs or adverb phrases that represent a time (sometimes also functioning as subordinating conjunctions). These include when, after, until, as soon as, before. A clause that starts with an adverb of time like this is not usually a complete grammatical idea, as they work as subordinating conjunctions: When the sun sets,Although they have a subject, verb and object, none of these are complete ideas, as they simply point to a time The two clauses could be independent without the adverb of time. e.g. I will master English. I will complete every exercise in my textbook. I will master English after I complete every exercise in my textbook. When I master English, I will complete every exercise in my textbook.

time clause rules

Time clauses only use different rules for future tenses; when talking about past or present events, you can generally use regular tenses. e.g. Before we cook pies, we wash our hands. He came home after he finished work. She will meet me after it stops raining. (Not after it will stop raining.)

time clause and the conditionals

Time clauses, or ‘when’ clauses are often compared to ‘if’ clauses. This is a logical comparison because when discussing the future they are grammatically very similar to the first conditional. e.g. We will see them when they get here. We will see them if they get here A time clause shows the event will happen at a certain time, while the if clause shows it will happen if something else happens.

conditional clauses

2 conditional clauses

Conditional sentences are a very useful type of sentence because it help us to talk about what may happen in the present or the future or what may have happened in the past.There are four different conditional sentences and a mixed type.

zero conditional

It is used to talk about : -GENERAL AND UNIVERSAL TRUTHS -GIVE INSTRUCTIONS or ORDERS Its structure is: IF + SUBJECT + PRESENT SIMPLE, SUBJECT + PRESENT SIMPLE MODAL + BASE FORM e.g. If you don't put suncream, you burn yourself. You can participate in the course if you apply for it. You can also use UNLESS instead of IF and the verb in the affirmative form Unless you put suncream, you burn yourself We can change the order of the sentence but we don't put a comma. You burn yourself if you don't put suncream.

first conditional

It is used to talk about : -PROBABLE REAL SITUATIONS IN THE FUTURE Its structure is: IF + SUBJECT + PRESENT SIMPLE, SUBJECT + WILL /WON'T + INF IMPERATIVE MODAL + BASE FORM e.g. If you don't clean the house, you will sleep on the sofa. If she takes you for granted, ignore her. You can join us if you are free tonight. You can also use UNLESS instead of IF and the verb in the affirmative form Unless you clean the house, you will sleep on the sofa. We can change the order of the sentence but we don't put a comma. You will sleep in the sofa if you don't clean the house.

second conditional

It is used to talk about : -THE FUTURE, BUT THE CONDITION IS HYPOTHETICAL, IT'S QUITE IMPROBABLE THAT IT HAPPENS. -TO EXPRESS IMPOSSIBILITY (to talk about situations in the present that cannot be fulfulled because they are impossible) -TO GIVE ADVICE Its structure is: IF + SUBJECT + PAST SIMPLE, SUBJECT + WOULD / WOULDN¡'T + INF COULD / MIGHT e.g. If I won the lottery, I would move to Japan. If you got to know each other, you could / might be friends. If the verb to be is in the conditional sentence, we use 'were' instead of 'was' for all the singular and plural persons. In this case it's not a past simple but the subjuntive.

third conditional

It is used to talk about : -AN IMAGINARY SITUATION IN THE PAST. -TO EXPRESS REGRET Its structure is: IF + SUBJECT + PAST PERFECT, SUBJECT + WOULD / WOULDN¡'T / COULD / MIGHT+ HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE. e.g. If you hadn’t been looking at your phone, you wouldn’t have burnt my toast. If we hadn't grown apart, we could/ might have been close friends.

MIXED conditionalS

We can use mixed conditionals when we imagine a past change with a result in the present or a present change with a result in the past.1. PAST / PRESENT Here's a sentence imagining how a change in a past situation would have a result in the present. If I hadn't got the job in Tokyo, I wouldn't be with my current partner. So the structure is: If + PAST PERFECT >> WOULD + INFINITIVE. 2. PRESENT / PAST Here's a sentence imagining how a different situation in the present would mean that the past was different as well. It's really important. If it wasn't, I wouldn't have called you on your holiday. And the structure is: If + PAST SIMPLE >> WOULD HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE.

quiz

start

question 1/5

As soon as I ............(get) my results, I.......(go) on holiday

get , am going

will get, go

will get, will go

question 2/5

If you.......(freeze) water, it......(turn) into ice.

freezes, will turn

freeze, turns

freezes, will turn

question 3/5

We......(have) a picnic, unless the weather....(be) fine

will have , is

will have, isn't

have, will be

question 4/5

If the cardigan....(not /be) so expensive, I.....(buy) it.

isn't, won't buy

weren't, would buy

won't be, would buy

question 5/5

If the flight.....(not/delay), my boss.....(arrive) on time to the meeting.

wasn't delayed, arrived

wouldn't delayed, hadn't arrived

hadn't been delayed, would have arrived

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