5/25/09

Some information

Hi everyone, I would like saying that the class is one of the best I have taken, I really like it and enjoy it. On the other hand, I have seen that we have some troubles with the topic in which we are working, for that reason I decided to make a little list with some rules about conditionals, perhaps most of you have or know these, but it´s just to refresh and give a reference to solve our doubts.

ZERO CONDITIONAL: IF CLAUSE: simple present MAIN CLAUSE: simple present
A situation normally true.
Example: If I run, I get tired. You know I somoke 40 cigarretes a day.

FIRST CONDITIONAL: IF CLAUSE: simple present MAIN CLAUSE: future
Example: If I study for my test, I will get a good grade.

SECOND CONDITIONAL: IF CLAUSE: simple past MAIN CLAUSE: would + present simple
Hypothetical situation
Example: If I were prince, I wolud live in a castle.

THIRD CONDITIONAL: IF CLAUSE: past perfect (had + past participle) MAIN CLAUSE: would have, could have, might have + past participle.
Hypothetical situations in past
Example:If he had given up smoking, he might not have got lung cancer.

FOURTH CONDITIONAL (MIXED):IF CLAUSE: past perfect MAIN CLAUSE: would + present. Another case is IF CLAUSE: simple past MAIN CLAUSE: would have + past participle
Present a past situations
Example:If I had time, I would go with you.
He would have lent you the money, if he were sure you were going to pay him back.

I hope this helps us to understand better.

2 comments:

  1. Thank you very much, David!
    More examples of the fourth conditional:

    If he had given me the papers, I would be able to give them to you now. (But he didn't, so I can't)

    If I was hungry, I would have eaten more. (Implies that I'm not hungry anymore - probably ate something before)

    Any other examples, anyone?

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  2. Ok, I´m going to answer to myself and I think that´s ok, well this is my own correction about I wrote:

    Hi everybody, I would like to say that the class is one of the best I have taken, I really like and enjoy it. On the other hand, I have seen that we have some troubles with the topic in which we are working, for that reason I have decided to make a little list with some rules about conditionals, perhaps most of you have or know them, but it´s just to refresh and give a reference to solve our doubts.

    After this I think that there are mistakes of writing like somoke instead of smoke.

    I think that this is the correction.

    ReplyDelete