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In expressing a conditional situation, we must be able to distinguish between what is a factual statement and what is a hypothetical statement. (Other terms for hypothetical could be unreal, imagined, wished for, only possible, etc.) For instance, if we say
- "The dog is always happy when Dad stays home,"
- "If the sun shines all day, it gets hot."
Statements of habitual fact can also be made in the past:
HYPOTHETICAL STATEMENTSWhen we express the hypothetical in English in the present tense, we end up using the past tense in an interesting way.
When we use the hypothetical in this conditional mode, we accommodate our need to speculate on how things could have been different, how we wish things were different, how we imagine that things could be different in the future, etc. In order to express the unreal, the hypothetical, the speculative, or imagined (all those being the same in this case), English has adopted an interesting habit of moving time one step backward. Two verbs are involved: one in the clause stating the condition (the "if" clause) and one in the result clause. Watch how the verbs change.
If the hypothetical result is in the future, we put the verb in the condition clause one step back — into the present:
For past unreal events — things that didn't happen, but we can imagine — we put the verb in the condition clause a further step back — into the past perfect:
Some writers seem to think that the subjunctive mood is disappearing from English, but that's probably not true. We use the subjunctive all the time to accommodate this human urge to express possibility, the hypothetical, the imagined. (You can review the Verbs and Verbals section for further help understanding the Subjunctive Mood.) Frequently, conditional expressions require that we use were where we would otherwise have used another form of to be. The switch to were is not the only manifestation of the subjunctive in expressing the conditional, but it is the most common.
When expressing the unreal, the result clauses need would, could or will. The condition clauses do not use those verbs; the condition clauses, instead, use verbs moved one step back in time from the result (as we will see in the tables below).
Source: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/conditional.htm
- "If we ate out at all, it was always in a cheap restaurant."
- "I will give you a call, if I fly to Phoenix tomorrow.
HYPOTHETICAL STATEMENTSWhen we express the hypothetical in English in the present tense, we end up using the past tense in an interesting way.
- If you liked tennis, we could go play on the new courts.
When we use the hypothetical in this conditional mode, we accommodate our need to speculate on how things could have been different, how we wish things were different, how we imagine that things could be different in the future, etc. In order to express the unreal, the hypothetical, the speculative, or imagined (all those being the same in this case), English has adopted an interesting habit of moving time one step backward. Two verbs are involved: one in the clause stating the condition (the "if" clause) and one in the result clause. Watch how the verbs change.
If the hypothetical result is in the future, we put the verb in the condition clause one step back — into the present:
- If the Bulls win the game tomorrow, they will be champs again.
- If the Bulls won another championship, Roberto would drive into Chicago for the celebration.
- I wish I had tickets.
- If they were available anywhere, I would pay any price for them.
- If he were a good friend, he would buy them for me.
For past unreal events — things that didn't happen, but we can imagine — we put the verb in the condition clause a further step back — into the past perfect:
- If the Pacers had won, Aunt Glad would have been rich.
- If she had bet that much money on the Bulls, she and Uncle Chester could have retired.
- I wish I had lived in Los Angeles when the Lakers had Magic Johnson.
- If I had known you were coming, I would have baked a cake.
Some writers seem to think that the subjunctive mood is disappearing from English, but that's probably not true. We use the subjunctive all the time to accommodate this human urge to express possibility, the hypothetical, the imagined. (You can review the Verbs and Verbals section for further help understanding the Subjunctive Mood.) Frequently, conditional expressions require that we use were where we would otherwise have used another form of to be. The switch to were is not the only manifestation of the subjunctive in expressing the conditional, but it is the most common.
- If my brother were my boss, I wouldn't have a job today.
- If I were to lose my job, I wouldn't be able to pay my bills. [Notice how this is more uncertain, more "iffey," than "If I lose my job, I won't be able to pay my bills."]
- If I were eight feet tall, I'd be one heck of a basketball player. [The subjunctive is sometimes to express purely imaginary situation.]
- If I should grow to be eight feet tall, I'd be a great basketball player. [This statement seems even more imaginary and unlikely.]
When expressing the unreal, the result clauses need would, could or will. The condition clauses do not use those verbs; the condition clauses, instead, use verbs moved one step back in time from the result (as we will see in the tables below).
Source: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/conditional.htm