Rafael Teixeira Pinto English 6e Eco-FL

Conditional sentences

He will do it, if you tell him Type 1

would do told Type 2
would have done had told Type 3

Conditions
Actual Type 1 Future → if … Present
Hypothetical Type 2 Conditional → if … Past
Unreal Type 3 Cond. Perfect → if … Past perfect

Attention: Type 2 – « To be » est utilise sous la forme « were » à toutes les personnes pour
insister.
Type 2 & 3 – Les auxiliaires « would » et « should » peuvent avoir des nuances
en utilisant « could » et « might » (interchangeable).

DON’T CONFUSE THESE AUXILIARIES!

Would Que ferias-tu …?
Would like to Qu’aimerais-tu …?
Could Que pourrais-tu …?
Should Que devrais-tu …?
Expressions liées au conditionnel
1) « si seulement » … (regret + souhait)
(a) If only I were with you on holiday now.
If only you had asked me I could have helped you.
(b) I wish I were asked me …
2) I’d (would) rather … than … (je préférais … plutôt que …)
I’d rather be a hammer than a nail.
I’d rather saw the film than read the book.
3) You’d (had) better (+inf.) … (Il ferais/vaudrait mieux de …)
4) Il se peut que … → may
Il se pourrait que … → might ou could
= probabilité, cependant le 2e cas à une nuance de réserve, de politesse.
5) It may be that I come late → impossible!!!
I may come late

Ways of introducing conditionals

1) Unless – if not, except if (sauf si)
2) In case – precaution (dans le cas)
3) Imagine/Supposing/suppose – imagine if (beginning of a sentences) (Imagine que,…)
4) Provied/providing (that), as/so long as – on condition that (often type1) (à condition que)
5) Formal styles – the if is dropped and the auxiliary verb inverted