GUIDE ENGLISH GRAMMAR BOOK

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Conditional clauses
255 Summary
The use of conditional clauses • 256
We often use if to express a condition.
If you're going into college, I could give you a lift.
Here there is a conditional clause (If you're going into college) and a main
clause (I could give you a lift).
Conditions can be open or unreal.
Open: If it rains tomorrow, I won't go.
Unreal: If I was a bit taller, I could reach.
Verbs in conditional sentences • 257
There are many different combinations of verb forms. Here are some examples.
If I complain, no one ever takes any notice.
If I complain, no one will take any notice.
If I complained, no one would take any notice.
If I had complained, no one would have taken any notice.
Should, were, had and inversion • 258
We can use inversion in clauses with should, were and had.
Should it rain, the reception will be held indoors.
If, as long as, unless, in case etc • 259
Besides if we can use other conjunctions to express a condition.
You can picnic here as long as you don't leave litter.
256 The use of conditional clauses
1 This real conversation contains some conditional clauses.
RENEWING YOUR LIBRARY BOOKS
Reader: And if I want to renew my books, do I have to come in, or can I phone
and renew them? I think there's a system where I can phone and tell you the
numbers or something like that?
Librarian: Yes, that's quite all right. Or you can even send us a letter. As long as
you give us the accession number of the book.
Reader: That's the number on the back?