This topic is one of the most serious in English grammar. Studying the language at the initial stage, you can do without this knowledge for some time. But the higher your level, the more you will have a desire to diversify and complicate your speech, making it close to the one owned by native speakers. At this point, there will be a need to study the subordinate clauses of the condition: their meaning, varieties, methods of education and examples of use. This will help the proposed article.
Where are used?
In English, as in Russian, all sentences are divided into simple and complex. And the latter, in turn, can be complex and complex. The first type does not create great difficulties in studying the grammar of a foreign language. But in the case of the second, there are some nuances.
Consider a typical complex sentence in English:
If (when) the weather is fine, I'll go for a walk - If (when) the weather is good, I will go for a walk.
In this case, you can easily see two components:
- I'll go for a walk - main clause;
- if (when) the weather is fine - subordinate condition (condition clause) or time (time clause).
What do they mean?
In the above example, the main sentence expresses the thought: “What will happen?”, And the subordinate clause “Under what condition (or at what time, when) will it happen?”
Such sentences express the inextricable semantic and grammatical connection of the main and subordinate parts. In general, subordinate constructions can express a variety of meanings: mode of action and degree, place, time, condition, cause, effect, goal, comparison, assignment. But in this article we will focus on only two types that express situations of time and conditions.
In speech, such constructions express logical, spatio-temporal and causal relationships. Therefore, an advanced English learner needs to understand when to use clauses of time and conditions.
Consumed Unions
It is characteristic that in complex sentences, the main part is invariably one, and there can be several subordinate clauses. All of them are directly dependent (logical and grammatical) on the main component and are attached to it with the help of various conjunctions and allied expressions. Here are the most common:
- if - if;
- in case - in case;
- when - when;
- while - while, while;
- as soon as (as long as) - as soon as;
- until - not yet, before;
- after - after;
- before - before;
- unless (if not) - if not.
Please note: the union used does not always help determine the type of compound sentence. And often it is necessary to do this in order to apply the grammar rule, which is described later in the article. For accurate confirmation that this is exactly the sentence with the clause or time, you need to ask a question to the subordinate.
Remember also that a sentence can begin with both the main part and the subordinate clause. Is it hard not to get confused? Just pay attention to what part of the proposal the union is located (one or the other from the list presented above).
What is the relative time?
This type includes the part of a complex sentence that submits to the main one, while answering the questions: “When?”, “How long?”, “How long?”, “Since when?”, “Until when?” etc.
To add additional clauses to the main part, unions are used: when, after, before, until and others with a similar meaning. However, in order to make sure that it is the value of time that is expressed, and not some other, it is most reliable to ask a question.
What is the subordinate condition?
Such grammatical constructions answer the question: “Under what condition?”. They are quite diverse and are joined by unions if, in case, unless, etc. But not always the union word acts as a guarantee that the value of the condition is realized in the sentence. Because in many cases, the turnover, for example, with if, is translated not “if,” but “whether.” Compare:
- I'll come if they invite me - I will come if they invite me.
- I don't know if they will invite me - I don’t know if they will invite me.
The subordinate clauses in English are found in sentences that take place in the past, present or future tense. In addition, the conditions themselves have a gradation: real, unlikely, and unrealistic. Best of all it becomes clear on examples.
I type
The subordinate condition related to the first type describes a real fact. That is, what really took place in the past, present or future. Moreover, the tense forms of the verb-predicate in the main and subordinate parts usually coincide.
This is clearly seen in the examples.
If the weather was fine, he went for a walk - If the weather was good, he went for a walk.
If the weather is fine, he goes for a walk - If the weather is good, he walks.
If the weather is fine, he will go for a walk - If the weather is good, he will go for a walk.
Only in the last example can we notice that the two parts of a complex sentence are not consistent in time (the subordinate clause is in the form of the present, and the main one is in the future). This did not happen by chance, but as a result of a special grammatical rule to which the subordinate clauses of time and conditions obey. Details will be explained later.
In the meantime, consider the manifestations of the second and third types of subordinate conditions. They are no longer revealed in three grammatical tenses, but acquire the meaning of "if, then ...". Moreover, such a hypothetical situation may be relevant both to the present day and to the past.
II type
When the speaker believes that the reality of the condition is quite small, a separate speech structure is used. Drawing an analogy with the Russian language, this is a subjunctive mood ("if only ..."). Example:
If the weather was fine, I would go for a walk - If the weather was good, I would go for a walk.
Please note that the described situation occurs while the person is talking about it. This is not regret about yesterday.
To grammatically correctly construct a statement of this type, you need:
- in the subordinate part, put the verb-predicate in the form Past Simple;
- in the main part, I would use the + form of the infinitive of the verb (but without the particle to).
III type
If the observance of this condition (and the fulfillment of an action) is considered by the speaking person as completely impossible, an additional condition of another type enters into effect. The impossibility of realizing such a situation is due to the fact that the action has already taken place in the past, and the speaker can’t change his result. And therefore, a complex subject with a subordinate condition of this type usually expresses regret and lamentation over the circumstances.
If the weather had been fine yesterday, we wouldn't have stayed home. In that case we would have gone for a walk - If the weather had been nice yesterday, we would not have stayed at home. In that case, we would go for a walk.
But there may be another, opposite in meaning, situation. A person thinks about what could happen, but does not feel regret about this. For instance:
If I had overslept, I would have been late - If I overslept, I would be late.
Please note that the whole sentence is entirely related to the past tense and expresses the impossibility of performing a certain action precisely then, in the past.
Such a grammatical structure is formed according to the following scheme:
- in the subordinate, the verb-predicate is put in the form of Past Perfect;
- in the main part would be + Perfect Infinitive.
What time is used in subordinate clauses?
This question is very serious. A little earlier in the article it was mentioned that it is important to determine the type of subordinate part. And moreover, in this matter it is necessary to focus not on unions, but on asked questions.
The fact is that there is a certain grammar rule. It is associated with the type of the subordinate part and the use of present / future tense in it.
If the subordinate clauses answer the questions: “Under what condition will the action take place?” or “What time (when) does this happen?” they express, respectively, a condition or time. In these types of subordinate clauses, one cannot use the future tense (with the verb will). Instead, the present is used. Even when the situation is clearly relevant to the future and it is at that time that it is translated into Russian.
Compare:
- She'll make a cake when you come.
- If I get this job, I will be happy - If I get this job, I'll be happy.
As it is easy to notice, in the latter case the given example refers to the variety - the subordinate condition of type I. This rule does not apply to the other two types of conditional clauses, since there are completely different constructions for expressing grammatical meaning.
In many situations, complex sentences make it possible to better express the speaker’s thoughts. Subject parts are joined using special unions. As the main varieties, auxiliary clauses and auxiliary conditions stand out.
The English language makes certain grammatical rules regarding the use of such structures. In order to assimilate them reliably, you need to understand the theory well once, and then perform as many exercises as possible so that the example of correct use is fixed in memory. Subsequently, when it becomes necessary, it will automatically appear in speech.