Lesson Untrue Conditionals in the Present and Future

Essential Question

How can we talk about what we imagine or hope for?

Grammar in the World

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What Do I Know?

Use the interactive below to see what you might already know about untrue conditionals in the present or future:

Building Blocks

Grammar is a complex system and structure of language. Mizzou Academy Grammar Lab spotlights one skill (or block) at a time, but it’s often helpful to see how a skill works together with other, related blocks to build the language structure as a whole. You may find the following resource topics helpful as context for this lesson:

Learn About Untrue Conditionals in the Present or Future

Review: True Conditionals and Untrue Conditionals in the Past

As you can learn about in the Grammar Lab’s True Conditionals module, true conditionals deal with routines or habits—either in the present or future.

If I see a snake, I scream!
If I scream too loudly, I will scare my little brother.

You can also learn about Untrue Conditionals in the past. These conditionals give us a way talk about something that did not happen. Untrue Conditionals in the Past consider events that are over and finished—too late for any possible new outcome. They allow us to consider a hypothetical situation or imaginary event that never happened, and then express what would happen if it had taken place.

If I had seen a snake, I would have screamed.
If they had taken a different path, they would not have seen the snake.

Untrue Conditionals in the Present and Future allow us to talk about situations that are not a fact. We use this type of conditional to fantasize about something or make a good guess about a situation. We call them “untrue” conditionals because they aren’t based on the facts of what is happening right now.

They follow this pattern:

If this action or event were true,	then this other action or event would, could, or might happen.	(But, since the first action or event is not true, the second one is unlikely.)
If I were living in Brazil,	I would learn to surf.	Because I do not live in Brazil, I will not learn to surf.
If he were here now,	he could tell you the truth.	Because he is not here, he cannot tell you the truth.
If she had enough money,	she would buy a motorcycle.	Since she does not have enough money, she will not buy a motorcycle.
If these walls could talk,	they would tell you many secrets!	Since these walls cannot talk, they will not tell you secrets.

Look at the following examples of Untrue Conditionals in the Present and Future. What patterns do you notice about the way each sentence starts and the verb tenses?

Dependent (If) Clause	Independent Clause
If this action or event were true,	then this other action or event would, could, or might happen.
If I were living in Brazil,	I would learn to surf.
If she had the weekend free,	she would plant a garden.
If it snowed a lot,	we would have the day off school.
If they were running faster,	they could win the race.
If he were traveling to Vietnam,	he would eat pho every chance he got.
If I were you,	I would watch a movie tonight.
If I understood the joke,	I would laugh with you.

What patterns do you notice from this chart?

1. There is a dependent clause beginning with the subordinating conjunction “if,” and an independent clause.

- Note: These types of sentences don’t always use the signal word “if.” For example, you could say:

- If you prepared in advance, you would have less stress. OR
- A little advance preparation would reduce a lot of stress!

2. Each independent clause is not true, or not real; it is not happening and probably will not happen.

- If she had the weekend free, she would plant a garden. (But, she does not have the weekend free, and she will not plant a garden.)
- If he were here now, he could tell you the truth. (But, he is not here now, and we may never know the truth.)

3. When using conditionals, we say “I were” instead of “I was” (and the same goes for “he were” and “she were.”) This indicates that the clause is a wish or thought rather than a fact.

- If she were not afraid of the water, she would learn to swim.
- If he were taller, he could reach the book on the top shelf.
- If I were not so tired, I would make supper for you.

4. You might also notice that we could flip the order of the dependent and independent clauses. You can say either:

- If they were running faster, they could win the race.
- They could win the race if they were faster.

There are two main ways to use Untrue Conditionals in the Present or Future:

Give Advice

The clause “If I were you” (or similar structures) kicks off a conditional that gives advice or a warning.

If I were you, I would do my homework earlier rather than later.
If she were in his shoes, she would take the dog for a walk before it got dark.
We would tell the truth immediately if we were them!
I wouldn’t put up with that nonsense if I were you.

Express Wishes or Regrets

If I had more time, I’d go for a walk in the woods.
I could travel to France if I had more time.
If she had patience, she would learn to speak Portuguese.
He would practice playing the guitar if he weren’t so busy with soccer.
If they had a garden, they would plant sunflowers.
We would go outside today if it weren’t sleeting.

Do I Get It?

Use the interactive below to test how much you have learned about untrue conditionals in the present or future: