Conditional Sentence

- A conditional sentence expresses a relationship between events or situations, typically using the structure "if ... then".
- It presents a condition and the result that follows if the condition is met.
- There are four (4) types of conditional sentence.
1. Zero condition
2. Probable/ likely/ Type I
3. Improbable/ unlikely/ Type II
4. Impossible/ Type III

1. Zero condition
- A conditional sentence type that describes general truths, facts or situations.
=> Structure
If + present simple , present simple
E.g. If you heat ice, it melts.

2. Probable/ likely/ type I
- A probable condition implies that the action in the if-clause is quite probable in the present or future.
=> Structure
If + present simple , simple future
E.g. If it rains, We will cancel the picnic.

3 Improbable/ unlikely/ type II
A- Expresses unreal condition, i.e., it indicates imaginary situations or contrary to facts.
E.g. If she were a bird, she would fly.
(But she's not a bird and she cannot fly.)

B- Expresses less probability, i.e., when the speaker doesn't expect the action in the if-clause to happen.
E.g. If a robber came into my room at night, I would shoot him.
(But the speaker doesn't expect a robber to come.)
=> Structure
If + past simple , present conditional ( would + V1)

Note: The difference between type I and type II conditions is not a matter of time. Both of them refer to the present or future. Their difference lies on the degree of probability. The #improbable_condition suggestes imaginary situations or less probability. But the #probable_condition suggestes more probability.
E.g. If I become a doctor, I will help patients.
(This can be said by a very intelligent student at high school. It tells us that the student has more probability to become a doctor.
E.g. If I became a doctor, I would help patients.
(This can be said by a very less intelligence student at high school. This tells us that the student has less probability to become a doctor.)

Note: "If ... were" is usually used instead of "if ... was" with both singular and plural subjects in unreal (type II) condition. Therefore, It is generally advised to use "were" instead of "was" with both singular and plural subjects although "was" is possible with singular subjects in an informal style.

4. Impossible/ type III
- It refers to unrealized events or regrets in the past.
=> Structure
If + past perfect , perfect conditional (would have + V3)
E.g. If she had studied, She would have passed the exam.

Ready for the next questions?

ይህን ጥያቄ አስተካክዬዋለሁ። ቅድም ስጠይቃችሁ የነበረው ይህን ይመስል ነበር።
If iron rusts, it ___ wet.
A will get
B get
C is getting
D gets

ሐሳቡን ብቻ ነው ያስተካከልኩት። የ 'rusts' እና '___ wet' ቦታ ብቻ ነው የቀየርኩት። መልሱ የሚለይ ነገር የለውም።

የዛሬውን በዚህ እናብቃ። በአላህ ፈቃድ በቀጣይ በዛ ያሉ ጥያቄዎች ይለቀቃሉ።

የጥያቄዎቹን መልሶች ከመለሳችሁ በኋላ ከጥያቄው ከላይ በስተቀኝ በኩል ያለውን የአምፖል 💡 ምልክት በመንካት የመልሱን ምክንያት ማንበብና መረዳት ትችላላችሁ።

መልካም አዳር!

Conditional Sentence (continued..)
 
➡️ If + were to + V1
( Improbable condition )
- “If + simple past tense” can be expressed as  “If + were to + V1.”
- It is typically used to discuss hypothetical or improbable situations in the present or future.
- The use of “were to” highlights the improbability or hypothetical nature of the condition being discussed.
E.g. If Aster phoned him now, he would tell her to do her task.
This is the same as:
        If Aster were to phone him now, he would tell her to do her task.
(This implies that the speaker doesn't expect Aster to phone him now.)
E.g. If they told the truth, they would be excused.
This is the same as:
        If they were to tell the truth, they would be excused.
(But they are not expected to tell the truth.)
 
Additional examples:
> If I were to become a president, I would prioritise education reform.
> If she were to win the Nobel Prize, she would donate a portion of the winnings to charity.
> If it were to snow in the desert tomorrow, it would be a remarkable event.
> If he were to invent a new time machine, he would travel back to ancient Egypt to witness the construction of the pyramids.
 
 
➡️Unless
 
- Unless is a subordinating conjunction commonly used in conditional sentences to express a condition that must be fulfilled for a particular outcome to occur.
- It implies that if the condition stated after “unless” is not met, then the outcome stated in the main close will happen. Essentially, it (unless) introduces a negative condition.
E.g. I will go for a walk unless it rains.
 
(This suggests that the person will go for a walk unless it starts raining. If it does rain, the person won't go out for a walk.)
 
- It is followed by an affirmative verb and it means “If ... not”.
E.g. Unless the boy doesn't eat omelet, he won't go to school. (Wrong)
 Unless the boy eats omelet he won't go school. (Correct)
 
E.g. Unless you don't read the book, You will not pass the test. (wrong)
Unless you read the book, you will not pass the test. (correct)
 
- If … not = If + subject + verb + not
 
E.g. If I don't phone, Come tomorrow.
This is the same as.
Unless I Phone, Come tomorrow.