Introduction
Verbs that are used to create conditional sentences that express speculative and presumptive situations are known as conditional verbs. We can use past, present, future tense, and some auxiliary verbs like could/can, would/will, might/may to form conditions. The best way of learning it is to practice through examples. Conditional tenses suspect what happened, what is happening, and what can happen. In English, a conditional statement is always constructed with “if” and “whether.” It is the construction of verbs that conditional sentences use. We use this tense to discuss unpredictable situations that allow us to think about the present, future, and past. The easiest way to discover is to search for conditions in a sentence.
What are Conditional Verbs?
The construction of verbs that are used in sentences with conditions is a conditional verb. Depending on a particular situation, conditional sentences express something that might happen. When a clause in a sentence contains the word “if”, such verbs are formed. The condition established by this clause depends on the action of the sentence. Some modal auxiliary verbs like a will, would, might may determine the tense of the sentence and the main motto of the verb. Some examples that will finely define the meaning of conditional verbs are given below in the sentences.
“If you skip medicines, you will never recover”.
You can be happier if you keep positive thoughts”.
Type 1
Will, can, might, may are used by the main clause, and it also uses the base form of the main verb, and the present simple tense uses if-clause. The future refers to type1, and it gives hope that incidents will likely occur. The use of the modal verbs like may or might in the main clause shows that the occurring of the incident is not predictable. Below some detailed examples are given for better understanding.
You will get there on time if you take the first bus.
If you do not drink milk, you will fall ill.
If you need help with an assignment, I can assign you a teacher.
You will not get a ticket if you do not stand in the queue.
You may feel better if you take paracetamol.
Type 2
Would, might, could are used by the main clause, and it also uses the base form of the main verb, and the Past simple tense uses if-clause. Type 2 mainly focuses on situations that are imaginary and hypothetical. It always implies that the action will not take place. When advising someone, we use the past subjunctive. It also determines the action of a person. Below some detailed examples are given for better understanding.
We could have seen the whole film from the beginning if you were early.
We could have saved $50 if you did not buy that toy.
If Colet was in your place, he would never lend me a book.
Type 3
Would, might, could are used by the main clause, and it also uses the base form of the main verb along with “have”. The past perfect tense is used in if-clause. The user looks back into a past event or situation in type 3. The user is not satisfied with what happened in the past or something that was not accomplished in the past. Excuses, regret, guilt, blaming are a part of such situations. Below some detailed examples are given for better understanding.
If the baby cries, give him some toys.
You would have scored better if you played fewer video games.
Conclusion
Conditional verbs are a very crucial part of basic English grammar. When we use them in a conditional clause, we can express our thoughts or actions for every phase of tense. We can explain situations of past, present, and future, and some actions that were incomplete or we wish to accomplish. Conditional verbs are different from conditional conjunctions, and their detailed explanation is present. We can also use conditional tense in a clause to express our thoughts more clearly.
FAQs on Conditional Verb
1. Briefly discuss the conditional tense with examples.
There are three types of conditional tenses, and referred to as first conditional, second conditional, and third conditional. The first conditional explains or decides the situation that will probably occur due to an act in the past. The second conditional tense explains a situation that will not appear and has no connection with the real world. The third conditional tense explains a situation that did not happen in the past, but you wish it would have happened. A first conditional tense example is “if you take the medicine, you will recover.” A second conditional tense example is “if were young like you, I would have bought the dress”. A third conditional tense example is “if she would have watered the plant more often, the plant would have survived”.
2. Can we consider a conditional word?
Although conjunctions are small English words, they perform difficult tasks. Conditional conjunctions are an engrossing bunch of words. We should never mix up conditional verbs or conditional conjunctions. They are present in conditional clauses, where a situation will occur or a situation that already occurred. It can be of multiple words like “as long as” or a single word like “if”. so conjunctions like when, whenever, whether, unless are examples of conditional conjunctions, and we can consider “when” a conditional word. An example of such a word is “when I am sad, I can eat gallons of chocolates”.
