Mood. The conditional and subjunctive

There are 4 kinds of mood (slovesný spôsob) in English: indicative (oznamovací), imperative (rozkazovací), conditional (podmieňovací) and subjunctive (subjunktív).

Conditional clauses (Podmieňovacie vety)

TYPE 1 – real conditional, describes what will/ won’t happen, if the future event is probable, almost certain. E.g. If the weather clears, we‘ll go for a walk. If I am better tomorrow, I will get up. If I have a headache, I will take an aspirin. If she finishes early, she will go home.

The structure: if clause - present tense + main clause – will

Variations of the Type 1:

All present tenses, including the present perfect, can be used after ‘if’. E.g. If he is standing in the rain, he will catch a cold. If she has arrived at the station, she will be here soon. If you have finished, then we´ll go. If he has been travelling all night, he will need a rest.

Other future tenses can be used in the main clause. E.g. If he gets the job, he‘ll be going abroad. If I don’t run, the train will have left. If I stay till May, I will have been working here for 20 years.

Other modals are used in the main clause. E.g. If she finishes early, she could / may / should / must phone me. = possibility, advice, obligation. If it’s fine tomorrow, we / may / must go for a swim. If I hear from Tim, I may be leaving tonight.

The modal should appears in the if-clause to express doubtful, polite condition. E.g. If I should see him, I’ll ask him to ring you. If you should go to Nairobi, go and see the Snake Park. If I should come later, don´t worry. (more doubtful condition, polite structures)

In formal style the conjunction ‘if’ can be omitted. E.g. Should you be interested in our offer, please contact us.

Implied 1^st conditional = not directly introduced by ‘if’. E.g. With luck, we’ll be there by tomorrow. = if we’re lucky, Given time, they’ll probably agree. = if we give them time

TYPE 2 - unreal conditional, describes imaginary situation in the if clause and speculation about imaginary consequences in the main clause, past tense forms are used but the reference is not the past time. E.g. If you walked faster, you would catch the train. If I had a map, I would lend it to you. If I had longer legs, I’d be able to run faster.

The structure: if clause - past tense + main clause - would

Variations of the Type 2:

The structure ´if it were not for’ or ‘were it not for’ explains why something has or hasn’t happened, it describes how one event depends on another. E.g. If it weren’t for your help, I would still be homeless. If it weren’t for Jim, this company would be a mess.

´ if + were to/was to + would´: If I were to ask, would you help me? (more tentative and polite requests)

Other modals than ‘would’ are possible in the main clause. E.g. If he were here, he could help us. = ability; he might help us = possibility; he should try again = duty. If she were here now, she could be helping us. If you were to ask him, he might help. If she were to make an effort, she could do better.

In formal context, ‘if’ can be omitted. E.g. Were the government to cut Value Added Tax, the prices would fall. Were it not for your help, I would be unhappy. Were I younger, I would travel.

Implied 2nd conditional: = not directly introduced by ‘if’ E.g. To hear him talk, you’d think he was Prime Minister. = if you could hear him talk; But for his pension, he would starve. = if he didn’t have

TYPE 3 – unreal, hypothetical conditional describes purely imaginary situation in the if- clause and the imagined consequences in the main clause, the third conditional refers to consequences which did not or could not ever happen because something didn´t happen in the past. E.g. If I had worked harder at school, I’d have got a better job. If I had lived in the Stone Age, I would have been a hunter. If it had rained, we would have stayed at home. If you had walked faster, you would have caught the train.

The structure: if clause - past perfect + main clause - would have + past participle (an imagined outcome)

Variations of the Type 3:

The past progressive tense is used in if clause. E.g. If it had been raining this morning, we would have stayed at home.

Modals other than ´would´ can be used in the main clause. E.g. If he had been here yesterday, he could have told us. = ability, he might have told us. = possibility If he had received a present, he should have thanked her. = duty, If she had been here, she could have met my sister.

In formal English, the conjunction if is omitted. E.g. Had the management acted sooner, the strike wouldn’t have happened. Had I known his address, I would have sent him a letter.Implied 3^st conditional: = not directly introduced by ‘if’ E.g. Without your help, I couldn’t have done it. = if you hadn’t helped

Mixed unreal conditionals are also possible. E.g. If he wasn´t so lazy, he would have passed the exam easily. = 2^nd+3^rd, If the doctor had been called earlier, she would still be alive today. = 3^rd +2^nd

Other conjunctions in conditional sentences

Unless (ak nie, keď nie, keby nie) in the first conditionals. E.g. Unless you change your mind, I won’t be able to help you. = If you don’t change your mind, I won’t be able to help you.

Other conjunctions used in place of ‘if’: as long as = pokiaľ, assuming that = za predpokladu, even if = aj keď, if only = len aby, on the condition that = s podmienkou, provided that = s podmienkou, so long as, suppose/supposing that = za predpokladu, že, ak, in case = v prípade, whether or not. E.g.

They will lend us their flat on (the) condition (that) we look after it.

I don´t mind lending him the typewriter provided (that) he returns it within a week.

So/As long as you clear your desk by this evening, you can have tomorrow off. Suppose/Supposing that we miss the train, what shall we do?

Take warm clothes in case the weather is cold.

Whether I feel well or not on Monday, I’m going back to work.

The subjunctive mood

Subjunctive =conjunctive.??

If it were me, I'd go.

I wish it were real. --- only in the 1^st and 3^rd persons sg

• . I demand that he listen to me. The employees demanded that he resign.

• If she were leaving, you would have heard about it. = subjunctive

The subjunctive mood is used for expressing wishes, proposals, suggestions or imagined situations.

• there are 2 types: the present subjunctive expressed by the base of the verb. E.g. I insist that the Council reconsider its decisions.

• the mandative subjunctive is used in a that-clause after expressions of demand, recommendation, proposal, intention, suggestion, request, preference, it is necessary, desirable. E.g. I demand that he listen to me. The employees demanded that he resign.

• the past subjunctive or ‘were subjunctive’ survives only in ‘were’ as the past form of the verb be, it is distinguishable from the past indicative of ‘be’ only in the 1^st and 3^rd persons sg. E.g.

If she was leaving, you would have heard about it. = indicative (less formal)

If she were leaving, you would have heard about it. = subjunctive.

The subjunctive follows the expressions of wish and hope. E.g. I wish I knew him. I wish I were dead. I wish you wouldn’t make so much noise. I wish you were more attentive. I wish I had known! If only I had been here yesterday. If only you had let me know earlier.

If only you had told me that earlier.

The subjunctive is used after ´it’s (high) time´. E.g. It is (high) time you started. It’s high time he were taught a lesson. It’s about time he learnt to look after himself.

Compare: We’ve enjoyed the evening, but it’s time to go. = the time to go has now arrived

We’ve enjoyed the evening, but it’s time we went. = we should have left before this

Formulaic subjunctive is found in certain expressions:

God save the Queen. Heaven forbid!

Long live the king. Be that as it may

Come what may! Suffice it to say that…