Špehar Mladen ENGLISH VERB 1: CONTRASTIVE APPROACH

Academic year 2018/2019

1. Introduction

According to Thompson and Martinet, “Conditional sentences have two parts: the if-clause
and the main clause. In the sentence If it rains I shall stay at home ‘If it rains’ is the if-clause and
‘I shall stay at home’ is the main clause” (1977, 91). Palmer (196) uses a similar definition, but
expands on it by calling the main clause an apodosis, and calling the subordinate if-clause a
protasis, and also states that along with if, there are other subordinators (unless, so long as,
supposing, etc.). Some of the uses of conditional sentences are to address general truths, possible
and hypothetical conditions and its probable results, unreal past conditions and its probable result
in the past, and in the present. According to this, different linguists have developed their own
classifications of conditionals.

When talking about the most used division of conditionals, people usually refer to Palmer
(149) who has classified conditionals into 3 main types:

1) If + simple present (will- future)

In this type of conditional sentences, there is a very high chance that the condition stated in the
subordination will be successfully completed

E.g. If Simon jumped, Daniel will cry

2) If + simple past

This conditional, can be either real (open) or unreal (hypothetical). Palmer also states that with
real conditionals the speaker only presents the propositions that are linked, without indicating any
views on them. In unreal conditionals the speaker indicates that he has doubts about the
propositions, or in particular about the proposition expressed in the protasis” (1974).

E.g. If Simon jumped, Daniel would cry

3) If + past perfect

In these conditionals it is impossible for the condition to be fulfilled because the conditional relates
to the past.

E.g. If Simon had jumped, Daniel would have cried

Špehar Mladen ENGLISH VERB 1: CONTRASTIVE APPROACH
Academic year 2018/2019

2. Real and unreal conditionals in English

According to multiple notable linguists, including Palmer, conditionals are also often divided into
real and unreal conditionals.

- Real conditionals
o They state that there is a causal link, a dependency between the main (apodosis)
and the subordinate clause (protasis), usually with possibility for their realization.
o When discussing the future, real conditionals do not indicate that the condition will
be certainly realized. That issue is left open
o When discussing the past, real conditionals carry the meaning that something was
or was not realized, or that it is highly likely that it was realized
o In the if clause, the use of modals is restricted to verbs can and must (If I must go
to meetings, I will go to meetings, *If I might go to meetings, I go to meetings),
while in the subordinate clause almost any modal can be used (If I go to meetings,
I can give ideas / If I go to meetings, I may give ideas/ )
o In the case of If I had to go to meetings, I would arrive early, would is not a
conditional, would is a modal talking about a habit in the past and is practically the
same as used to (If I had to go to meetings, I used to arrive early).
o In the case of If you would/will/might help me, these are not conditionals, they are
requests.
- Unreal conditionals
o Contrary to real conditionals which express that even with the slightest of
possibilities for the action to occur, the event occurs, unreal conditionals express
that there was or is absolutely no chance for the action to ever occur in the past,
present, or future
Špehar Mladen ENGLISH VERB 1: CONTRASTIVE APPROACH
Academic year 2018/2019

3. Examples of real conditionals in English

1) If the weather is nice, she walks to work

Ako je vreme lepo, ona ide peške na posao
2) If he gets here soon, we will start the project

Ako on dodje uskoro, počećemo projekat

3) They will buy a car if they get a loan from the bank

Oni će kupiti auto ako dobiju pozajmicu od banke

4) She would die unless the doctor saved her

Ona bi umrla da je doctor nije spasao

5) If I drink coffee tonight, I won’t sleep well

Ako budem pio kafu večeras, neću lepo spavati

6) If you heat bronze, it melts

Ako zagrevaš bronzu, ona se topi

7) When I will be living in Belgium, I will learn Dutch

Kad budem živeo u Belgiji, naučiću holandski

8) If I feel sick, I go to the doctor

Ako se osećam bolesno, idem kod doktora
9) If it’s not too late, I’ll go to the store

Ako ne bude kasno, otići ću u prodavnicu

10) If I study math, I may pass the test

Ako učim matematiku, možda ću položiti test

Špehar Mladen ENGLISH VERB 1: CONTRASTIVE APPROACH
Academic year 2018/2019

4. Real conditionals in Serbian

According to L. Jasenović, “clauses of condition, or in Serbian, pogodbene rečenice,

explain the circumstances under which the statement in the main clause will be true, or under
which circumstances the action will take place. These clauses answer the question ’under which
circumstances will something happen.’ (1983) “ Jasenović also states that conditions can be
divided into three main subdivisions: 1) real conditions, 2) possible conditions, and 3) impossible
conditions.

Jasenović states that in real conditional clauses, the action of the subordinate clause will
take place if the action of the main clause takes place.

M. Kovačević separates sentences with connectives ako and ukoliko according to the verb
form used in the predicate of the conditional clause, into, according to the “time of validity”, past
clause, present clause, future clause and “timeless” clause.

Similar to Jasenović, I. Klajn states that conditionals express conditions which are
necessary for the fulfillment of the action stated in the main clause. Connectives that can be used
in sentences are da, kad(a), ukoliko, ako, but also the grammatical particle li in real conditional
sentences. According to the degree of possibility, Klajn divides conditionals into

 real,
 potential,
 and unreal

According to Klajn, real conditionals express a conditional, current and realizable, which
in most cases is related to the future or present, rarely to the past. The verb in both clauses is in the
indicative mood, but imperative mood is also possible in the main clause. For expressing future
conditions, the subordinate clause uses future II, or present tense.
Špehar Mladen ENGLISH VERB 1: CONTRASTIVE APPROACH
Academic year 2018/2019

Connectives ako and ukoliko have the same use, but the latter expresses that the realization
of the condition is less likely.

The particle li is used instead of connectives for expressing future conditions. In this case,
the subject of the sentence and the particle are positioned after the verb. This kind of construction
is more widely used in literary language.

With potential conditionals, the fulfillment of the action is not expected, but it is still
plausible. The connectives which are used are kad, ako, ukoliko.

5. Examples of real conditionals in Serbian:

1) Ako lampica svetli, mašina je ispravna
If the light is on, the machine is functional.
2) Ako ne budeš redovno učio, izgubićeš stipendiju.
You will lose your scholarship if you do not study regularly.
3) Ne budeš li redovno učio, izgubićeš stipendiju
You will lose your scholarship unless you study regularly.
4) *Da sam na tvom mestu, ne bih učila noć pred ispit.
*If I were you, I would not study the night before the exam.
5) Ako vam prodamo zemlju, morate popraviti ogradu.
If we sell you the land, you must repair the fence.
6) Ako dobijem kartu, ići ću na concert
If I get the ticket, I will go to the concert
7) We shall go for a walk if the rain stops.
Poći ćemo u šetnju ako prestane kiša.
8) Ako zagrevaš led pretvoriće se u vodu
If you heat ice it turns to water
9) Ako želiš da smršaš, moraš jesti manje hleba
If you want to lose weight, you must eat less bread.
10) Kada bih imao mapu, pozajmio bih ti je
If I had a map, I would lend it to you
Špehar Mladen ENGLISH VERB 1: CONTRASTIVE APPROACH
Academic year 2018/2019

6. Conclusion

To conclude, conditionals in English are made up out of two main parts: the main clause
and the subordinate if-clause. Conditionals are mostly used to address general truths, possible and
hypothetical conditions and their possible results, unreal past conditions and their probable results
in the past and in the presents. According to this, multiple linguists have tried to develop their own
classifications of conditionals, including Palmer, who divided conditionals into real and unreal
conditionals. Real conditionals are ones which state that there is a dependency between the main
and subordinate clause with a possibility for their realization. In the if-clause, the use of modals is
restricted, but we can use almost any modal in the main one.

Conditionals in Serbian are surprisingly very similar to conditionals in English. They are
also constructed with a main clause and a subordinate if-clause, and also try to answer the question
under which circumstances will something happen. Klajn divided conditionals into real, possible
and unreal. Real conditionals, similarly to English, express a current and realizable action related
to the future or present. In Serbian, the verb is also usually in the indicative mood, and imperative
conditionals are also possible in the main clause. Klajn also discusses the notion of possible
conditionals which do not have a large chance of realization, but it is still possible for them to be
fulfilled.