Conditional Overview with Examples (Part 6)

Compare Future Real Conditional and Future Unreal Conditional

To help you understand the difference between the Future Real Conditional and the Future Unreal Conditional, compare the examples below:

EXAMPLES:

If you help me move tomorrow, I will buy you dinner. FUTURE REAL CONDITIONAL

(I don't know if you can help me)

If you helped me move tomorrow, I would buy you dinner. FUTURE UNREAL CONDITIONAL

(You can't help me, or you don't want to help me)

Continuous Conditionals

Continuous Unreal Conditionals

Those of you who have studied Englishcomplete Verb Tense Tutorial should be familiar with Continuous verb tenses such as Present Continuous, Past Continuous, Future Continuous, Present Perfect Continuous, Past Perfect Continuous, and Future Perfect Continuous. The Verb Tense Tutorial gives you all the information you need to create Continuous Real Conditional sentences. But many English learners are not aware of the fact that we can use continuousness in imaginary situations as well. Study the examples below to learn how to create Continuous Unreal Conditional sentences that will make you sound like a native speaker.

Present Unreal Conditional + Continuous

USE

Present Unreal Conditional + Continuous is used to discuss imaginary situations which could be happening at this very moment.

NOTICE Sometimes the continuous form is in the “If” Clause.

EXAMPLES:

If the sun were shining, I would go to the beach.

(Unfortunately, it is raining so I can't go)

If Sam were sitting here, we would be able to ask him the question ourselves.

(But Sam is not sitting here. He is somewhere else)

We would be able to go sailing if the wind were blowing.

(But there is no wind, so we can't go sailing)

NOTICE Sometimes the continuous form is in the Result.

EXAMPLES:

If I were in Hawaii, I would be lying on the beach.

(But I am not in Hawaii)

If my grandfather were here, he would be talking about the war.

(But he is not here)

I would be rafting down the Colorado River right now if my leg weren't broken.

(But my leg is broken, so I am not there)