Implied Conditions
or 
A real or unreal situation?
Were the conditions favorable?
| A REAL SITUATION | A HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION |
|---|---|
We use the present tense in the condition clause if the action may – the conditions may be favorable. |
We use the past or past perfect in the condition clause if the action is unlikely or conditions are unfavorable for the action to happen. The action will not or did not happen because of unfavorable conditions. |
Jack will cut the grass if he has time. present tense – He doesn't know if he has time yet - maybe. |
Jack would cut the grass if he had time. present tense – He doesn't have time. |
Jack cut the grass if he had time. past tense – He did it whenever he had time. |
Jack would have cut the grass if he had had time. past tense – He didn't have time. |
Practice
Did it really happen?
- Read the sentence and answer the questions about what the sentence IMPLIES.
- Click an option, and then read the response in the text box. An asterisk * indicates an incorrect response.
