Impossible Conditionals
 (or Unreal, Imagined, Hypothetical)

 

There is a famous American folk song: If I had a Hammer. The first verse goes:

If I had a hammer, I'd hammer in the morning,
I'd hammer in the evening, all over this land.
I'd hammer out danger, I'd hammer out warning,
I'd hammer out love between my brothers and my sisters
Oh, oh, all over this land.

What is the conditional use(s) in this song? Is the song about what is, the possible, or what is imagined, what we call the impossible?

Review of Conditional:

The conditional suggests that a certain outcome happens, happened, will happen, etc., if a certain condition(s) exist. Two clauses are used, the dependent, conditional (if) clause—if I had a hammer—and the independent, result clause—I’d hammer in the morning. The conditional can express time:

·        in the present—If I had a hammer, I’d hammer out a warning;

·        in the past—If I had had a hammer, I would have hammered out a warning;

·        in the future—If I have a hammer tomorrow, I will hammer out a warning;

·         always (habitual)—If I have a hammer, I hammer out a warning.

In addition to the dimension of time, the conditional may express the reality or unreality, the possible and impossible.

Possible

·        Always true (scientific fact or habit):

If you smoke, you damage your health.

If you drive carelessly, you are a danger to others.

·        Likely (promise, warning, threat)

If you work hard, you succeed.

If you think too hard, you get a headache.

Impossible

·        Speculation (present or future)

If I had a million dollars, I would be a happy man.

If I were* a king, I would be a slave to you.

These statements are in the present. Even though the conditional clause verbs, had, were are past tense. The modal would, should, or will must be used in the Impossible. The Impossible speculates on how things might be, have been, will be, if only…in other words: wishing, imagining, hope. In the Impossible Conditional, English moves the verb tense in the “if” clause one step back in time. For example:

·        Impossible (present or future)—past/present

If she got a high mark on her exam, she would be very happy.

·        Impossible (past)—past perfect/past

If she had gotten a high mark, she would have been very happy.

 

Difference between Future Possible (what we think might happen) and Impossible (unlikely speculation) Conditionals:

·        Future Possible Conditional: when predicting what might happen, use the present tense in the conditional clause and will, or be going plus the base form of the verb in the result clause.

If John works any harder, he is going to become ill.

If John works any harder, he will become ill.

·        Impossible Conditional:  permits the use of unlikely or impossible:

If you were the only man, I still wouldn’t marry you.

If John were* president, he would ban private automobiles.

Remember: It is your use that determines meaning. Grammar is a tool for expression. Therefore, borrowing from the last example: (in what situation is the following correct?)

                  If Tom is president, he will ban private automobiles.

What is implied about the subject? How is might Tom be different from John?

 

To see if you have understood, fill in the missing verb forms. Anything that makes sense is correct.

1.      I am allergic to cats. If a cat comes close to me, I ________ to sneeze.

2.      Rebecca thought: “If only I _____a boy, then I _______ _______ on the baseball team.”

3.      Sandi started working last spring. If she _______ not ­­­­­­­­­­­­________, her parents might ______  ________ her to go to graduate school.

4.      I am afraid of the water. If I ­­­­­_____ on a boat, I always ________ sick.

5.      If I ­­­­­­­­­­­­______a lot of time, I ______ _______to Disneyland . (possible)

6.      If I ­­­­­­­­­­­______ a lot of money, I would travel all the time. (impossible)

7.      This is a rainy day. If it _____ ________, I would go to the beach.

8.      Yuan is a lazy. If Mei ________ out, she ________not __________him.

9.      I love to workout. If I ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­____ _____ workout, I ­­­­­­­­­­­­­_____ unhappy.

  Finish the sentences (use anything that makes sense):

  10. If I had more time for my studies, _________________________________.

11. ____________________________, I would bring world peace.

12. I didn’t bring my umbrella. If it rains, ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­___________________________.

13. ­­­­__________________________________, I will make many friends

14. If I had taken more sciences courses, ­­­­­­­____________________________.

15.     _______________________, I will enjoy my time in San Francisco .

 

A final word:

If you do not understand something, please ask! (Is that possible or impossible?)