The conditional mood (English) reflects not real facts, but desired or conjectural ones. It can also be used to express a requirement, doubt or condition, the fulfillment of which is associated with the possibility of translating certain events into reality.

The use and formation of such ones is more complicated than in Russian, in which only the particle “by” is used before the main verb.

Often this mood is confused with the subjunctive, but they are phenomena that are different in meaning. (in English Conditional Mood), in contrast to the subjunctive, is used to refer to such actions that have not occurred or are not occurring, since there are no necessary conditions for this or they are impracticable in this situation, unrealistic. The subjunctive denotes unrealized conditions and simply expresses wishes or regrets.

There are two temporary forms of the conditional mood: past and present.

Conditional present tense Conditionalpresent formed with the would/should auxiliary forms and the infinitive of the main verb without "to". In other words, this mood is identical in form to Future-in-the-Past.

Example: We wouldwork. - We would work. In this case, the action expressed by the verb can occur in the present tense or the future. Example: But for the bad weather we would work outdoors. - If it were not for the bad weather, we would work outside.

Conditional past tense Conditional Past expresses an action that, under certain conditions, could have taken place in the past, but did not take place due to the absence of these conditions. Formed with should have and would have and the main verb in the third form (identical to Future Perfect-in-the-Past).

Example: She would have purchased a dress but the store was closed. - She would have bought the dress if the shop hadn't been closed.

As a rule, the conditional mood is used in complex subordinates and is less common in simple ones. In the subordinate clause of a complex sentence, the condition is called, and in the main clause, the consequence (result) is expressed. Both of these parts can refer to the present, the past or the future. Most often, the parts are connected by an alliance if( if). Separate sentences with a comma only if the subordinate clause comes before the main clause.

There are three types of conditional sentences. They express different degrees of probability of the described facts. The choice is determined by the attitude of the speaker to what is being said.

TypeI- eventsreal

If in such sentences we are talking about real events, then the conditional mood is not used, it is quite successfully replaced by the indicative.

Example: If I have more money, I willby an expensive car. - If I have more money, I will buy an expensive car.

Grammatically, the main clause uses the time Simple future - Future Simple, and in the subordinate clause - the simple present - Present Simple.

The first type can also express unlikely events, the reality of which is much lower than in the previous case.

Example: If I shouldhave more money, I willpurchase a car. - If I had more money, I would buy a car. (It is understood that there is not enough money at this time to buy a car, but they can be saved up and fulfill the desired).

In the main clause, the Future Simple is used, in the subordinate clause, should + the infinitive.

TypeII- unlikely, almost real events

The speaker does not consider what he is reporting as a real event, but simply assumes what could have happened under a certain set of circumstances.

Example: If he had money, he wouldpurchase a car. - If he suddenly had enough money, he would buy a car. (There was no money to buy, but if a random inheritance fell on your head, you could buy a car.)

In the main part, would + infinitive is used, in the subordinate clause - Past Simple.

TypeIII- completely, completely unrealistic events

Expresses wishes (often regrets) about the past, in which nothing can be changed.

Example: If he had had money, he wouldhavepurchase a car 2 years ago. If he had had money then, he would have bought a car two years ago. (But I didn’t buy it because I didn’t have money).

In the main clause would + perfect infinitive is used, in the subordinate clause - forms that have verbs (English) in the Past Perfect tense.

That's why it's so important. This part of speech is necessary in order to correctly name and describe the action. Like other parts of speech, it has its own morphological features, which can be permanent and non-permanent. So, permanent morphological features include person, gender, time, number. Let's deal with such a concept as the inclination of a verb in Russian. How to define it? All these questions can be answered in this article.

In contact with

What is inclination?

This is a grammatical feature of the verb, which helps to change the word. This category is required for express process relation, which just calls this word, to reality.

Important! The verb forms are indicative, imperative and conditional.

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Depending on how words express their attitude to those processes that actually occur, verbs have moods:

• direct;
• indirect.

By direct is meant the indicative mood, which allows you to objectively convey the action. Example: We watched a movie yesterday.

Indirect is an imperative or imperative mood. It serves to express those processes that do not coincide with reality. For example: I would read this novel tomorrow, but I will go to visit.

Thinking about the definition of a verb

Kinds

The classification is based on the features and peculiarities of the lexical meaning of verbs.

In modern times, there are three types:

1. Indicative.
2. Conditional.
3. Imperative.

The first type usually denotes the action that actually going on and could happen in the past, can happen in the present, and can happen in the future. For example: I will do my homework on Thursday.

The second type denotes an act that will be performed in the future, but already under a certain condition. For example: I would do my homework on Thursday, but I'm going to the theatre.

The third type is either an order to do something or a request. For example: Be sure to learn your lessons tomorrow.

Three types of verb mood

How to determine the mood of a verb

In order to determine this, it is necessary to understand how the action occurs and what grammatical characteristics it has. So, verbs in the indicative show a real act, so this word will change from time to time.

If the verb is in the imperative form, then it is the action will be performed by some other person. Such words usually encourage some kind of activity.

Therefore, the action will not be actually performed, but required. Most often, to get the imperative verb form, they use a specific tense, for example, the future or present, to which the suffix -i must be added. But it is possible without it. For example, catch, scream, die. If it is used in the plural, then the ending te is added respectfully to the ending of such a word. For example, catch, scream, die.

The conditional mood refers to those actions that could happen if all the necessary conditions were present. By the way, the conditional is also called the subjunctive. This form is easy to determine in the text, since it usually always has a particle would or b. For example, I would jump into the river if I had a swimsuit.

Important! Any verbal word form can be used in oral and written speech not only in the literal sense, but also figuratively. Usually, the figurative meaning completely changes the meaning of the word, so this category also changes.

indicative

The most common verbal word form in Russian is considered to be indicative, since it allows us to say that what actually happens to a person, object, or person. Only the indicative time can be determined, and how this action is performed will depend on what it is: in reality or it will be in the future.

Another feature of this form is the change in persons and numbers. If the verb is perfective, then it can change over time:

1. The present.
2. Future.
3. Past.

Every time here is formed in its own way. So, the future tense is formed with the help of the word "to be", which is added to the verb in the indefinite form. But this is a complex form of the future tense, and a simple form is. For example: I clean my apartment all day long. (present time). I cleaned my apartment all day long. (past time). I'll be cleaning the apartment all day long. (bud. vr.).

The indicative mood can be found in various types of speech, and therefore in many speech situations these verb forms are the most common.

Conditional

Words that are used in a conditional form indicate those actions that can occur, but some conditions are necessary for this. For example: I would pass this test if they helped me. To form such forms, you just need to put the verb in the past tense and attach the particle would or b. The particle can be placed anywhere in the sentence. It is necessary in order to highlight the word you need, which can be any part of speech.

The subjunctive, or conditional, has its own peculiarities of use. It allows not only to express some kind of action that could occur if special facilities were created for this, but also helps to express desires and dreams, doubts and fears.

The subjunctive mood in Russian helps to express the shades of the action condition. Examples: I would like to go to the sea if my job didn't keep me going. There would be no trouble!

imperative

Imperative verbs induce the listener to do something. Such words, diverse in emotional and grammatical design, can be both polite when they contain some kind of request, and an order. For example: Please bring a book. Bring a book!

The mood of the verb is a very important characteristic of it. In morphological analysis, it is indicated necessarily. Inclination also affects other signs of this part of speech, for example, time. Do not forget that certain spelling norms are associated with this category, which we will touch on in this article. We will also consider in detail what forms of mood the verb has, we will give examples so that this constant morphological feature does not cause difficulties.

What does the category of inclination express?

The verb gives our speech liveliness, makes it dynamic. It is not for nothing that our ancestors, the Slavs, called the word “verb” their entire speech in principle. Sentences without these parts of speech are very rare.

One of the characteristics of the verb is its ability to express the relation of the subject of speech to reality: an action takes place with the subject in fact or simply desirable, imaginary. This characteristic is also called modality. It is she who is realized through the mood of the verb.

Thus, it is this important category of the predicate that contains the main meaning. What forms of mood does the verb have? We will give the answer right now: indicative, conditional and imperative. Each of them is designed to report on the correspondence of the action to reality. Let's prove it.

For example, let's compare the sentences: I will drink tea. - I'd like some tea. - Have some tea. It is easy to guess that all three verbs in these sentences are used in different moods. And if the first of them speaks of a specific action that will happen in the future, then the other two speak either of the conditionality of the act or the motivation for action (events may not take place).

Indicative

The most common form of inclination, which speaks of the reality of what is happening with the subject, is indicative. A distinctive feature is the presence of a form of time, this indicates that the action happened earlier or will be in the future, or maybe it is being performed at the moment.

The verb in the form changes not only in tenses, but also in persons, as well as numbers.

This type of mood is closely related to the type of predicate. So, they have all three temporal characteristics. Moreover, the future tense of such words is complex, i.e. formed by adding to the verb to be used in the simple future of the infinitive containing the main meaning.

For example: I study for the exam all day long. (present tense) - I've been preparing for the exam all day. (past tense) - I will study for the exam next days.

What forms of mood has If we talk about the indicative, then such predicates are presented in two tenses: the past and the simple future.

I prepared very well for the exam. (past tense). - I will prepare for the exam very well.

The category of the indicative mood is found in all types of speech in various speech situations. Reasoning, narration, description, dialogue or speech to a large audience - everywhere these predicates will be the main ones, they are universal and emotionally neutral.

Conditional mood

The verb in the form talks about an action that will happen if some conditions are met. Otherwise, it is impossible.

For example: With your help, I would cross the gorge. You should have crossed that little bridge yourself. The second sentence expresses not so much the presence of a certain condition as the desire to perform an action.

Forming the shape of this inclination is very simple. It is enough to put the verb in the past tense and attach the particle would (b): I would call, I would come, I would spend, I would take.

The role of this is to logically highlight the necessary word. It can be in any part of the sentence. For example, compare: Would you bring the goods today. - You would bring the goods today. Today you would bring the goods. In the first sentence, the emphasis is logically on the verb-predicate, in the second on the subject, and in the third on the adverbial tense.

Imperative mood

Speaking about what forms of mood the verb has, it should be said about the last - imperative. From its name it becomes clear that such a predicate contains some kind of motivation for the action of the listener. Depending on the design, grammatical and emotional, this meaning can range from a polite request to an order.

Please solve the problem. - Write the following example. - Get your notebooks!

If the verb in the imperative is preceded by a particle not, then such a sentence will express the undesirability of the action. For example: Do not hurt animals! This is a request that the "offend" action not be performed.

Formation of the imperative mood

To make a polite request, special introductory words are often attached to imperative verbs: please, be kind, be kind. Do not forget that these constructions are separated by commas: Please, tell us your first and last name.

Also, for a polite call to action, it is necessary to put the verb in the plural form: Ekaterina Valerievna, please pass the book.

From singular verbs, the imperative mood is formed with the help of the suffix -and-. He joins the basis of the present tense: bring - bring, put - put, take - take. The use of this suffix is ​​optional: get up - get up, pour - pour.

Particular attention should be paid to close - close - close; but close - close - close. In the first case, imperfective verbs are used, in the second - perfective.

An imperative mood can be formed and with the help of particles, let, let: Let the boys clean the class today.

If you want to achieve a rude order, you should form this mood with the help of the infinitive: Everyone lie down in bed!

As a rule, in sentences with imperative verbs, the subject is absent, but this does not apply to those in which the form is formed with the help of let / let. Let Natasha set the table. Subject Natasha, predicate - let him cover.

How to determine inclination?

To distinguish which mood forms a verb has (we gave examples of them above), you must follow the algorithm:

However, it should be remembered that one mood can be used in the form of another. For example, the indicative in the meaning of the imperative: Brought me coffee! Take a newspaper with you. The reverse situation may also be: Take it and jump out of your hands. In this case, what forms of mood the verb has is determined solely by the meaning of the entire sentence.

This article tells about how the conditional mood is formed and used in Russian speech. To make it more interesting for children to get acquainted with a complex topic, you can use a fairy tale. An entertaining story about the conditional mood will surely be remembered by students rather than a dry presentation of the material. So, we read a fairy tale and find in it a hint that from ancient times it was a good lesson for good fellows.

The first chapter of the tale about how the conditional mood was formed

Once upon a time there were a variety of words in the verb state. Of course, the bulk of the population were verbs. But next to them lived both particles and short adjectives. Only now the verbs considered themselves persons of the upper class, and the rest were not worth a penny. Especially got from them particles. They were very small, they could not fight back.

Imperative verbs were most proud of all. They just made themselves masters.

Everyone must obey us. Come on, quickly obey our orders! Step march to the kitchen! Cook dinner, wash dishes - at-two!

They didn't even consider other verb forms. The rest of the inhabitants of the state were very offended by them, but could not do anything. And gradually stopped talking to them. Only the verbs of the imperative mood did not pay any attention to this - they continued to command.

And then take the verb in the past tense and make friends with the particle Would! Yes, they liked being together so much that they became like water - where one, there and the second. They will climb somewhere far away from everyone and dream ...

“Now, if it had been a good rain, a lot of mushrooms would have grown in the forest!” one says. “And then we would go and pick up a whole basket!” - echoes his interlocutor. There is just no rain. Already the earth cracked from the heat, and the trees dropped their leaves, what kind of mushrooms are there? After all, if there are no conditions for the commission of an action, there is no action itself.

Friends will sit and sit and start dreaming again. Only all the time the particle would put some condition: it would be possible to go to the cinema, if classes at school ended early, then it would be nice to eat ice cream, but my throat hurts. Thus, the conditional mood was formed.

Chapter Two: About how friends gathered for a space flight

Sometimes comrades were simply brought into unreality. For example, they began to think about what would happen if a ship with aliens landed on the city. And they got such sentences with a conditional mood that at least write down a fantastic book! “We would make friends with aliens from outer space and ask them to visit the planet for a little while!” No, has anyone heard this? Laughter, and more! And after all, this is an example of the use of the actual conditional mood in its direct meaning!

Why literally? Yes, it’s just that in reality this is impossible, but in a fantasy or parallel worlds it’s easy. Therefore, this option is referred to the counterfactual meaning of the conditional mood.

It is worth saying that sometimes the direct meaning of their dreams was hypothetical, that is, quite acceptable in the real world. Friends could even give practical advice to neighbors. Clear recommendations more than once helped to avoid trouble, although they used a conditional mood. Need examples? You are welcome!

So their neighbor began to build a new house for himself. Yes, he lays bricks right on the sand - he builds a wall. So the comrades could not stand it, they came up and told him bluntly: “You, my friend, first poured the foundation, and then did the brickwork!” They hinted so modestly, carefully, and the unlucky builder obeyed them - and avoided huge troubles!

Chapter Four: About how friends of neighbors organized to help, or Direct meaning of the conditional mood proper in positive and negative connotations

Friends were able not only to express their desires but to aimlessly dream of the unrealizable. Sometimes they could say so, to shame those around them, that they had to hide their red cheeks for a long time. Here, for example, how, using the form of the conditional mood, they forced the neighbors to help build the house: “At least someone would help! At least one of them has a conscience!” And, having expressed their negative connotation, they themselves were the first to take up a shovel - to dig a hole under the foundation.

If necessary, they could put a presumptuous neighbor in their place. It was even possible to drive someone away with the help of the subjunctive mood. “Couldn’t you, good sir, choose a farther back street for your walks?” - after such a phrase, hardly anyone will have a desire to be close to those for whom this presence is undesirable.

Fifth chapter: about how friends saved Little Red Riding Hood from the Wolf, or Figurative meaning of the conditional mood

So it was only at first glance that friends could seem spineless and spineless. In fact, they knew how to give good advice and scold. But they did it gently, carefully. This action is also called the pragmatic function of inclination.

That is, friends say real things, but not in a categorical form, which is why they say that in the sentence the conditional mood is used in a figurative sense, because no conditions are needed to perform an action.

“We would advise you, dear girl, not to talk to this animal,” friends once intervened in a conversation between Little Red Riding Hood and the Gray Wolf. Strictly so they said, with pressure. And, although the particle By, as always, stood next to the verb, it became clear to the Wolf that it was present here only to soften the treatment, so as not to scare the girl. “You, bully, would go your own way, otherwise you wouldn’t get stuck between the ears with this club!” - they threatened the vicious and cunning predator. And the phrase sounded as if friends used an imperative mood.

Sixth chapter: about how the conditional mood was elected to the government of the state

The election campaign began in the country. The imperative mood, of course, immediately began to run for the presidency. "Vote for us! Let's all go to the polls! Choose the imperative mood! - it yelled at all crossroads. And only the conditional mood modestly declared: “We should choose another government, comrades. If everyone rallied, we could create a truly happy society.” And the inhabitants of the country thought: “Could you help us build a kindergarten and a hospital in the state? It would also be great if we built a sanatorium on the seashore for the rest of everyone who wants, and absolutely free of charge!” And the "verbals" agreed.

So, with the help of a request, friends were able to organize the beginning of the construction of a whole social complex in the country. And it seems that there was no order here, but no one could refuse. So the conditional mood turned into an imperative.

The citizens of the Verbal State thought, and they elected their friends as presidents. But they nevertheless took representatives of other inclinations as assistants. For everything to be fair. And so they began to rule the country together and indicative, and conditional, and imperative mood. One head, as they say, is good, and when there are many minds, it is even better.

Briefly about the main

The form of the conditional (subjunctive) mood in writing coincides with the past tense verb in combination with the particle "by". With verbs, the particle is always written separately. It can be placed anywhere in the sentence.

The verb is formed in the same way as the past tense form, that is, from the base of the indefinite form with the suffix -l-. It varies by gender and number. The verb is also conjugated according to the past tense pattern.

We continue to study English grammar, and today we want to introduce you to a curious grammatical phenomenon in the English language. Is it a conditional or Conditional Mood . We will consider the types of this mood, examples of sentences with it, etc. How is the conditional mood built in English?

Conditional mood in English is a very interesting thing. As in Russian, the conditional mood in English indicates that an action can or must be performed under some condition. But still there are significant differences from Russian.

Sentences in the conditional mood are complex sentences, usually consisting of two simple ones, of which one is the main one, and the second is dependent. The main clause expresses the condition of action in the dependent clause.

The catch is that in English there are three cases or types of conditional mood, while in Russian there are only two. But if you look carefully, you will realize that everything is not so difficult.

In Russian: the first type expresses a real condition in the present tense; the second type expresses the unreal condition in the past tense.

• If I go home, I will have lunch.
• If I went home, I would have dinner. (And since I didn’t go home, I didn’t have lunch, that is, the action is unrealistic under this condition)

In English: the first type expresses a real condition in the present tense; the second type expresses the real condition in the past tense; the third type indicates an unreal condition in the past tense. Let's trace the same sentence, but in English:

• If I go home, I will have lunch
• If I went home, I would have lunch
• If I had gone home, I would have had lunch.

And now we will consider each type of Conditional Mood in the language we are studying separately.

The easiest is the first type!

It's really easy. Here we are dealing with a real condition in the present tense.

Notice the phrase If I have money, I buy a car (If I have money, I will buy a car). The main part of this sentence can also be in the future tense: If I have money, I will buy a car.

For example:

• If you drink a lot of coffee, you have problems with your heart. Or: If you drink a lot of coffee, you will have problems with your heart. If you drink a lot of coffee, you will have heart problems.

But a subordinate clause in English can never be in the future tense. After the word If the verb must be in the present tense present simple. That is, the subordinate clause is in the present tense, and most importantly - in the future.

Suggestion examples:

• If you eat a lot of sweets, you will have problems with your teeth. - If you eat a lot of sweets, you will have problems with your teeth.
• I will speak with Tom, if I find him. — I'll talk to Tom if I find him.
• If we go home, we will have a rest. If we go home, we will rest.

As we can see, in each sentence there is a real action under a real condition.
Three types of English conditional

The second type of conditional mood

The second type expresses the real condition in the past tense. And here, as in the first case, we are dealing with a real action under a real condition. In this case, the subordinate clause must be in past simple, and most importantly in Future in the Past.

Take a look at the example sentences:

• If I had money, I would buy a flat. — If I had money, I would buy an apartment
• If you did your homework, you would get a good mark. If you had done your homework, you would have received a good mark.

Instead of would in the main clause can be should, could, might. For example:

• If you met Jim, you should speak with him. — If you met Jim, would you talk to him
• You could read the whole book if you wanted. You could read the whole book if you wanted
• You might take my notebook, if I brought it. You could take my laptop if I brought it.

Don't be afraid of the third type!

The third case of the conditional mood is not found in Russian. But if you get acquainted with the scheme according to which it is built, then there is nothing complicated.

Note that in the subordinate clause the verb is in past perfect, and in the main scheme would + have + verb + ending -ed (or the third form of the verb).

This type expresses an unreal, impossible condition in the past tense. Note:

• If you had won the competition, you would have gone to France. — If you won the competition, you would go to France. (But you didn’t win, so you won’t go, that is, action under such a condition is impossible)
• If we had come on time, we would have met Ann. If we had arrived on time, we would have found Anna. (But we did not arrive on time, so we did not catch her, the action is unrealistic under this condition).

Here, as well as in the second type, there can be verbs in the main sentence should, could, might. For example:

• If she had spoken with her brother, he could have given his car. — If she talked to her brother, he could give his car
• You should have been more polite with mr Anders, if you had wanted. — You could be more polite to Mr. Anders if you wanted to.
• If I had found Tom, I might have spoken with him about that case. — If I found Tom, I would talk to him about that case.

The third type Conditional expresses an unrealistic action under an unrealistic condition.

Well, as we have seen, the conditional mood in English plays a very important role, and is an important part of English speech. Use it to express a condition in action. You will definitely make friends with him. We wish you success!