THE CONDITIONAL MOOD

Forms: The Conditional Mood is an analytical form built up by means of the auxiliary verb should (for the 1st person) or would (for the other persons) and the infinitive. The non-perfect Conditional Mood employs the indefinite or continuous infinitive: should do, would be going; the perfect Conditional Mood is formed with the help of the perfect or perfect continuous infinitive: should have done, would have been reading.

I should (would) never have thought you read anything but the sporting news.

Meaning: The Conditional Mood, like Subjunctive II, represents an action as contradicting reality. The difference between the two moods is in their form and in their usage.

Use: The Conditional Mood is used in simple sentences and in the principal clause of a complex sentence.

SIMPLE SENTENCE

The Conditional Mood is used to denote unreal actions in simple sentences:

a) with an adverbial modifier of condition expressed by a

but for-phrase

He would not have come, but for me.

b) with implied condition

I wouldn't waste my time on rubbish in your place. (condition is implied in the phrase in your place

c) to sound polite, less straightforward. Here the Conditional

Mood differs from the Indicative only stylistically, the perfect

Conditional expressing the highest degree of politeness.

I should very much object to you reading trashy novels.

(= I very much object ...)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

The Conditional Mood is used in the principal clauses of the complex sentences with the subordinate clauses of unreal condition or unreal concession (where Subjunctive II is used). The choice of actual forms depends on the time reference of the actions.

1. If the unreal actions in both the principal and the subordinate clause relate to the present or future, the non-perfect forms of respectively the Conditional Mood and Subjunctive II are used: I should never forgive myself if I profited by his generosity.

2. If both the actions contradicting reality relate to the

past, the perfect Conditional is used in the principal clause

and perfect Subjunctive II in the subordinate one:

I'd have gone this morning, if I'd been able to get away.

3. The actions in the principal and subordinate clauses may

have different time reference. Sentences of this kind are said

to have split condition. The unreal condition may refer to the

past (perfect Subjunctive II) and the unreal consequence to the

present (non-perfect Conditional):

How much better I should write now if in my youth I had had the advantage of sensible advice!

The unreal condition may refer to no particular time (non-perfect Subjunctive II) and the unreal consequence may refer to the past (perfect Conditional):

She wouldn't have told me the story if she disliked me.

The modal verbs can, will, may are freely used in Subjunctive II to express unreal actions both in principal and subordinate clauses of unreal condition/concession:

If the facts leaked out, the effect might very well be disastrous.

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 1599