The Use of the Conditional Mood
The Conditional mood is used:
1) in the principal clause of a complex sentence with a subordinate clause of unrealcondition or concession.
If I were you I shouldneverdo this.
Even if he had been there he wouldn't have changedanything.
2) in compound sentences (mostly with the conjunctions "otherwise'', "or", "but", "or else"):
I am very busy, otherwise I should gowith you.
The boy would study well, but he is often ill.
3) in simple sentences with implied condition:
I should like tospeak to you. (If I got a chance.)
4) in simple sentences with the expression "but for".
But for the moon it would be quitedarknow.
The Suppositional Mood is used:
1. In indirect questions beginning with why (Subjunctive I is possible but rare):
Nobody could explain why he should have done so.
2. Modifying the noun regret:
She expressed her regret that things should have taken a bad turn.
3. Modifying the noun time:
It is high / about time you should go.
Note: Subjunctive II is in more common use here:
It is time we went home.
4. In conditional clauses when the fulfilment of the condition is unlikely though possible:
If I should meet her tomorrow I should / shall speak to her.
The Old Present Subjunctive (I)
The Old Present Subjunctive has only one form which is a homonym of the infinitive. The main meaning of the Old Present Subjunctive is to express a problematic action not as a real fact but as a wish, supposition, smth desirable, but not contrary to reality.
The use of the Old Present Subjunctive is limited. It can be found in thefollowing cases:
1) in a few set expressions rendering wish or concession:
Wish1. Success attend you! - Дасопутствуетвамуспех!
2. God bless you! - БлагословитебяГосподь!
3. God save the king! - Боже, царяхрани!
4. Be you happy! - Будьтесчастливь!
5. Long live our friendship! - Даздравствуетнашадружба!
6. Damn you! Curse you! - Будьте вы прокляты!
Concession1. Come what may come. – Будь, чтобудет.
2. Be it as it is. - Пустьбудеттак, какесть.
3. So be it. - Дабудеттак.
2) It is abookish style. It may be found in official and scientific articles and in poetry (after words expressing necessity, wish, demands such as "to insist", "to demand", "to require"):
The doctor insisted that the boy remainin bed.
I demand he do the job.
The regulation is that manuscripts be writtenon one side only.
Forms of Subjunctive Mood
| 1. Subjunctive I Mood = to Infinitive Success attend you! Дасопутствуеттебеудача! | |
| 2. Subjunctive II Mood | |
| Present = Past Indefinite I wish he were present. Жаль, что он не присутствует. It’s high time you did your flat. Тебе давно пора бы убрать в квартире. | Past = Past Perfect I wish she had gone to England last year. Жаль, что она не поехала в Англию в прошлом году. |
| 3. Suppositional Mood | |
| Present = should + Indefinite Infinitive I insist that you should work hard. Я настаиваю, чтобы вы усердно работали. | Past = should + Perfect Infinitive (используетсяредко!) It’s important that you should have been present at the meeting. Важно, чтобы вы тогда присутствовали на собрании. |
| 4. Conditional Mood | |
| Present = would / should + Indefinite Infinitive If it were warm, we would go to the park. Если бы было тепло, мы бы пошли в парк. (относится к настоящему времени) | Past = would / should + Perfect Infinitive If I had worked harder last year, I would have got an excellent mark at the exam. Если бы я работал усерднее в том году, я бы получил отличную оценку на экзамене. |
Types of Conditional Mood
| Type of Condition (типусловия) | Subordinate clause (придаточное предложение) | Main clause (главное предложение) |
 1. Real (реальное) | Indicative Mood | Indicative / Imperative Mood |
| e.g. If I meet her, Если я ее встречу, | I’ll tell her the news. я расскажу ей новости | |
| e.g. If you meet her, Если ты ее встретишь, | warn her about it. предупреди ее об этом. | |
| 2. Problematic (проблематичное) | Suppositional Mood | Indicative / Imperative Mood |
| e.g. Should he meet her (If he should meet her), Случись, что / Если случится, что / Если все же / Если случится так, что он ее встретит, | he will tell her the news. онрасскажетейновости. | |
|
Случись, что / Если случится, что / Если все же / Если случится так, что ты ее встретишь, | warn her about it. предупреди ее об этом. |
| 3. Remote (отдаленное) | were to… (суждено) | Conditional Mood | |
| e.g. If she were to live in England, Если бы ей суждено было жить в Англии, | I would be happy. я был бы счастлив. | ||
 4. Unreal (нереальное) | I. | Subjunctive II Present | Conditional Mood Present |
| If they met, Если бы они встретились, | they would discuss it. они бы это обсудили (еще могут встретиться). | ||
| II. | Subjunctive II Past | Conditional Mood Past | |
| If they had met yesterday, Если бы они вчера встретились, | they would have discussed it. они бы это обсудили (но не встретились). | ||
| III. | Mixed Type | ||
| Subjunctive II Present | Conditional Mood Past | ||
| If she weren’t absent minded, Если бы она не была рассеянной, | she wouldn’t have lost the book. она бы не потеряла книгу. | ||
| Subjunctive II Past | Conditional Mood Present | ||
| If he hadn’t missed the lesson, Если бы он не прогулял урок, | he would be answering well now. он бы сейчас хорошо отвечал. |
Not to mix with Conditional sentences!