Writing 2 : Degrees of Comparison Article

Degrees of Comparison
This material describes degrees of comparison of adjectives and adverbs, general rules of adding the suffixes "er, est", using "more, most, less, least", and typical constructions expressing comparison. A shorter description of these questions in Russian can be found in an answer to a visitor's question in the subsection Messages about Grammar of the section Messages or by searching this site for the phrase Degrees of comparison of adjectives.
Degrees of comparison of adjectives
Most descriptive adjectives can show degree of quality or quantity by forming two degrees of comparison: the comparative degree and the superlative degree. These degrees are formed from the positive degree, which is the usual form of adjectives. The comparative and superlative forms can be simple (bigger, biggest) or compound (more attentive, most attentive).
The comparative degree and the superlative degree are formed by adding the suffixes ER and EST to the positive form of the adjective or by using MORE and MOST before the positive form of the adjective. The choice of ER, EST or MORE, MOST depends mostly on the number of syllables in the adjective.
Positive degree: bright; important.
Comparative degree: brighter; more important.
Superlative degree: brightest; most important.
An adjective in the comparative or superlative form can stand before the noun that it modifies or after the verb BE in the predicative. For example: Try an easier exercise. This exercise is easier.
As a rule, the definite article is required before the superlative form of the adjective: the nearest hospital; the largest room.
Monosyllabic adjectives
One-syllable adjectives form the comparative and superlative degrees by adding the suffixes ER, EST: black, blacker, blackest; cheap, cheaper, cheapest; clear, clearer, clearest; cold, colder, coldest; green, greener, greenest; high, higher, highest; large, larger, largest; long, longer, longest; loud, louder, loudest; new, newer, newest; nice, nicer, nicest; poor, poorer, poorest; rich, richer, richest; short, shorter, shortest; slow, slower, slowest; soft, softer, softest; sweet, sweeter, sweetest; tall, taller, tallest; tough, tougher, toughest; warm, warmer, warmest; wise, wiser, wisest.
Anna is tall. Ella is taller than her sister. Maria is the tallest girl in her class.
Anatoly is older than Tatiana. Katya is the youngest of my students.
My house is smaller than your house. Your car is larger than mine. Moscow is the largest city in Russia.
The highest peak in Africa is Mount Kilimanjaro. The Himalayas are the highest mountains in the world.
Disyllabic adjectives
Most two-syllable adjectives, including adjectives ending in the suffixes "al, ant, ent, ish, ive, ic, ous, ful, less", form the comparative and superlative degrees with the help of MORE, MOST: active, more active, most active; careless, more careless, most careless; distant, more distant, most distant; eager, more eager, most eager; famous, more famous, most famous; foolish, more foolish, most foolish; formal, more formal, most formal; modern, more modern, most modern; private, more private, most private; recent, more recent, most recent; secure, more secure, most secure; tragic, more tragic, most tragic; useful, more useful, most useful.
Laura is more selfish than Anita.
A more distant object seems to be smaller than a closer object.
The Taj Mahal is one of the most famous buildings in the world.
Two-syllable adjectives ending in "y, er, ow" usually form the comparative and superlative degrees by adding ER, EST: angry, angrier, angriest; busy, busier, busiest; crazy, crazier, craziest; dirty, dirtier, dirtiest; easy, easier, easiest; early, earlier, earliest; funny, funnier, funniest; happy, happier, happiest; heavy, heavier, heaviest; lucky, luckier, luckiest; noisy, noisier, noisiest; pretty, prettier, prettiest; silly, sillier, silliest; sunny, sunnier, sunniest; ugly, uglier, ugliest; clever, cleverer, cleverest; narrow, narrower, narrowest.
Your repair work will be much easier if you use a good set of tools.
My dog is the cleverest dog in the whole world.
The narrowest of the three tunnels leads to a small chamber under the engine room.
Two-syllable adjectives ending in "y, er, ow" often have variants with MORE, MOST: lazy, lazier / more lazy, laziest / most lazy; fancy, fancier / more fancy, fanciest / most fancy; friendly, friendlier / more friendly, friendliest / most friendly; lovely, lovelier / more lovely, loveliest / most lovely; risky, riskier / more risky, riskiest / most risky; clever, cleverer / more clever, cleverest / most clever; slender, slenderer / more slender, slenderest / most slender; tender, tenderer / more tender, tenderest / most tender; shallow, shallower / more shallow, shallowest / most shallow; yellow, yellower / more yellow, yellowest / most yellow.
The choice of ER, EST or MORE, MOST in the case of disyllabic adjectives ending in "y, er, ow" depends to some extent on preferences in usage, on what sounds better or more natural to an English speaker in the given sentence. On the whole, variants formed with the help of ER, EST are more traditional and more widely used than those with MORE, MOST.
There are some other disyllabic adjectives which have variant forms with ER, EST or MORE, MOST, for example, quiet, simple, stable, noble, gentle, common, polite, pleasant, handsome. Though both variants are considered correct, the following comparative and superlative forms seem to be more frequently used for these adjectives at present: quieter, quietest; simpler, simplest; gentler / more gentle, gentlest / most gentle; more stable, most stable; more noble, most noble; more common, most common; more polite, most polite; more pleasant, most pleasant; more handsome, most handsome.
These questions are simpler than those.
She is more polite than her sister.
Spelling note
If an adjective ends in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, the consonant is doubled before adding ER, EST: big, bigger, biggest; fat, fatter, fattest; hot, hotter, hottest; red, redder, reddest; sad, sadder, saddest; thin, thinner, thinnest; wet, wetter, wettest.
If an adjective ends in mute E, the letter E is dropped before adding ER, EST: blue, bluer, bluest; brave, braver, bravest; close, closer, closest; fine, finer, finest; pale, paler, palest; rude, ruder, rudest; simple, simpler, simplest; wide, wider, widest.
If an adjective ends in Y preceded by a consonant, Y is changed to I before adding ER, EST: busy, busier, busiest; dry, drier, driest; happy, happier, happiest; lucky, luckier, luckiest; sleepy, sleepier, sleepiest; scary, scarier, scariest. Note: sly, slier, sliest OR slyer, slyest.
If final Y is preceded by a vowel, Y doesn't change before adding ER, EST: gray, grayer, grayest.
Adjectives of three or more syllables
Adjectives consisting of three or more syllables form the comparative and superlative degrees by using MORE, MOST before the adjective: beautiful, more beautiful, most beautiful; comfortable, more comfortable, most comfortable; curious, more curious, most curious; dangerous, more dangerous, most dangerous; difficult, more difficult, most difficult; expensive, more expensive, most expensive; important, more important, most important; intelligent, more intelligent, most intelligent; interesting, more interesting, most interesting; successful, more successful, most successful.
This book is interesting. This book is more interesting than that one. This book is the most interesting of all the books that I have read recently. This is the most interesting book I have ever read.
John has a difficult task. My task is more difficult than John's task. I have a more difficult task. The most difficult task will be discussed tomorrow.
The accident, bad enough in itself, resulted in an even more terrible event.
Adjectives formed from participles
Adjectives formed from participles form the comparative and superlative forms with the help of MORE, MOST irrespective of the number of the syllables: annoying, more annoying, most annoying; boring, more boring, most boring; hurt, more hurt, most hurt; pleased, more pleased, most pleased; surprised, more surprised, most surprised; tired, more tired, most tired; worried, more worried, most worried.
I can't think of a more boring subject of conversation.
She seems more worried today.
He is the most annoying person I know.
Notes
1. The comparative degree indicates one of two objects, while the superlative degree singles out one of three or more objects. Compare these examples:
Alex is strong. Tom is stronger than Alex. Tom is the stronger of the two boys.
Alex, Tom, and John are strong. John is the strongest of the three boys. John is the strongest in his class.
Gina is more attentive than Ella. Gina is the more attentive of the two girls. Vera is the most attentive pupil in my English class.
2. MOST + adjective is not always the superlative degree. MOST may have the meaning "very, extremely, highly". In such cases, a singular noun is used with the indefinite article, and a plural noun is used without an article. In this meaning of MOST, monosyllabic and disyllabic adjectives are used with MOST.
She is a most beautiful woman.
They are most interesting people.
Yesterday I had a most strange dream.
I'm most pleased to see you here.
In most of such cases, the meaning will be clearer if you use "very" instead of "most": a very beautiful woman; very interesting people; a very strange dream; very pleased.
3. The definite article before the superlative form may be omitted in some cases, for example, in those cases where the adjective is used in the predicative after the verb BE (or other linking verbs), and there is no noun or defining phrase after the adjective. Compare these examples:
She felt like the happiest girl in the whole wide world. She is happiest when she is alone with her books.
She is the prettiest of his three daughters. She is prettiest when she lets her hair down and puts on a white dress.
Uncomparable adjectives
Some adjectives should not be used in either the comparative or the superlative degree because, logically, their meaning does not admit of comparison. Such adjectives are sometimes called absolute adjectives.
Examples of uncomparable adjectives: absent, absolute, chief, complete, contemporary, daily, dead, essential, eternal, excellent, empty, full, entire, fatal, final, honest, impossible, infinite, inevitable, ideal, junior, meaningless, perfect, main, major, minor, round, sufficient, supreme, senior, square, unique, universal, utmost, vital, weekly, whole, wooden, worthless, wrong.
If it is necessary for you to make some kind of comparison of such adjectives, use "almost, nearly, quite" with them, for example, "almost perfect; almost empty; nearly full; quite sufficient". You can also use the constructions "as...as" or "not as...as" described at the end of this article.
Note: In everyday speech, phrases like "emptier than; more complete than; more correct than; more honest than; more perfect", etc., are sometimes used. Examples: He looks more dead than alive. Karl is more honest than Bart. Now you are more wrong than ever.
Predicative adjectives
Some adjectives, such as "afraid, alike, alive, alone, ashamed, asleep, awake, aware", are used only predicatively after linking verbs (i.e., they are not used in the position before a noun). Predicative adjectives can form the comparative degree with the help of MORE, but are hardly ever used in the superlative degree.
As time passed, he became more and more ashamed of himself.
She is more afraid of him than of his father.
Irregular adjectives
Several adjectives have irregular forms of the comparative and superlative degrees: good, better, best; bad, worse, worst; many/much, more, most; little, less (lesser), least; far, farther, farthest; far, further, furthest. "Less" can be an adjective or an adverb; "lesser" is only an adjective; "farther, farthest" refer to distance; "further, furthest" refer to distance or addition.
The hotel was better than we expected. This is the best layer cake I've ever had.
His health is becoming worse. Her examination paper was the worst in class.
I bought many books. Mike bought more books than I did. Nick bought the most books.
I don't have much work today. Mike has more work than I do. Nick has the most work to do today.
He spent less money than you. She has the least time of all of them.
All of them are suffering from an allergy, to a greater or lesser degree. Choose the lesser of two evils.
His house is farther down the street. It is the farthest house on the opposite side of the street.
I have no further questions. Further information can be obtained at our office.
The adjective "less" is used with uncountable nouns; the adjective "fewer" is used with plural countable nouns.
He has less time than she does. She has fewer books than he does.
The adjectives "ill" and "well" (referring to health) have the same comparative and superlative forms as the adjectives "bad" and "good": ill, worse, worst; well, better, best.
Is he well? Is he ill? He felt worse yesterday. He feels better today.
Set expressions
There are quite a few set expressions containing the comparative or superlative forms of irregular adjectives. For example: a change for the better; a change for the worse; at best / at the best; at most / at the most; at worst / at the worst; get the worst of it; go from bad to worse; if worst comes to worst / if the worst comes to the worst; last but not least; more or less; none the less; not in the least; prepare for the worst; so much the better; so much the worse.
If he leaves, so much the better.
If he doesn't want to obey the rules, so much the worse for him.
Many companies sustained losses during that period, but small companies got the worst of it.
Degrees of comparison of adverbs
Adverbs (mostly adverbs of manner and some adverbs of other types) can form degrees of comparison in the same way as adjectives. The comparative degree of adverbs is used more widely than the superlative degree. The definite article before the superlative form of adverbs is often omitted.
(Types of adverbs are described in Adverbs in the section Miscellany.)
Monosyllabic adverbs
One-syllable adverbs and the adverb "early" form the comparative and superlative degrees by adding ER, EST: fast, faster, fastest; hard, harder, hardest; high, higher, highest; late, later, latest; long, longer, longest; loud, louder, loudest; low, lower, lowest; near, nearer, nearest; soon, sooner, soonest; early, earlier, earliest.
Please hang the picture higher.
She bent lower to kiss the sleeping baby.
Tom arrived later than Jim. Jim arrived earlier than Tom. Anton arrived (the) earliest of all.
I expected her to respond sooner.
Adjectives and adverbs in the same form
One-syllable adverbs mentioned above (except "soon") are in the same form as adjectives. Their position in the sentence indicates whether they are used as adverbs or as adjectives: adverbs usually stand after the main verb, while adjectives stand before the noun that they modify or after the linking verb (be, become, get, feel, look, seem). Compare these sentences:
Adverb "fast": Jim, Rosa, and Phil can run very fast. Rosa runs faster than Jim. Phil runs (the) fastest of them all.
Adjective "fast": I would like to have a faster car. His reaction was faster than mine.
Adverb "hard": Tom works harder than Don. Pete works (the) hardest of anyone I know.
Adjective "hard": Her work is becoming harder and harder. It is the hardest work she has ever done.
Adverbs of two or more syllables
Adverbs of two or more syllables (usually with the suffix "ly") form the comparative and superlative degrees by placing MORE, MOST before the adverb: easily, more easily, most easily; formally, more formally, most formally; loudly, more loudly, most loudly; often, more often, most often; quickly, more quickly, most quickly; simply, more simply, most simply; slowly, more slowly, most slowly; comfortably, more comfortably, most comfortably.
Please speak more slowly.
He pushed the door much more strongly than was necessary.
Note: MOST + adverb is not always the superlative degree. MOST before an adverb often means "very, extremely". For example: She articulated her ideas most clearly. He listened to her most attentively.
Irregular adverbs
Irregular adverbs "well, badly, much, little, far" have the following degrees of comparison: well, better, best; badly, worse, worst; much, more, most; little, less, least; far, farther, farthest; far, further, furthest.
Tanya speaks Spanish better than you do. Who writes best of all in your class? He works best in the evening.
His brother treated him badly. His father treated him even worse. His classmates treated him worst of all.
The doctor told him to eat less and to exercise more.
He went too far. Do not go farther than that tree. It's pointless to discuss it further.
Lower degree: LESS and LEAST
LESS and LEAST are used with adjectives and adverbs in the same way as MORE and MOST. LESS indicates a lower degree; LEAST indicates the lowest degree. LESS with adjectives and adverbs is used more widely than LEAST. LESS and LEAST are rarely used with monosyllabic adjectives and adverbs.
LESS, LEAST with adjectives: attentive, less attentive, least attentive; common, less common, least common; costly, less costly, least costly; difficult, less difficult, least difficult; important, less important, least important; interesting, less interesting, least interesting; likely, less likely, least likely; obvious, less obvious, least obvious; serious, less serious, least serious; tired, less tired, least tired; useful, less useful, least useful; worried, less worried, least worried.
The first question is less difficult than the second. The last exercise is the least difficult of the four exercises.
I am less interested in football than he is.
LESS, LEAST with adverbs: clearly, less clearly, least clearly; easily, less easily, least easily; efficiently, less efficiently, least efficiently; formally, less formally, least formally; often, less often, least often; sincerely, less sincerely, least sincerely; typically, less typically, least typically; willingly, less willingly, least willingly; wisely, less wisely, least wisely.
She remembers the day of the car accident less clearly now. She remembers least clearly what happened after the accident.
He does his work less willingly and less efficiently than before. He works least efficiently when he is alone.
Constructions of comparison
In the material above, the use of the comparative degree of adjectives and adverbs has been illustrated with the help of constructions containing "more, less, than". Such constructions express a greater or lesser degree (longer than; more difficult than; more slowly than; less important than; less quickly than).
There are some other commonly used constructions of comparison that you need to know and use in your speech and writing.
Constructions "as...as; not as...as"
The construction "as...as" indicates approximately the same degree. The constructions "not as...as; not so...as" indicate a lesser degree and are less formal than the constructions with "less". Compare:
Lena is as tall as her father. Lena is as attractive as her mother.
Mike is not as tall as his father. (Mike is shorter than his father. Mike's father is taller than Mike.)
The remake of the film is not so interesting as the original version.
This ring is not as expensive as that one. (This ring is less expensive than that one. That ring is more expensive than this one.)
Bella does not type as fast as Linda. (Bella types more slowly than Linda. Linda types faster than Bella.)
The constructions "as...as; not as...as; not so...as" can also be used with some of the adjectives that do not form degrees of comparison or have limitations in their formation.
I'm as aware of the consequences as you are.
This phenomenon is not as unique as you think.
Idioms containing the construction "as...as" (e.g., as cold as ice; as wise as an owl) are listed in Idioms of Comparison in the section Idioms.
Parallel constructions
The comparative degree is also used in parallel constructions of the type "the more...the more". For example:
The sooner the better.
The longer she stayed there, the better she felt.
The more I think about this project, the less I like it.
Qualities of one and the same person or thing
Generally, the qualities of two different people or things are compared with the help of the comparative degree. But it is also possible to compare the qualities of one and the same person or thing. Examples:
Laura is more stubborn than Rita. Laura is more stubborn than persevering.
The leaves of this plant are more oblong than round.
I was more asleep than awake.
She was more afraid to stay than to leave.
His job is not so difficult as it is boring.
When comparing the qualities of one and the same person or thing, the comparative degree of adjectives (including monosyllabic adjectives) is formed with the help of MORE.
His eyes are more blue than gray.
She is more lazy than incapable.
Numerals in comparisons
The superlative degree of adjectives may be used in combination with the ordinal numerals "second, third, fifth", etc., to indicate the size of an object (especially about geographical places).
Saturn is the second-largest planet in the solar system.
Canada is the world's second-largest country.
Geneva is the third-largest city in Switzerland.
Madagascar is the fourth-largest island in the world.
Constructions like "twice as large; three times as large; half as large" are widely used for comparing size, quantity, amount, speed, and other measurable characteristics.
Your house is twice as large as my house.
Their car is three times as large as our car.
He is twice as old as she is.
Her bag is five times as heavy as your bag.
His report is half as long as her report.
She pays half as much for water and electricity as I do.
His house is five times the size of your house.
My house is half the size of your house.
She is half your age.
Constructions like "three times larger; four times bigger; four times smaller; five times faster" are also used quite often. Some manuals of style object to such use in formal writing.
Your collection of coins is several times larger than mine.
His computer is ten times faster than my computer.
These light bulbs are five times brighter than those.
Note the following constructions which emphasize the amount or quantity indicated in the sentence.
This box weighs as much as fifty kilograms.
The new hotel can accommodate as many as a thousand people.
I bought this vase for as little as ten dollars.
Intensifiers and modifiers
Various adverbs may be used in constructions of comparison in order to emphasize, specify, or clarify comparisons.
The adverbs "much, a lot, a little, even" are used with the comparative degree; "almost, nearly" are used with the construction "as...as"; "by far" is used with the superlative degree of adjectives.
Your report will be much better (a little better; a lot better; even better) if you make it shorter.
She would be a lot happier if you visited her more often.
The book that I wanted to buy turned out to be much more expensive than I thought.
The second part of the book is almost as interesting as the first part.
This device is not nearly as good as the one you showed me yesterday.
This film is by far the funniest that I have seen recently.
She is by far the most efficient manager in our company.
Note: "very" and "much"
"Very" is used with the positive degree of adjectives and adverbs. For example:
It was very warm yesterday. He was very serious. This film is very interesting. He will do it very quickly.
"Much" is used with the comparative degree of adjectives and adverbs. For example:
It is much warmer today. He was much more serious at that time. This film is much more interesting than that film. He will do it much more quickly next time.
"Very" may be used with the superlative degree of some adjectives (for example, best, worst, first, last) to emphasize the superlative adjective: the very best quality; on the very first day. Sources: http://usefulenglish.ru/miscellany/degrees-of-comparison Accessed: April, 21st 2015. 16.00PM

Task 2: Exercise 26-30 Page 107-117

Exercise 26:  Adjectives and Adverbs

1. Well
2. Intense
3. Brightly
4. Fluent
5. Fluently
6. Smooth
7. Accurately
8. Bitter
9. Soon
10. Fast 

 

Exercise 27 : Linking (Copulative) Verbs

1. Terrible
2. Well

3. Good
4. Calmly
5. Sick
6. Quickly
7. Diligently
8. Vehemently
9. Relaxed
10. Noisy

  

Exercise 28 : Comparisons

1. As soon as
2. More important
3. As well as
4. The most expensive
5. As hot as
6. More talented
7. More colorful
8. Happier
9. Worse
10. Faster 

 

Exercise 29 : Comparisons

1. Than
2. As
3. From
4. Than
5. Than
6. Than
7. As
8. Than
9. As
10. From 

 

Exercise 30 : Comparisons

1. Best
2. Happiest
3. Faster
4. Creamiest
5. More Colorful
6. Better
7. Good
8. More awkwardly
9. Least
10. Prettiest

 

Writing 1: Pattern of Conditional Sentences

Article 1

Conditional sentences. “If” (conditional) clause: “would”; main clause: future tense

As a refresher, a conditional sentence expressing something that might happen or something that is likely to happen in the future is called a predictive or a prediction conditional sentence. Generally speaking, the term “would” expresses something that has the capability of happening, but has not happened or is unknown if it will happen in the future. These sentences have the following form:

If + would + verb, will + verb

For example, consider the following sentences:

If you would only study harder, you will pass the class.

If you would only help in the kitchen today, I will cook your favorite meal tomorrow.

In these sentences, the speakers are advising their speakers that is likely for the condition to take place. The actuality of the actions depends on the conditions. Therefore, the actions are only likely to happen after the condition has taken place.

Source:

http://www.grammarly.com/handbook/sentences/conditional-sentences/8/conditional-sentences-if-conditional-clause-would-/

Article 2

‘If’ Clause Conditionals

This Sub-topic falls under Adverb Clauses of Condition in the Kinds ofSubordinate Clauses in the main topic SENTENCE.

As the name suggests, this clause is used to show the condition to be fulfilled to get the desired result mentioned in the main clause, or what result we can get when the stated condition in the subordinate clause is fulfilled!

The common conjunctions of the Adverb Clause of Condition are: if, unless, provided (that), on condition that, etc.

However, the conjunction ‘if’ is given a separate place because in each of the FIVE types of ‘if’ clause conditionals, the verb pattern is fixed. That is to say, the main verb in the main clause and the main verb in the subordinate clause are paired and fixed in each type, and each type is used to express a condition that has a particular purpose.

Type 1

[A]

The pattern is: ‘Simple Present Tense’ in the main verb of the subordinate clause and ‘Simple Future Tense’ in the main verb of the main clause.

e.g: If you work hard, you will get a promotion.

If you work hard = subordinate clause/‘if’ clause

‘work’ main verb – ‘simple present tense’

you will get a promotion = main clause

‘will get’ main verb – ‘simple future tense’

This type is used when the chances of getting the desired result in the main clause are more – 80% of success rate. Therefore, in the above example, ‘your chances of getting a promotion’ are very high when you fulfill the condition – “working hard”.

[B]

The pattern is: ‘Simple Present Tense’ in the main verb of the main clause and ‘Simple Present Tense’ in the main verb of the subordinate clause – ‘if’ clause.

e.g.

If you see the plumber, ask him to fix the dripping tap in the kitchen.

If you see the plumber = subordinate clause/’if’ clause

‘see’ = main verb – simple present tense – subordinate clause

ask him to fix the dripping tap in the kitchen

‘ask’ = main verb – simple present tense – main clause

This type is used when the expression is an order, command, or request (imperative sentence — note also that the subject part of the main clause ‘you’ is omitted because it is almost an order).

Type 2

The pattern is: ‘Simple Past Tense’ in the main verb of the ‘if’ Clause and the Conditional Tense in the main verb of the main clause.

(conditional tense = would/should/could/might + the ‘infinitive without to’ form of the main verb)

e.g. If you worked hard, you would get a promotion.

If you worked hard = subordinate clause / ‘if’ clause

worked = main verb — simple past tense — ‘if’ clause

you would get a promotion = main clause

‘would get‘ = main verb — conditional tense with ‘would’ — main clause

This type is used when the chances of getting the desired result in the main clause are far fewer – 20% of success rate. Therefore, in the above example, ‘your chances of getting a promotion’ are very few even when the condition of ‘working hard’ is fulfilled may be because your approach or attitude is not right.

Though the Tense of the verb is PAST, the expression is used for the PRESENT TIME.

This is one of the complications we are faced with in ‘if’ clause conditionals!

With the ‘Direct/Reported Speech’ construction, however, this pattern may represent PAST time:

e.g.

She said to me, “If you work hard, you will get a promotion.” Direct

She told me that if I worked hard, I would get a promotion. Indirect

Type 3

The pattern is: the verb form “were” in the ‘if’ clause, irrespective of the number and person of the subject of the subordinate clause, and the ‘improbable tense’ in the main verb of the main clause.

(improbable = only ‘would’ + the ‘infinitive without to’ form of the main verb)

e.g.

He would marry her if she were a queen.

He would marry — main clause

would marry = main verb — conditional tense with ‘would’

if she were a queen — subordinate clause/if clause

were = main verb — {with the subject ‘she’} 

*Though the tense of the main verbs in both these clauses is in PAST TENSE, this expression is also used for the PRESENT TIME.

**Though the past tense of ‘be’ form verb used with 3rd person singular pronoun (he, she, it, my friend, your brother, our new house, etc) is “was”, in this type‘were’ is used to show the improbability!

e.g. She is a girl. Present Tense — She was a girl. PAST TENSE

[normal tense pattern]

He would marry her, if she were a queen.

[‘if’ clause improbable tense pattern]

This type is used to express an activity or existence that is IMPROBABLE, which means the activity or existence can never happen but we like to imagine the result if at all the condition is fulfilled.

In our example sentence, the subject of the ‘if’ clause “she” is not a queen and can never be a queen, but the speaker expresses the idea with this ‘improbable conditional’ so that the listener understands the impossibility of the action, i.e. ‘marrying her’!

There has been some confusion, rather contradiction, among the educated circles in the use of the regular form of the ‘be’ and the ‘improbable’ form “were” in ‘if’ clause conditionals.

There is, however, some difference in the usage between ‘was’ and ‘were’:

Compare:

If my father were here, he would help me out with this problem.

[the improbable ‘were’ in the ‘if’ clause]

This sentence is used to show that the speaker’s father is not here and there is no chance of his being here because he is dead; however, the speaker wishes to express his hope of getting some help which he probably is desperate to get and is not getting it from any one alive.

If my father was here, he would help me out with this problem.

[the regular ‘be’ form past tense ‘was’ in the ‘if’ clause]

This sentence is used to show that the speaker’s father is not here, but there is a chance, however low it may be, of his being here because he is probably somewhere far away and does not know that his son is in need of him. But the chances of his being here are very low, i.e. 10 or 20%. This is almost the same as type 2.

Type 4

The pattern is: ‘past perfect tense’ in the main verb of the ‘if’ clause and the ‘PAST IMPROBABLE TENSE’ in the main verb of the main clause.

(‘past improbable’ = would/could/should/might/must + have + the ‘past participle’ form of the main verb —– go – went – gone — going — ‘gone’ is the past participle form of the verb word “go” )

e.g.

If you had worked hard, you would have got a promotion.

If you had worked hard — subordinate clause/‘if’ clause

‘had worked’ — main verb — past perfect tense

‘would have got’ — PAST IMPROBABLE TENSE – main clause

Of the FIVE types of the ‘if’ clause conditional patterns, this type (4) is the only type used for the PAST TIME!

This type is used to show that an activity or existence did not happen, but we like to imagine the result if at all the condition in the subordinate clause was fulfilled.

In our example sentence, the person in the expression did not work hard, and consequently, did not get a promotion; however, the speaker of this sentence likes to imagine the result if ‘you’ really worked hard which may have resulted in “getting a promotion”. Unfortunately, neither action happened!

An important point to remember is that with type 3 and 4, the conjunction ‘if’ is often omitted and the word order of subject and verb is of the Interrogative Sentence — — verb comes first and the subject comes next —- in sentences where the speakers want to give more force (emphasis) to their expressions:

e.g. Were I the minister of finance, I would waive all the taxes.

[‘were I the…’ = if I were the …’    STRONG EMOTION]

Had you worked hard, you would have got a promotion.

[‘had you worked hard’ = if you had worked hard’    STRONG EMOTION]

Another equally important point to remember is that in type 3 and 4 the main verbs with negative in both the clauses give us positive result, and positive in both the clauses give us negative result.

This is one of several complications we are faced with in Conditional Clauses!

e.g.

If you had worked hard, you would have got a promotion.

‘had worked’ = positive;          ‘would have got’ = positive

The result is: you ‘did not work hard’ and so ‘you did not get’ a promotion.

If you had not worked hard, you would not have got a promotion.

‘had not worked’ = negative;      ‘would not have got’ = negative

The result is: you ‘worked hard’ and so ‘you got’ a promotion.

________________________________________

Quite often we come across such sentences as the following ones:

1. You will pass the test if you worked hard.

[‘simple future’ in the main clause and ‘simple past’ in the ‘if’ clause]

2. If you will go there I will go there, too.

[‘simple future’ in the main clause and ‘simple future’ in the ‘if’ clause]

3. If we had consulted the map we would not be lost.

[‘improbable tense’ in the main clause and ‘past perfect’ in the ‘if’ clause]

which seem contrary to the fixed patterns we have discussed so far.

Not all grammarians accept these patterns, but we do see them quite often and the people who say or write these patterns may come up with some plausible explanation.

However, we, at this basic level, are advised to avoid such constructions!!

Source:

http://www.weblearneng.com/the-if-clause-conditionals


Data Accessed: Monday, March 16th 2015.

Task 1 : Exercise 21-25

A.      Exercise 21 Page 97: Conditional Sentences

1. Understood
2. Would not have been
3. Will give
4. Would have told
5. Would have been
6. Had
7. Stopped
8. Needed
9. Would have found
10. Enjoyed
11. Paint
12. Were
13. Writes
14. Had permitted
15. Had spent
16. Will accept
17. Buys
18. Had decided
19. Would have written
20. Will leak
21. Studied
22. Hears
23. See
24. Gets
25. Turn
26. Were
27. Would have called
28. Would have talked
29. Explained
30. Spoke

B.       Exercise 22 Page, 99: Used to

1.        Eating

2.        Eating

3.        Swimming

4.        Liking

5.        Speaking

6.        Studying

7.        Dancing

8.        Sleeping

9.        Eating

10.    Eating

C.     Exercise “23” Page, 101: Would Rather

1.      Stay

2.      Stayed

3.      Work

4.      Studied

5.      Not study

6.      Have

7.      Stood

8.      Not cook

9.      Had not arrived

10.  Have slept

D.    Exercise 24 Page, 105: Must/Should + Perfective

1.      Should have had

2.      Must have been

3.      Must have damaged

4.      Should not have parked

5.      Must have studied

6.      Should have studied

7.      Must have been

8.      Should have deposit

9.      Must have forgotten

10.  Must not have been studied

E.     Exercise 25 Page, 105: Modals + Perfective

1.      I would

2.      Would have gone

3.      May have had

4.      Should have done

5.      Must have forgotten

6.      May have slept

7.      Might have had

8.      Could have lost

9.      Shouldn’t have driven

10.  It may have run