conditional
conditional — adjective
1. describing a type of sentence that talks about a situation needing to happen fir
describing a type of sentence that talks about a situation needing to happen first before another situation can be true. Such sentences commonly use the word 'if' or 'unless' to connect the two parts.
In English class today, the teacher asked everyone to write five conditional sentences beginning with 'if'.
if-clause opening a conditional sentence
Feng struggled to identify the correct verb tense in the second part of each conditional clause on the test.
Maeve explained to her classmates that a conditional sentence with 'unless' works the same way as one with 'if not'.
The grammar book shows that zero conditional describes general truths, while the first conditional talks about real future possibilities.
- hypothetical
focuses on unreal or imaginary situations rather than the structural pattern of if-sentences
- dependent
more general; any kind of reliance, not just grammatical
- independent
a clause that can stand alone without relying on another clause
用法筆記
Learners often confuse the verb tenses across different conditional types. The zero conditional uses the present tense in both parts; the first conditional uses the present tense after 'if' and 'will' in the main clause.
常見錯誤
2. relating to how a verb changes its form when it is used to show that one action
relating to how a verb changes its form when it is used to show that one action or event depends on another action or event happening first.
In French, the conditional verb form is often used when talking about what you would do under different circumstances.
conditional verb form expressing hypothetical actions
Henrik noticed that the conditional ending in Italian sounds quite similar to the future tense ending.
The Spanish conditional form of 'to go' is 'iría', which means 'would go' in English.
Darius had trouble remembering when to use the conditional form instead of the subjunctive in hypothetical statements.
- subjunctive
a different verb mood; subjunctive expresses wishes or unreal situations, while conditional expresses dependence
- hypothetical
broader term covering any verb form used in unreal scenarios
- indicative
the verb form used to state facts, not hypotheticals
用法筆記
In English, the conditional verb form is expressed using auxiliary verbs like 'would', 'could', or 'might' rather than a special verb ending. This differs from Romance languages, where verbs have dedicated conditional endings.
常見錯誤
3. describing an offer, contract, or promise that only becomes valid after a certai
describing an offer, contract, or promise that only becomes valid after a certain requirement has been met or a specific action has been taken.
The university sent Maeve a conditional offer that required her final exam grades to stay above a certain level.
conditional university offer pending grades
The seller made a conditional agreement to reduce the price if the buyer paid the full amount within one week.
Kemi received a conditional job offer that depended on her passing a background check and a medical examination.
The bank gave them a conditional loan approval, subject to a satisfactory inspection of the property.
- provisional
temporary until conditions are met; used more for arrangements than offers
- contingent
formal synonym emphasising that something depends entirely on a future event
- unconditional
not subject to any conditions; absolute and final
- absolute
without any restrictions or requirements
用法筆記
Often used in formal or business contexts. The condition is typically introduced with phrases like 'subject to', 'pending', 'if', or 'provided that'.
常見錯誤
conditional — noun
1. a word, phrase, or sentence structure that is used to show that one thing relies
a word, phrase, or sentence structure that is used to show that one thing relies on another happening first. In grammar lessons, conditionals are often grouped as first, second, or third types.
In the grammar exercise, students had to identify each conditional and label it as first, second, or third type.
classifying conditionals by type
Yael memorised the second conditional pattern: 'if' with past simple, then 'would' with the base verb.
The teacher explained that a mixed conditional combines elements from different conditional types within one sentence.
Zuri wrote a short paragraph using only third conditionals to talk about how history might have been different.
- if-clause
a narrower term focusing specifically on the clause beginning with 'if'
- conditional clause
a more explicit term for the subordinate clause within a conditional sentence
用法筆記
In English grammar teaching, the term 'conditional' usually refers to one of four patterns: zero, first, second, and third. Each pattern uses a specific combination of verb tenses.
2. a rule, requirement, or situation that must be accepted or taken care of before
a rule, requirement, or situation that must be accepted or taken care of before something else can happen or be agreed upon.
The contract contained several conditionals that had to be met before the partnership could begin.
conditionals in a contract as requirements
Before signing the lease, Eric checked every conditional written in the fine print of the document.
Tara agreed to the new role with one conditional: her salary and office must remain unchanged.
The bank manager listed several conditionals that the small business must fulfil before receiving the loan funds.
- stipulation
a specific condition formally stated in an agreement
- provision
a clause in a legal document that states a condition or requirement
用法筆記
This sense is more formal and typically appears in legal or business writing. It is less common in everyday conversation; people more often use 'condition' or 'requirement' instead.