English - Conditional Sentence

其實你既example中既don't, 只係俾個situation (情況)你參考, 去引導你改為 if 句子. 簡單講, if 句子分 4 類:

Type 0: 講科學定理, 自然定律 , 兩面用simple present tense:
If water boils, it turns into steam.

Type 1: 講未來可能會發生既事, 機會未必係100, if 後面用simple present, 另一句用simple future 或 can / may
If he comes, I will go away.
If she comes, I may stay.
if the phone rings, can you answer it?

Type 2: 講假設情況, 冇機會發生既東西, if 後面用simple past, 另一句用would + verb
If I was / were Eason Chan, I would sing many good songs.
If I was / were you, I would do the same.

Type 3: 講以前已發生既事, 但要講反話, if 後面用past perfect, 另一句用would have + PP:
If I had seen you yesterday, I would have said hello.
(=我琴日根本冇見到你, 所以冇同你打招呼, 如果我真係見到你, 我一定同你say hello!)

If she had studied harder, she would have passed the exam.
(=她以前冇努力讀書, 所以唔合格. 如果佢努力d, 她可以合格)


我唔明你 had / was 想問咩


2010-06-06 22:11:43 補充：
順道,我想問下 Type 2 中的假設情況點分係now/on the future ??

答: 如果句中冇講明係未來, 即係講now:
If I had $1 billion, I would buy 10 houses.
(but you don't have $1 billion now!)

未來情況會講明:
If you saw him tomorrow, could you take this to him?
(but you can't see him tomorrow)

***以上兩種都係冇可能發生既情況

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Yes, it's not related. And it really bases on the rules of conditionals.

In the first example, we use the clause 'people will not like her' because not all people don't like people who tell lies. It's not a fact. So we use future tense to show the possibility.

In the second one, 'you live so far away' means the person you mentioned to is really 'live so far away'. The fact is that 'you' live far away. So when we say 'we'd see you more often', we use past tense of the verb in 'if-clause'. Because it's not real and only imagination. (You imagine that he didn't live far away but the fact is that he does.)

If you couldn't remember the rules, please refer to the following:



There are totally 4 main types.

1. If + present :

We use this type to describe something about facts.

E.g. If you heat water to 100 degrees centigrade, it boils.
E.g. If/When the thermometer is at 0 degree centigrade, water freezes.
(It is a fact.)


2. If + future :

We use this type to show a possibility of some cases.

E.g. If I find it, I will tell you.
(In this example, 'I' feel there is a possibilty that I can find something so I use present tense.)


3. If + past :

We use this type to talk about imagination. That means something is not going to happen or it will not be possible to happen.

E.g. If I were you, I would tell her the truth.
(In this case, I cannot be you so this situation is not real. I just pretend that I were you.)


4. If + past perfect :

We use this type to show our remorse or regret.

E.g. If I had known you were in the hospital, I would have gone to see you.
(We cannot change the situation so we use this type when we want to express our regret of incident occured.)