Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

Û

539 Glossary for any unfamiliar terms

Negation | 745

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Condition

Introduction

448

The first, second and third conditionals

449

Real conditionals

450

Main clauses

451

Modal verbs in conditional clauses

452

Other conditional clauses with if

453

Unless and if … not

454

Wh-conditional clauses

455

Other conditional expressions

456

Linking with then

457

Conditional clauses and formality

458

If and politeness

459

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| 747

Condition

INTRODUCTION

448

Conditions deal with imagined situations: some are possible, some are unlikely,

some are impossible. The speaker/writer imagines that something can or cannot

happen or have happened, and then compares that situation with possible

consequences or outcomes, or offers further logical conclusions about the

situation.

Conditionality is conveyed chiefly by means of conditional clauses. Conditional

clauses are most typically introduced by the subordinating conjunction if: