Synthesis & Transformation

1. SYNTHESIS ANDSYNTHESIS AND
TRANSFORMATIONTRANSFORMATION
IF
1) THINGS WHICH WILL OR MAY HAPPEN
2) UNLIKELY OR UNREALACTIONS
3) REFERRING TO THE PAST
4) REPORTED QUESTIONS

2. 1)1) THINGS WHICH WILL ORTHINGS WHICH WILL OR
MAY HAPPENMAY HAPPEN
• TO TALK ABOUT THINGS WHICH ARE
LIKELY TO HAPPEN.
If + Simple Present,
an order (a)
may (b)
+ can (c)
must (d)
should (e)
Simple Future (f)

3. EXAMPLES:EXAMPLES:
(a) If anybody(a) If anybody phonesphones, take a message, take a message
for me.for me.
(b)(b) If youIf you touchtouch that wire, youthat wire, you maymay get aget a
shock.shock.
(c)(c) If AuntieIf Auntie givesgives you a kitten, youyou a kitten, you cancan
keep it.keep it.
(d)(d) If youIf you havehave a pet, youa pet, you mustmust look afterlook after
itit properly.properly.
(e)(e) If JaneIf Jane seessees a blind man crossing thea blind man crossing the
road, sheroad, she shouldshould help him.help him.
(f)(f) If MaryIf Mary comescomes, she, she willwill probably bakeprobably bake
a cake.a cake.

4. •When referring to a past action, use theWhen referring to a past action, use the
Present Perfect Tense instead of thePresent Perfect Tense instead of the
Simple Present, especially when the actionSimple Present, especially when the action
has just finished.has just finished.
Examples:Examples:
(g) If you(g) If you have finishedhave finished your homework,your homework,
youyou can watch television.can watch television.
(h)(h) If the rainIf the rain has stoppedhas stopped, please go to, please go to
thethe store and get some milk for me.store and get some milk for me.
(i)(i) If UncleIf Uncle has been delayedhas been delayed by theby the
traffic, he will be late.traffic, he will be late.
(j)(j) If all the trainsIf all the trains have been cancelledhave been cancelled,,
the buses will be crowded.the buses will be crowded.

5. 2) UNLIKELY OR UNREAL2) UNLIKELY OR UNREAL
ACTIONSACTIONS
TO TALK ABOUT AN UNLIKELYTO TALK ABOUT AN UNLIKELY
FUTURE ACTION OR MAKE AFUTURE ACTION OR MAKE A
GENERAL STATEMENT.GENERAL STATEMENT.
If + Simple Past +
would
could
might
+ a verb

6. UNLIKELY FUTURE ACTIONSUNLIKELY FUTURE ACTIONS
EXAMPLESEXAMPLES::
*(a)*(a) If IIf I werewere you, Iyou, I wouldwould go to bedgo to bed
earlier.earlier.
*(b)*(b) If SamIf Sam werewere here, hehere, he mightmight help you.help you.
(c)(c) If the sunIf the sun explodedexploded, we, we wouldwould all die.all die.
(d)(d) If the seaIf the sea roserose 50 metres, most of our50 metres, most of our
landland wouldwould be flooded.be flooded.
** For (a) & (b), even though ‘I’ and Sam areFor (a) & (b), even though ‘I’ and Sam are
singular, ‘were’ is used as it is an unlikelysingular, ‘were’ is used as it is an unlikely futurefuture
event.event.

7. GENERAL STATEMENTSGENERAL STATEMENTS
EXAMPLESEXAMPLES::
(e)(e) If alcoholIf alcohol werewere banned, therebanned, there wouldwould bebe
no drunk drivers.no drunk drivers.
(f)(f) If peopleIf people werewere kinder and more polite tokinder and more polite to
each other, the world could be aeach other, the world could be a
happier place.happier place.
(g)(g) If pedestriansIf pedestrians tooktook more care, theremore care, there
mightmight probably be fewer accidents.probably be fewer accidents.

8. 3) REFERRING TO THE PAST3) REFERRING TO THE PAST
If + Past Perfect Tense + could/would/mightIf + Past Perfect Tense + could/would/might
+ a verb+ a verb
EXAMPLESEXAMPLES::
(a)(a) If that sharkIf that shark had comehad come closer, itcloser, it couldcould
have attacked one of the swimmers.have attacked one of the swimmers.
(b)(b) If youIf you had been asleephad been asleep on the job,on the job,
somebody would have been hurt.somebody would have been hurt.
(c)(c) If the petrol tankIf the petrol tank had explodedhad exploded, you, you
mightmight have been killed.have been killed.

9. EXAMPLESEXAMPLES::
(d)(d) If youIf you had gonehad gone to bed earlier, youto bed earlier, you
wouldwould not have been so tired thisnot have been so tired this morning.morning.
(e)(e) If JamesIf James had enteredhad entered the race, hethe race, he
mightmight have won.have won.
(f)(f) If sheIf she had arrivedhad arrived earlier, sheearlier, she couldcould
have seen her mother.have seen her mother.

10. 4) REPORTED QUESTIONS
• IN REPORTED QUESTIONS/SPEECHES
EXAMPLES:
a) I asked her if I could help her.
b) I wonder if you would give the children a bath.
c) He asked if her hair had always been that colour.