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AS IF / AS THOUGH

clauses
subjunctive
IF

Clauses that start with as if / as though describe an unreal or improbable situation if they are followed by an unreal tense (the past subjunctive or the past perfect subjunctive). Otherwise, they express that the statement is true.

Cleft sentences

clauses

it + be + phrase + defining relative clause

Cleft sentences (also called it-clefts) result from changing the normal sentence pattern to emphasise a particular piece of information. The emphasis in the resulting cleft sentence is on the phrase after it + be.

Look at the following example:

First conditional

clauses
conditionals
future
IF
WILL

if + present tense | will + infinitive

The first conditional describes a probable future situation. If the condition is fulfilled, the action in the main clause is likely to happen:

Future simple in complex sentences

clauses
future
simple
WILL

The future simple tense is often used in the main clause of complex sentences that refer to future time and contain clauses of condition, time or purpose. In the subordinate clause (starting with if, when, as soon as, after, before, the moment etc.), we usually use a present tense:

Future time clauses

clauses
completion
duration
emphasis
future
point in time
present

In time clauses that refer to future time (clauses with if, when, after, before, as soon as, once, until, while etc.) we use the present tenses:

IF, EVEN IF, ONLY IF, AS LONG AS, PROVIDED, SUPPOSING, UNLESS, BUT FOR, IF NECESSARY, IF SO, IN CASE etc.

clauses
conditionals
emphasis
inversion
IF

IF and WHEN

When can replace if in zero conditionals:

If you heat water to 100 degrees Celsius, it boils.
When you heat water to 100 degrees Celsius, it boils.

In the other types of conditionals, we cannot use when instead of if.

Introductory infinitive clauses

clauses
infinitive

An infinitive clause placed at the beginning of a sentence can express a comment on the speaker's own words:

Participles in non-finite relative clauses

clauses
participle
past participle
present participle

The present participle in a non-finite relative clause can occur if the preceding noun is the subject of the participle. Present participle clauses correspond to finite relative clauses in the active voice:

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