Conditional Clauses

The commonest error with "if-" and "unless-" clauses is to use the future tense in them. The simple correct form is:

"If it rains [present], I shall stay [future] indoors."
"If it's fine, we can go into town."
"You'll drop that unless you look where you're going."

Less likely conditions use the past form in the "if-" clause and the conditional in the main clause:

"If it rained, I should stay at home."
"If we knew, we would tell you."

Technically, the "if-"clause is in the subjunctive, but the only obvious survival of this is in the now fossilized form still found in "If I were you, I shouldn't do that."

Unfulfilled conditions use past perfect in the "if-"clause and past conditional in the main clause:

"I would have lent you the money if you had asked me."
"That crockery would have broken if you hadn't caught the tray in time."

You will notice that the main clause in all the above does NOT start with "then" (unnecessary) or "so" (unidiomatic).

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