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* The forms with may (might) and could are compound verbal modal predicates in the subjunctive mood.
The non-factual past perfect form may open an asyndetically joined conditional clause (with partial
inversion).
Had the colour of the dress been to my taste, I should have bought it.
Had the world been watching, it would have been startled.
§ 171. A complex sentence with a conditional clause may be built on clauses of both type II and III, thus
forming a mixed type of conditional relationship. For instance:
If we hadn’t been such fools, we would all still be together. (the subordinate clause with reference to the
past - type III, the principal clause with reference to the present - type II).
If you were more attentive, you would’t have made so many mistakes (the subordinate clause with
reference to the present, as it implies somebody's ability to concentrate in general - type II, the main
clause with reference to the past - type III).
Note:
Some of the conditional constructions may be used to join clauses expressing other meanings or admitting a
two-fold interpretation. Thus if may introduce concessive clauses (see § 172), clauses in which the meaning of
condition is combined with temporal meaning. The conjunction in case may introduce clauses of negative
purpose, as in:
I went and ate sandwiches in the woods, in case one of the servants should see me on the lawn from the
window... (чтобы кто-нибудь из слуг не увидел...)
The complex sentence with an adverbial clause of concession
§ 172. In complex sentences with concessive clauses there is a contrast between the content of the main
clause and that of the subordinate one: the action or fact described in the main clause is carried out or
takes place despite the action or state expressed in the subordinate clause.
This type of clause is introduced by conjunctions: although, though, if; correlative
conjunctions: though...yet, whether...or; conjunctive pronouns
or adverbs: whoever,
whatever, whichever, whenever, wherever (which may stand for almost any part of the sentence), as, or
composite
соnjunсtiоns: no matter how, no matter what, for all that, despite that, in spite of the
fact, despite the fact, even if, even though, even when.
The abundance of means for expressing concessive relations is determined not only by the necessity to
differentiate various shades of meaning, but also by the fact that different parts may form the focus of the
concessive meaning:
However cynical he was –
Сколь бы циничен он ни был...,
Late as it was –
Хотя было поздно...,
как бы ни было поздно...,
Try as he might –
Как бы он ни старался...,
хотя он и старался работать...,
Whoever may come –
Кто бы ни пришел...,
(The focus is the predicative.)
“-“-“
(The focus is the notional
part of the predicate.)
(The focus is the subject.)
Compound conjunctive pronouns and adverbs (whoever, whenever, etc.) impart universal or indefinite
meaning to the clause they introduce. Contrast the following sentences: