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64
I shouldn’t speak to you unless I were determined.
2. If both actions refer to the past and contradict reality the non-factual past perfect or past perfect
continuous is used in the if-clause and should/would + perfect or perfect continuous
infinitive in the main
clause.
If he had not insisted upon her going there, nothing would ever have happened.
Unless he had been grinning happily at us, I should have sworn he was mortally wounded.
Clauses of unreal condition with the verb in the non-factual past perfect, past perfect continuous, past
subjunctive (also should + infinitive and could + infinitive, see below) may be introduced asyndetically. In this
case inversion serves as a means of subordination.
Had the world been watching, it would have been startled.
Were you in my place you would behave in the same way.
§ 86. The actions in the main and subordinate clauses may have different time-reference, if the sense of the
clauses requires it. Sentences of this kind are said to have split condition. The unreal condition may refer to the
past and the consequence - to the present or future.
If we hadn’t been such fools we should all still be together.
How much better I should write now if in my youth I had had the advantage of sensible advice!
I shouldn’t be bothering you like this if they hadn’t told me downtown that he was coming up this way.
Split condition is possible for sentences with real condition as well:
If you saw him yesterday you know all the news.
If you live in this part of the city you knew of the accident yesterday.
The condition may refer to no particular time, and the consequence may refer to the past.
She wouldn’t have told me her story if she disliked me.
John wouldn’t have lost the key unless he were so absent-minded.
§ 87. There are three more types of conditional clauses with reference to the future.
1. In the first type should + infinitive
for all the persons is used in the conditional clause and the future
indefinite indicative or the imperative mood in the principal clause.
If you should meet him, give him my best regards.
If you should find another way out, will you inform me?
Conditional clauses of this type are sometimes joined to the main clause asyndetically, by means of
inversion.
Should he ask for references, tell him to apply to me.
Should anything change, you will return home.
In these sentences the action in the conditional clause is presented as possible, but very unlikely. Such
clauses are called clauses of problematic condition. They may be rendered in Russian as «случись так, что... »,
«если случайно...», «если так случится, что...», «вдруг что-нибудь», etc.
2. In the second type would + infinitive for all the persons in the singular and plural is used in the
conditional clause and should/would + infinitive or the indicative mood in the main clause. Would retains its
original meaning of willingness or consent (если бы вы согласились, изъявили желание, захотели бы).