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If you would only come to our place, we’ll be very glad (we should be very glad).
3. In the third type the past subjunctive of the modal verb to be + (to) infinitive is used in the conditional
clause and should/would + infinitive or the imperative mood in the principal clause. Both actions have future or
present time-reference.
If you were to undertake it, everything would be different (if by chance you undertook it).
If I were to tell you everything, you would be amazed. - Если бы мне пришлось рассказать вам все, вы
бы удивились.
The form were + to implies greater remoteness and improbability of the action, but does not imply a
rejection of it.
Sentences and clauses of implied condition
§ 88. An implied condition is not openly stated in a clause, but is suggested either by an adverbial part of the
sentence, or else by the context -from the preceding or following sentence, or coordinated clause.
1. The form should/would + infinitive is used in simple sentences with an adverbial modifier of condition
introduced by but for, except for (если бы не...) which imply an unreal condition with an opposite meaning:
But for luck he would be still living alone. - Если бы не удача, он бы все еще жил в одиночестве.
The implication is: if it had not been for luck, he would be still living alone. (In fact he was lucky and he is
not living alone.)
These people would long ago have been forgotten, but for the artist’s genius.
That’s all I can remember. I wouldn’t have remembered anything at all but for you.
Except for the sound of his breathing, I wouldn’t have known he was there.
2. As stated above a condition may be implied by the preceding or following sentence or coordinated clause:
- What would you do if you had money?
- Oh, I should do many things!
This was the sort of thing he would have liked to explain to someone, only no one wanted to hear.
(If anyone had wanted to hear, he would have explained this sort of thing to them.)
They had no desire to spread scandal. Otherwise they would have demanded their due.
(Had they had the desire to spread scandal, they would have demanded their due.)
I would have gone too, but I was tied up to Joseph.
(If I had not been tied up to Joseph, I would have gone too.)
On the whole the non-factual use of tenses is rather rare in simple sentences, although they do occasionally
occur.
As a child I’d given anything for that - В детстве я бы все отдал за это.
Modal verbs or phrases in conditional clauses
§ 89. The modal verbs can, will, may/might are freely used in the non-factual past indefinite to express
unreality in conditional and principal clauses. Like the mood auxiliaries should, would they may be combined
with different infinitives: