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Forms expressing unreality are found in clauses of purpose, comparison, concession and in both the principal and the subordinate clause of a conditional sentence.
Adverbial Clauses of Purpose
A subordinate clause of purpose is found when the subject of this clause is not the same as the subject of the principal clause.
Clauses of purpose are introduced by the conjunction so that (sometimes that or in order that, both of which are characteristic of literary style, and so, which is colloquial). The predicate in these clauses is expressed by may or can + infinitive and the rules of the sequence of tenses are to be observed in this case.
e.g. As you go, leave the door open so that the light from the lamp may show you some of the way down.
She dressed quickly for dinner so that she might see him the sooner.
You'll have to come into the hospital so that we can keep you under observation.
He slid out of bed, felt his way over to the door of the room, and opened it a little so that he could hear what the women were saying.
If the verb in the subordinate clause is in the negative form, should + infinitive is preferred.
e-g. I stood up, my back turned so that he should not see my face.
"Sit down," he said, dropping his voice so that the two men in the room should not hear.
In literary style we sometimes find clauses of purpose introduced by the conjunction lest (чтобы... не). In this case should +infinitive (rarely the Subjunctive Mood) is used in the subordinate clause. As the conjunction lest is negative in meaning, the verb is in the affirmative form,
e.g. An access of joy made him shut his eyes lest tears should flow from them, (...чтобы из них не потекли слезы.)
Не withdrew his eyes lest she should read them.
Lest he freeze, he wore a ragged sweater over the ensemble.
The rules of the sequence of tenses are not observed here.
Adverbial Clauses of Comparison
In clauses of comparison introduced by the conjunctions as if or as though we find the form of the Past Indefinite including the form were for all the persons or the Past Perfect.
The form of the Past Indefinite (or Continuous) shows that the action of the subordinate clause is simultaneous with the action of the principal clause.
e.g. He asked me the question as if the answer were really important to him.
He looks as though he had plenty of determination.
They passed her in silence, with their noses in the air, as though she did not exist.
Her lips moved soundlessly, as if she were rehearsing.
Note. In contemporary English the form were is sometimes replaced by was in the 1st and 3d persons singular,
e.g. He behaves as if he was the boss here.
The form of the Past Perfect (Continuous) shows that the action of the subordinate clause precedes the action of the principal clause.
e.g. Bosinney gazed at him as though he had not heard.
The dog rushed at me and licked my hands in a frenzy of delight as if I had been away a long time.
He sounded breathless on the telephone as though he had been running.
If the action of the subordinate clause follows the action of the principal clause, would + infinitive is used.
e.g. She sank back on her chair and leaning her head on her hands began to weep as though her heart would break.
She looked up at me defiantly as if she would turn on me that very moment.
The rules of the sequence of tenses are not observed in such clauses.
Note 1. Compare complex sentences with a clause of comparison in Russian and
in English.
e.g. Она смотрела на меня так, словно не узнавала меня.— She looked at me as if she did not recognize me.
Он говорил о фильме так, будто он сам его видел. — Не spoke of the film as if he had seen it.
In Russian it is generally necessary to use the correlative так in the principal clause, whereas in English it is not required.
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