ASL 123                                                                                    Back
Seattle Central Community College


Conditional Sentences

Conditional sentences are made up of two clauses.  The first states a condition, the 2nd states the resulting consequence.

For example:    If it rains, the ball game will be cancelled.
                                   If I get a "D" on a test, my Dad will be mad.

Conditional sentences are signed using specific non manual  grammatical signals:
                            *    Eye brow raise
                            *    Slight head tilt back
                            *    Hold the last sign of the first clause

The condition can be introduced using several different signs for "if":

                            
                              IF (next to lower eye)
                              IF (next to upper eye)
                            #IF (lexicalized fingerspelling)

Practice signing these conditional sentences:

1.  IF TEACHER EAT APPLE                     WILL SICK

2.  IF MAN READ BOOK                            STILL NOT UNDERSTAND

3.  IF GIRL LEARN ASL                             CAN TEACH DEAF CHILDREN

4.  IF WOMAN WATCH TV                         ALWAYS FALL ASLEEP

5.  IF YOU GIVE ME MONEY NOW            ME BUY TICKETS MAYBE

6.  IF FUTURE SATURDAY RAIN              GAME CANCEL REFUSE

7.  IF PAT HIS CAR BREAK-DOWN           DRIVE WANT???