Acquisition of Subjunctive Mood by Iranian EFL Learners: Adverbial Clause of Condition

The present study aims to investigate whether L1 properties of syntax-semantics interference has a statistically significant role in making adverbial clauses of condition. Almost all Iranian EFL learners have difficulties learning English subjunctive even at high level of English proficiency. To check the participants comprehension, in accordance with the functions of real and unreal conditions in Persian and English, 30 statements in English were written and for each, three options in Persian were required. Checking their production, two topics from Academic IELTS Booklet in need of condition expansion were selected, and then the participants were asked to write two five-paragraph essays in the form of pre-test and a delayed post-test. Findings revealed that syntax-semantics L1 interference has a significant role in conditional sentences making of L2.