Conditional sentences are usually divided into two parts (called clauses): the if part and the main clause.
- ZERO TYPE :
If + present simple
These sentences refer to ‘all time’, not just the present or future. They express a situation that is always true, IF means WHEN or WHENEVER.
If I pour hot water into ice, it melts.
If you spend over Rs.50 at that supermarket, you get a 5% discount.
When it rains hard, everyone stays indoors.
- FIRST CONDITIONAL :
If + present simple + will future
We use the first conditional to talk about a likely situation and to describe its result. We talk about the likely situation with IF + present simple; we talk about the result with WILL (or WON’T for negative sentences). We usually separate the two clauses with a comma.
If you give it to me, I’ll let you go.
If you don’t give it back, I’ll call the police.
If it doesn’t stop raining, we won’t be able to go out.
We often use the first conditional for promises, threats or warnings:
If you are careful with the eggs, you won’t break them.
You won’t pass your English exam if you don’t revise your notes.
IF can be replaced by UNLESS (if … not) or IN CASE (because of the possibility…):
Unless I hear from you, I’ll arrive at 7.
I’ll take my umbrella in case it rains.
- SECOND CONDITIONAL:
If + past simple + would (do)
We use the second conditional to talk about an imaginary or unlikely situation and to describe its result. We talk about the imaginary or unlikely situation with IF + past simple; we talk about the result with (or WOULDN’T for negative sentences).
If I had a lot of money, I would give some away to that charity.
If a stranger asked me for money, I wouldn’t give him any.
I wouldn’t be late if I flew to school.
We form the second conditional with if + past simple, would + infinitive; we usually separate the two clauses with a comma:
If I found some money in the street, I’d take it.
If I saw a ghost, I wouldn’t take it.
- BE CAREFUL : WOULD may be shortened into ‘D‘.
With the verb TO BE, we usually use WERE for all persons:
If I were you, I’d start studying that book as soon as possible.
(In spoken language both WAS and WERE are possible: if I was you….)
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First or Second Conditional?
Both conditionals refer to the present and future. The difference is about probability, not time. It is usually clear which conditional to use. First conditional sentences are real and possible. Second conditional sentences express situations that will probably never happen:
E.g., If I lose my job, I’ll…. (my company is doing badly and there is a strong possibility of being made redundant)
If I lost my job, I would… (redundancy is improbable and I’m just speculating)
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TIME CLAUSES
Conjunctions of time (WHEN, AS SOON AS, BEFORE, UNTIL, AFTER…) are not usually followed by WILL. We use a present tense even though the time reference is future:
E.g., I’ll phone you when I get home.
As soon as dinner is ready, I’ll give you a call.
Can I have a word with you before I go?
Wait until I come back.
When I’ve read the book, I’ll lend it to you.
I’ll go home after I’ve done the shopping.
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THIRD CONDITIONAL
IF + past perfect + would have + past participle
We use the third conditional to talk about impossible events of the past. We use the past perfect and the would have + past participle structure.
E.g., If I had taken my umbrella, I wouldn’t have got wet.
If I had studied phonetics as well, I’d have passed the exam.
I wouldn’t have wasted so much time if I had taken a map with me!
Verbs can be either regular (walk → walked; study → studied) or irregular (give → gave; think → thought) past participle.
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WISH
This verb is usually followed by past simple (second conditional) when we talk about the present:
E.g., I wish I had a car, travelling by train is so slow!
I wish I didn’t have to go to that course, it’s so boring.
For past situations, we use WISH + past perfect (third conditional)
I wish I’d studied harder!
I wish I hadn’t drunk so much. (If I hadn’t drunk so much, I would have been better)
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MIXED EXAMPLES
(sometimes the structures described above can be different and use modal verbs)
E.g., I wish it would stop raining.
I could buy some new clothes if I had enough money.
If you’ve never been to Wales, you should try to go there one day.
What would you do, if you saw someone shoplifting?
I wouldn’t have gone out, if I’d known about the strike.
I wish you wouldn’t tell so many lies.
When I see her again, I’ll tell her your news.
If some aliens took me to their planet, I’d try to learn their language.
As soon as you’re ready, send me a message.
Please wait here until Professor Lodge comes back.
Hand in your paper as soon as you have finished.
Conditional Sentences
A conditional sentence describes the necessary factors for a particular result to occur. The conjunctions
if, even if, when, whenever, whether, and unless appear in conditional sentences.
- Use conditional sentences to express a general or habitual fact. In this type of conditional sentence, the verb tense in each clause is the same.
General fact: When I touch an ice cube, it feels cold.
Habitual fact: Whenever I touched an ice cube, it felt cold.
- Use conditional sentences to make predictions about the future or express future intentions or possibilities. In this type of conditional sentence, the subordinate clause contains the present tense of the verb, and the independent clause contains the modal (can, may, might, should).
Prediction: If I win the lottery, I can go to London.
Intention: If I win the lottery, I will go to London.
Possibility: If I win the lottery, I might go to London.
- Use conditional sentences to speculate about the future result of a possible but unlikely condition in the present. In this type of conditional sentence, the subordinate clause contains the past tense of the verb, and the independent clause contains the modal would, could, or might, plus the base form of the verb.
Speculation: If I win the lottery, I would go to London.
Unlikely present condition: If I won the lottery,
Future result: I would go to London.
- Use conditional sentences to speculate about the past result of a condition that did not happen in the past. In this type of conditional sentence, the subordinate clause contains the past perfect tense of the verb, and the independent clause contains the modal would have or might have, plus the past participle.
Speculation: If I had won the lottery, I would have gone to London.
Untrue past condition: If I had won the lottery,
Untrue past result: I would have gone to London.
- In this type of conditional sentence, you can express the conditional without using if by reversing the order of the subject and verb. This structure makes sense when we never use if and the independent clause contains the modal would, could, or might plus the base form of the verb.
Speculation: If I were a PM, I would do a great job.
Untrue condition: If I were Prime Minister,
Future result: I would do a great job.
Speculation: If I were going to America, I would bring my passport.
Untrue condition: If I were going to America.
Future result: I would bring my passport.
