Conditional Sentences
3 MAIN TYPES:
First, second and third
conditional
First Conditional
If I see Andrew at the meeting, I'll give him your message.
If clause:
Main clause:
PRESENT SIMPLE
FUTURE SIMPLE
USE: To talk about a possible condition that is quite
likely to happen in the future. It is very possible that I will
see Andrew at the meeting, in which case I'll give him your
message. The condition is quite likely to be fulfilled. For
presenting future plans, real possibilities, steps in an
argument, points in a procedure, predictable
consequences, instructions.
Second Conditional (Hypothetical)
What would happen if?
If my parents were alive, they would be very proud of me now.
If clause:
PAST SIMPLE
Main clause:
WOULD + INFINITIVE
USE: To talk about a present situation which is impossible or unreal, a
hypothetical situation. The situation cannot be fulfilled because my
parents are not alive.
If she changed her job, she would be much happier.
USE: To talk about a future event which is unlikely to happen. The
speaker doesn`t expect her to change her job. That is, it is unlikely that
the condition will be fulfilled.
Third Conditional
What would have happened if?
If she had worked harder, she would have passed her
exams.
PAST PERFECT
WOULD + PERFECT INFINITIVE
USE: To talk about something that might have happened in
the past, but didn`t. She didn`t work hard enough and,
consequently, she didn`t pass her exams.
It also expresses excuses, regrets and blame for past
events.
The zero conditional (factual)
What happens if?
If I stay out late, I always take a taxi home.
PRESENT SIMPLE
PRESENT SIMPLE
USE: To describe something that is generally true. The use of if
here is very similar to when. For presenting habits, general
truths, rules, typical patterns, correlations.
We can also use the past simple in the two clauses:
If I stayed out late, I always got a taxi home.
Conditional Sentences:
Variations in tenses (1)
First Conditional: The if clause is usually in the present simple.
However, we can also use:
Present continuous:
If he's still waiting for you, he'll be very angry.
Present perfect simple:
If Rob's received your letter, he'll phone you.
Present perfect continuous:
If it's been raining all night, you'll have to wear boots.
Can:
If I can finish work early, I'll help you.
Should:
If I should see him, I'll tell him the news.
Conditional Sentences:
Variations in tenses (2)
First Conditional: the main clause usually has the verb will /
shall. But we can also use:
Going to:
If Helen passes her exams, I'm going to buy her a
present.
Future continuous:
If we book this holiday, we'll be lying on the beach in two
weeks` time.
Future perfect:
If they win the next match, they'll have won every match
in the season.
Imperative:
If you need me, call me.
Can / could, may / might, should / ought to, must:
If you don't eat your dinner, you can't have an ice cream.
Tense variations in Conditional 2
The if clause usually takes the past simple.
However, it is also possible to use:
Past continuous:
If you were coming with me, I`d give you a lift.
Poem: "If you were coming in the fall"
Could
If I could have the day off, I`d go with you.
Were / was to:
If you were to ask Steve, I`m sure he would do it.
Tense variations in Conditional 2
The main clause usually has the modal would +
infinitive. However, the modals could and might
are also used and the infinitive can be in the
continuous form:
If we had more money, we wouldn`t be living
here.
If we had more money, we could go out more.
If you asked Tony, he might do it for you.
Tense variations in Conditional 3
The if clause is usually in the past perfect simple.
However, we can also use the past perfect
continuous or could + perfect infinitive.
If he had been travelling in the car, he would
have been killed too.
If we could have got a taxi, we would have
come round to see you.
Tense variations in Conditional 3
The main clause usually has the modal would +
perfect infinitive. However, we can also use the
modals could and might + perfect infinitive.
If I had known there was no more work to do, I
could have stayed in bed.
If the ambulance had come sooner, he might
have been saved.
Words other than if
Unless
I won`t go out unless he comes too.
Even if
Even if it rains, we`ll go to the match.
If only
If only I had money, I would go out more.
As/so long as
You can use the car as long as you take
care of it.
On condition
(that)
I`ll lend you the car on condition that you
take care of it.
Provided /
I`ll lend you the car provided that you
providing (that) take care of it.
Assuming (that) Assuming that you take care of the car,
I`ll lend it to you.
In questions.
Suppose /
supposing (that)
What if
Imagine
Suppose you had a lot of
money, would you give up
work?
What if you had a lot of money,
would you give up work?
Imagine you had a lot of
money, would you give up
work?
IMPLIED CONDITIONALS
Conditions are not always expressed in the form of
conditional clauses, particularly in spoken English. They
can be expressed in another way or they may be
evident from the context. The rules for the verb usage
are still followed in the result clause (main clause).
He committed the crime, otherwise he wouldnt have been
arrested. (implied conditional)
If he hadnt committed the crime, he wouldnt have been arrested.
I would have stayed longer, but he didnt ask me to.
(implied conditional)
I would have stayed longer if he had asked me to.
Inversion
If the first verb in a conditional if clause is should,
were or had, we can leave out if and put the verb at
the start of the clause. We do this particularly in
formal or literary English.
Should any of this cost you anything, send me the
bill (If any of this should)
It would be embarrassing were she to find out the
truth. ( if she were to find out)
Had they not rushed to hospital, Dan would have
died. (If they hadn`t rushed)
Other expressions
We use if it was / were not for + noun to say that
one situation is dependent on another situation.
If it wasnt / werent for the fireman, my dog would
have died in the fire.
If it hadnt been for my parents, I wouldnt have
gone to university.
We also use but for + noun with a similar meaning:
But for Jims support, I wouldnt have got the job.
Other expressions
In real conditional sentence, we use:
If happen to,
If should,
If should happen to
to talk about something that may be possible but
is not very likely:
If you happen to be in our area, drop in and see
us.
If you should be in our area,
If you should happen to be in our area,
Polite requests
We can use if will in requests:
If you will take your seats, ladies and gentlemen,
we can begin the meeting.
If you want to make a request more polite, you can
use if would:
If you would take your seats,
If I were you, I would do these
online exercises!
Conditional I vs II (1)
Conditional I vs II (2)
Conditional I vs II (3)
Conditional I vs II (4)
