CONDITIONAL SENTENCES
What are conditionals in English grammar? Sometimes we call them 'if clauses'. They describe the result
of something that might happen (in the present or future) or might have happened but didn't (in the
past).
Four main kinds of conditionals:
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• The Zero Conditional:
Hechos que siempre ocurren = verdades generals o leyes naturales
If + present simple, ... present simple
e.g:
If you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils.
If it is hot, people wear light clothes.
If May comes home early, she walks Blacky.
Podemos utilizar when en vez de if:
If I’m tired I get dark circles under my eyes… when I’m tired I get dark circles under my eyes
• The First Conditional:
Expresamos algo que es posible o probable que ocurra en el presente o en el futuro.
if + present simple, ... will + infinitive
If it rains tomorrow, we'll go to the cinema.
If we hurry, we won’t be late
May Vázquez Fernández de Betoño
[email protected] *En la main clause también podemos utilizar un imperativo o un vb modal seguido de infinitivo
en vez del futuro simple.
If you are hungry, make a sandwich
If you don´t feel well you must see a doctor
*En la if clause tb podemos utilizar el presente continuo en lugar del simple (menos habitual). 2
If they are coming for dinner, we’ll have to buy some more food
*En la 1ª condicional podemos utilizar UNLESS (a menos que, si no) en lugar de if cuando la
oración es negativa… so, unless nunca puede ir seguido de una oración negativa.
Unless you Harry up, we´ll be late (= if you don´t hurry up, we will be late
Unless you eat, you will be hungry
Unless you call me, I will assume you are busy
Por resumir, Unless se utiliza como una abreviatura de “if not”
May Vázquez Fernández de Betoño
[email protected] • The Second Conditional:
Hablamos de algo que no se refiere al presente y es bastante imposible que ocurra en el futuro, o para
situaciones imaginarias.
If + past simple, ... would + infinitive (or modal verb + infinitive)
If I had a lot of money, I would travel around the world
3
If I were Prime Minister, I would make school holidays longer
If he had the book, he might lend it to me
Hablar de algo que no se refiere al presente pero puede ocurrir en el futuro
If I became an astronaut, I would travel into space
Dar consejos. Aquí utilizamos If I were you e la if-clause y would en la main clause
If I were you, I would study harder for the English test
• The Third Conditional:
Acción pasada sin posibilidad de cambio
Para referirnos a algo que podría haber sucedido en el pasado pero no sucedió
If + past perfect, ... would + have + past participle (or modal perfect = modal + have +
participle)
If I had gone to bed early, I would have caught the train.
If my parents had lent me money, I would have bought a new car
If I had been more careful, I might not have broken the glass
May Vázquez Fernández de Betoño
[email protected] Expresar como imaginamos que algo hubiera sucedido si las cosas hubieran ocurrido de manera
diferente
If he had left on time, he wouldn`t have missed his flight
Expresar Nuestro pesar por algo que hemos o no hemos hecho y /o para ser crítico con las acciones de
alguien (aquí es cuando solemos utilizar el modal perfect)
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If I had been more careful, I wouldn´t have broken the glass
*Notice we can put 'if' at the beginning, or in the middle. It doesn't change the meaning. When 'if' is at
the beginning of the sentence, we put a comma at the end of the 'if' clause. We don't use a comma
when 'if' is in the middle of the sentence.
May Vázquez Fernández de Betoño
[email protected] • Mixed Conditional: no suele aparecer
Se refieren al resultado que una acción que sucedió en el pasado tiene en el presente.
La podemos crear utilizando la If-clause de la 3ª condicional y la main clause de la 2ª
If clause (3rd conditional) / Main clause (2nd conditional)
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If I hadn´t been so careless, I wouldn’t be in trouble now
• Oraciones desiderativas:
Expresan un deseo y se pueden formar con wish o con la expresión if only (ojalá, si al menos)
✓ Wish / if only + past simple or would/ could + verb para referirnos a situaciones presentes que
quisiéramos cambiar o mejorar)
I wish I knew how to help you (ojalá supiese como ayudarte)
If only 30 seconds to Mars performed in A Coruña
If only it weren’t so cold
✓ Wish / If only + past perfect cuando nos referimos a hechos pasados, lamentando lo que ha
ocurrido.
I wish I hadn’t declined your offer
If only we had thought about it
May Vázquez Fernández de Betoño
[email protected]
