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Conditional Sentences

Conditional sentences express the probability of something happening or having happened based on a condition. There are four types of conditional sentences: 1) Zero conditional uses present tense to talk about general truths or facts. 2) First conditional uses present tense and will/can/must to talk about possible future events. 3) Second conditional uses past tense and would to talk about unlikely or imaginary scenarios. 4) Third conditional uses past perfect tense and would have to talk about regrets about events that did not occur in the past.

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47 views

Conditional Sentences

Conditional sentences express the probability of something happening or having happened based on a condition. There are four types of conditional sentences: 1) Zero conditional uses present tense to talk about general truths or facts. 2) First conditional uses present tense and will/can/must to talk about possible future events. 3) Second conditional uses past tense and would to talk about unlikely or imaginary scenarios. 4) Third conditional uses past perfect tense and would have to talk about regrets about events that did not occur in the past.

Uploaded by

abdellah dandoum
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Conditional Sentences

What is a conditional sentence?


 Conditional sentences are sentences that express the degree of probability
that something will, might, or could happen/ have happened.
a conditional sentence has two parts:
 the “if clause” where we talk about a situation (a condition in other words)
 the “main clause” in which we talk about the result (or action)

if clause, + main clause = main clause + if clause


if he asks, I will help him. = I will help him if he asks.

Types of Conditional Sentences


 Zero conditional / Conditional Type 0

 Usage
We use Type 0 conditional to talk about:
1. general truths
If we eat contaminated food, we become ill.
If we don’t feel well, we see a doctor.
2. scientific facts
If we heat water to 100°C, it boils.
3. imperatives
If you don’t feel well, see a doctor.
 Form

if-clause main clause (result clause)


present simple present simple

Here are some examples:

If you  heat  water to 100°, it  boils.

If I’m  tired, I  go  to bed early.

If I work too much, I get tired


 First conditional / Conditional Type 1

 Usage

We use Type 1 conditional to talk about things which may happen now or in the future.
If it rains tomorrow morning, we will cancel the picnic.
If you are hungry now, I will make you some pancakes.

 Form
if-clause main clause (result clause)
present simple will + verb
can + verb
must + verb
Here are some examples:

If you’re  free later, we  can go  for a walk.

If we  arrive  late, we  must get  a taxi.

 Second conditional / Conditional Type 2

 Usage
We use Type 2 conditional to talk about something which is not true or not real now or in the
future (imaginary situations).
If I had a car, I would take you for a ride around the city. (= I don’t have a car)
If he knew, we would ask him. (= he doesn’t know)

 Form
if-clause main clause (result clause)
past simple would + verb
could + verb
might + verb
For example:

If I  had  more time, I’d exercise  more.  (But I don’t have more time so I
don’t.)

If I won a million dollars, I would start a business of my own.

A common expression used to give advice has the second conditional structure. The expression
is ‘If I were you, I’d..’, meaning ‘in your situation, this is what I would do’.
If I were you, I wouldn’t eat that.

 Third conditional / Conditional Type 3

 Usage
We use Type 3 conditional to talk about something which did not happen in the past.
The third conditional is often used to express regret.
If I had invested in the company when I had the opportunity, I would have made a lot of
money. (= I didn’t invest in the company and I didn’t make a lot of money)

 Form
if-clause main clause (result clause)
past perfect (had + p.p.) would + have + past participle
For example:

If we  had left  earlier, we  would have arrived  on time.

If I  hadn’t learnt  English, I  wouldn’t have got  this job.

 Mixed Conditionals

It’s possible to combine the second and third conditional in one sentence when we want to
make a hypothesis about the past that has a consequence in the present. In this case, the
structure is:

if-clause main clause (result clause)


past perfect (had + p.p.) would + have + past participle

Here are some examples:

If you’d studied  harder, you’d be  at a higher level now.

We’d be  lying on a beach now if we  hadn’t missed  the plane.

They’d have  much more confidence if they  hadn’t lost  so many matches.

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