Conditional Sentences / If-Clauses Type I, II and III

Conditional Sentences are also known as Conditional Clauses or If Clauses. They are
used to express that the action in the main clause (without if) can only take place if a
certain condition (in the clause with if) is fulfilled. There are three types of Conditional
Sentences.
Conditional Sentence Type 1
→ It is possible and also very likely that the condition will be fulfilled.
Form: if + Simple Present, will-Future
Example: If I find her address, I’ll send her an invitation.

IF Clause Type 1

Form
if + Simple Present, will-Future
Example: If I find her address, I will send her an invitation.
The main clause can also be at the beginning of the sentence. In this case, don't use a comma.
Example: I will send her an invitation if I find her address.
Note: Main clause and / or if clause might be negative. See Simple Present und will-Future
on how to form negative sentences.
Example: If I don’t see him this afternoon, I will phone him in the evening.
Use
Conditional Sentences Type I refer to the future. An action in the future will only happen if a
certain condition is fulfilled by that time. We don't know for sure whether the condition
actually will be fulfilled or not, but the conditions seems rather realistic – so we think it is
likely to be happened.
Example: If I find her address, I’ll send her an invitation.
I want to send an invitation to a friend. I just have to find her address. I am quite sure,
however, that I will find it.
Example: If John has the money, he will buy a Ferrari.
I know John very well and I know that he earns a lot of money and that he loves Ferraris. So I
think it is very likely that sooner or later he will have the money to buy a Ferrari.

Conditional Sentence Type 2

→ It is possible but very unlikely, that the condition will be fulfilled.
Form: if + Simple Past, Conditional I (= would + Infinitive)
Example: If I found her address, I would send her an invitation.

IF Clause Type 2
Form
if + Simple Past, main clause with Conditional I (= would + Infinitive)
Example: If I found her address, I would send her an invitation.
The main clause can also be at the beginning of the sentence. In this case, don't use a comma.
Example: I would send her an invitation if I found her address.
Note: Main clause and / or if clause might be negative. See Simple Past and Conditional I on
how to form negative sentences.
Example: If I had a lot of money, I wouldn’t stay here.
Were instead of Was
In IF Clauses Type II, we usually use ‚were‘ – even if the pronoun is I, he, she or it –.
Example: If I were you, I would not do this.
Use
Conditional Sentences Type II refer to situations in the present. An action could happen if the
present situation were different. I don't really expect the situation to change, however. I just
imagine „what would happen if …“
Example: If I found her address, I would send her an invitation.
I would like to send an invitation to a friend. I have looked everywhere for her address, but I
cannot find it. So now I think it is rather unlikely that I will eventually find her address.
Example: If John had the money, he would buy a Ferrari.
I know John very well and I know that he doesn't have much money, but he loves Ferraris.
He would like to own a Ferrari (in his dreams). But I think it is very unlikely that he will have
the money to buy one in the near future.

Conditional Sentence Type 3

→ It is impossible that the condition will be fulfilled because it refers to the past.
Form: if + Past Perfect, Conditional II (= would + have + Past Participle)
Example: If I had found her address, I would have sent her an invitation.

IF Clause Type 3
Form
if + Past Perfect, main clause with Conditional II
Example: If I had found her address, I would have sent her an invitation.
The main clause can also be at the beginning of the sentence. In this case, don't use a comma.

Example: I would have sent her an invitation if I had found her address.
Note: Main clause and / or if clause might be negative. See Past Perfect and Conditional II on
how to form negative sentences.
Example: If I hadn’t studied, I wouldn’t have passed my exams.
Use
Conditional Sentences Type III refer to situations in the past. An action could have happened
in the past if a certain condition had been fulfilled. Things were different then, however. We
just imagine, what would have happened if the situation had been fulfilled.
Example: If I had found her address, I would have sent her an invitation.
Sometime in the past, I wanted to send an invitation to a friend. I didn't find her address,
however. So in the end I didn't send her an invitation.
Example: If John had had the money, he would have bought a Ferrari.
I knew John very well and I know that he never had much money, but he loved Ferraris. He
would have loved to own a Ferrari, but he never had the money to buy one.

Exceptions
Sometimes Conditional Sentences Type I, II and III can also be used with other tenses.
Exceptions for Conditional Sentences

So far you have only learned the basic rules for Conditional Sentences. It depends on the
context, however, which tense to use. So sometimes its possible for example that in an If
Clause Type 1 another tense than Simple Present Tense is used e.g. Present Progressive or
Present Perfect

Conditional Sentences Type 1 (likely)

Condition IF Clause Main Clause

refers to:
future action Simple If the book is Future I …I will buy it.
Present interesting, … Imperative …buy it.
Modal …you can buy it.
Auxiliary
action going Present If he is snoring, … Future I …I will wake him
on now Progressive up.
Imperative …wake him up.
Modal …you can wake
Auxiliary him up.
finished action Present If he has moved into Future I …we will visit
Perfect his new flat, … him.
Imperative …visit him.
Modal …we can visit
Auxiliary him.
improbable should + If she should win this Future I …I will
action Infinitive race, … congratulate her.
Imperative …congratulate
her.
Modal …we can
Auxiliary congratulate her.
present facts Simple If he gets what he Simple …he is very nice.
Present wants, … Present

Conditional Sentences Type II (unlikely)

Condition refers IF Clause Main Clause

to:
present / future Simple If I had a lot of Conditional …I would travel
event Past money, … I around the world.
consequence in Simple If I knew him, … Conditional …I would have said
the past Past II hello.

Conditional Sentences Type II (impossible)

Condition IF Clause Main Clause

refers to:
present Past If I had known it, … Conditional …I would not be
Perfect I here now.
 past Past If he had learned for Conditional …he would not
Perfect the test, … II have failed it.

Exercise
Conditional Sentences Type I, II, III
Complete the sentences according to the basic rules for Conditional Sentences.

1. It ___________ silly if we tried to walk there. (be)

2. I ___________ the film only if the reviews are good. (watch)
3. She'd have taken me to the station if ____________ her car down. (break)
4. If you _____________, he won't help you. (ask)
5. If it __________ yesterday, we would have gone sailing. (rain)
6. _____________ after their dog again if they go on holiday this year? (look)
7. Would you mind if I __________ your mobile? (use)
8. I _____________ the mail if it had contained a virus. (open)
9. Even if I _______________ a wet-suit, I wouldn't go scuba-diving. (have)
10. ________________ that strict if you'd known the truth? (have)

Exceptions

Complete the following sentences. Note that you might have to use other tenses
(active/passive voice) than required in the basic rules.
1. If I had more time, I (come) to your party yesterday.
2. Give the book to Jane if you (read) it.
3. If you hadn't lost our flight tickets, we (be) on our way to the Caribbean
now.
4. If you (have) dinner right now, I'll come back later.
5. If we (set) off earlier, we wouldn't be in this traffic jam now.
6. What would you do if you (accuse) of murder?
7. If I hadn't eaten that much, I (feel / not) so sick now.
8. We would take another route if they (close / not) the road.
9. She only (sing) if she's in a good mood.
10. If she were sensible, she (ask) that question, by which she offended him
so much.
Conditional Sentences Type I, II, III
Complete the sentences according to the basic rules for Conditional Sentences.
 It would be silly if we tried to walk there.
 I will watch the film only if the reviews are good.
 She'd have taken me to the station if her car hadn't broken down.
 If you don't ask , he won't help you.
 If it hadn't rained yesterday, we would have gone sailing.
 Will you look after their dog again if they go on holiday this year?
 Would you mind if I used your mobile?
 I would not have opened the mail if it had contained a virus.
 Even if I had a wet-suit, I wouldn't go scuba-diving.
 Would you have been that strict if you'd known the truth?
Exceptions
Complete the following sentences. Note that you might have to use other tenses
(active/passive voice) than required in the basic rules.
 If I had more time, I would have come to your party yesterday.
 Give the book to Jane if you have read it.
 If you hadn't lost our flight tickets, we would be on our way to the Caribbean now.
 If you are having dinner right now, I'll come back later.
 If we had set off earlier, we wouldn't be in this traffic jam now.
 What would you do if you were accused of murder?
 If I hadn't eaten that much, I would not feel so sick now.
 We would take another route if they had not closed the road.
 She only sings if she's in a good mood.
 If she were sensible, she would not have asked that question, by which she offended
him so much.
Conditional Clause and Main Clause

If I have enough money, I will go to Japan.

conditional clause main clause
I will go to Japan, if I have enough money
main clause conditional clause

First, Second, and Third Conditional

1. First conditional: If I have enough money, I will go to Japan.
2. Second conditional: If I had enough money, I would go to Japan.
3. Third conditional: If I had had enough money, I would have gone to Japan.

Conditional clause Main clause

1. If + Present Tense will + inf / present tense / imperative
a. If you help me with the dishes (if + pres),
I will help you with your homework. (will + inf)
b. If the sum of the digits of a number is divisible by three,
the number is divisible by three (Pres. tense)
c. If you see Mr Fox tonight, tell him I am ill. (imperative).
2. If + Past Tense would + inf
3. If + Past Perfect Tense would have + past participle
We do not normally use will or would in the conditional clause,
only in the main clause.
Uses of the Conditional
1. First conditional
a. Nature: Open condition, what is said in the condition is possible.
b. Time: This condition refers either to present or to future time.
e.g. If he is late, we will have to go without him.
If my mother knows about this, we are in serious trouble.

2. Second conditional
a. Nature: unreal (impossible) or improbable situations.
b. Time: present; the TENSE is past, but we are talking about the present, now.
e.g. If I knew her name, I would tell you.
If I were you, I would tell my father.
Compare: If I become president, I will change the social security system.
(Said by a presidential candidate)
If I became president, I would change the social security system. (Said by a
schoolboy: improbable)
If we win this match, we are qualified for the semifinals.
If I won a million pounds, I would stop teaching. (improbable)

3. Third conditional
a. Nature: unreal
 b. Time: Past (so we are talking about a situation that was not so in the past.)
e.g. If you had warned me, I would not have told your father about that party.
(But you didn't, and I have).
Remember!
1. The conditional construction does not normally use will or would in if-clauses.
EXCEPTION: If will or would express willingness, as in requests, they can be used in if-
clauses.
e.g. If you will come this way, the manager will see you now.
I would be grateful if you would give me a little help.
(= ± please, come this way; please, give me...)
2. For the second conditional, were replaces was:
If I were a rich man...
3. After if, we can either use "some (-one, -where...)" or "any(-one, -where...).
If I have some spare time next weekend....or:
If I have any spare time...
4. Instead of if not, we can use unless.
e.g. I'll be back tomorrow unless there is a plane strike.
He'll accept the job unless the salary is too low.
5.There is a "mixed type" as well, for the present results of an unreal condition in the past:
If + Past Perfect - would + inf.
If you had warned me [then], I would not be in prison [now].