Phrases and clauses are ingredients that we use to make complete sentences.

A sentence is a collection of words that include a subject and a predicate and can be
used to express a complete thought. For example, Birds fly is a sentence.

A phrase is a group of words that doesn’t have a subject and a predicate. A phrase
cannot stand alone and does not express a complete thought. For example, was
working yesterday is a (verb) phrase. Phrases are typically used to build a sentence,
modify parts of a sentence, or to provide more information.

A clause is a collection of words that includes a subject and a predicate. A clause

may or may not be able to stand alone as a complete sentence. For example, the
independent clause green is my favorite color can function as a complete sentence
whereas the dependent clause because green is my favorite color cannot.

Technically, there is no real difference between a sentence and an independent

clause. We simply use the term independent clause to describe a part of a complex
sentence that includes multiple groups of words that have both subjects and
predicates. A set of words that reads Cats meow could be either a sentence or an
independent clause depending on how we use it. For example:
 Cats meow. (Cats meow is a sentence)
 Cats meow, and dogs bark. (Cats meow is an independent clause)
A phrase is a group of words that works together in a sentence but does not contain
a subject or a verb. Often phrases are used for descriptions of people, things, or
events.

 Examples:
 Filled with joy, the girl jumped up and down.
 The man with the red jacket is my father.

Phrases can also describe verbs or adverbs by explaining how or why something
happened.

 Examples:
 He performed the song with a smile on his face.
 She continued to run while silently humming a tune.
 He created the experiment to test the embryo’s sensitivity to outside light.


A clause is the basic unit of grammar. A clause must contain a verb. Typically a
clause is made up of a subject, a verb phrase and, sometimes, a complement:
 I’ve eaten.
 The sale starts at 9 am.
 I didn’t sleep well last night.
 Are you listening to the radio?
A sentence is a unit of grammar. It must contain at least one main clause. It can
contain more than one clause. In writing, a sentence typically begins with a capital
letter and ends with a full stop:
 She spoke to me. (one clause)
 I looked at her and she smiled at me. (two main clauses connected by and)
 We didn’t go to the show because there weren’t any tickets left. (a main
clause and a subordinate clause connected by because)
In everyday speaking, it is often difficult to identify sentences. We speak in small
stretches of language, sometimes just single words or phrases. We don’t always
speak in complete sentences, and we often complete each other’s ‘sentences’:
 Right.
 Let’s go.
 A:What are those flowers?
 B:Which ones?
 A:The pink ones over there.
 A:Did I tell you I’m going to do a course in um …
 B:Computing?
 A:No, business studies.

Conditional sentences describe a conditional situation, or a result that depends on an event

occurring first. "If" one thing happens, "then" another thing will happen. It simply means that
one thing is required for something else to occur or exist. Explore the various types of
conditional sentences and review a few examples of each.
What Is the Conditional Mood?
The conditional mood is one of five sentence moods in grammar. It uses the conjunction “if”
(and occasionally “when”) to express a condition and its result. The likelihood of the result
depends on the type of conditional sentence, which are:
 zero conditionals (extremely likely)
 first conditionals (possible)
 second conditionals (unlikely but still possible)
 third conditionals (impossible)
Zero Conditional Sentences
The outcome in a zero conditional sentence is certain. Zero conditionals, also known as Type
0 conditionals, outline situations in which one thing always causes another. If one thing
occurs, something else will also occur.
Zero conditionals are often known as factual conditionals, but they are not factual statements.
For example, “I get sunburned in hot weather” is a factual statement, but not a conditional.
“If it’s hot, I get sunburned” is a zero conditional sentence.
Examples of Zero Conditional Sentences
The first part of zero conditionals includes an “if” or “when” clause in the simple present
tense. The next part describes what happens as a natural result, also in simple present. This is
important because the simple present is used when an action is habitual or constant.
Zero conditional sentence examples include:
 If you trip on pavement, you get a scrape.
 You receive a passing grade when you do all your homework.
  If it rains, my car gets wet.
 My boyfriend smiles when I give him a compliment.
 If the clock strikes midnight, it's a new day.
 When the dogs get a treat, they wag their tails.
 If Hannah sleeps in, she’s late for school.
 I get stressed out when I watch the news.
First Conditional Sentences
When a situation is not completely certain, it’s time for first conditionals. First conditionals
(or Type 1 conditionals) dictate that a result is not certain, but very likely that one condition
will lead to another. Unlike zero conditionals, first conditionals only use “if” clauses, not
“when” clauses.
Examples of First Conditionals
Each clause in a first conditional has a different tense. The “if” clause is still in the simple
present tense, but the result clause now uses the future “will + verb” structure.
For example:
 I will answer if he calls me.
 If I study really hard, I'll ace this test.
 If the weather is good, our crops will flourish.
 You will succeed in college if you're diligent in your studies.
 My sister will cry if she watches this movie.
 Jenny will buy this dress if it’s on sale.
 I will attend the wedding if I’m invited.
 If the kids eat too much candy, they’ll have a stomachache.
Second Conditional Sentences
Second conditionals use the modal verb “would” to indicate that it is unlikely that a
condition will be fulfilled. They reflect a bit of wishful thinking, but are not impossible, and
if they do happen then the result will occur. These sentences often use “were” instead of
“was” in the past tense, just like subjunctive sentences. However, the conditional nature of
these sentences – condition and result using the conjunction “if” – makes them conditional,
not subjunctive.
Examples of Second Conditionals
The "if" clause in a second conditional is in the simple past. The result part of the sentence is
then written in the "would + infinitive verb" form; this is called the present conditional tense.
For example:
 I would answer if he called.
 If the weather improved, our crops would flourish.
 If you resolved to be diligent in your studies, you would succeed in college.
 I would faint if I ever met Brad Pitt.
 You’d understand the joke if you were there.
 If I were rich, I’d never work again.
 Harry would help you move if he knew where you lived.
 The children would eat their vegetables if they tasted better.
Third Conditional Sentences
Third conditionals, or Type 3 conditional sentences, refer to an impossible condition. These
situations are impossible because they have already occurred and can’t be changed. If,
hypothetically, that condition were true, then the described outcome would be likely. Like
second conditionals, third conditionals often use “were” instead of “was,” but are not
subjunctive.
Examples of Third Conditionals
This type of conditional sentence indicates that "if" something would have happened,
something else could have followed. The “if” clause in third conditionals is in the past perfect
verb tense because it has already happened. The result clause still uses “would,” but adds
“have” for the perfect conditional verb tense “would have + verb.”
Let's take a look at some examples:
 I would have helped if I’d known you were in trouble.
 If Bonnie had studied, she would have passed the test.
 My family wouldn’t have bought the house if they had seen the broken pipes.
 Your dog would have bitten my dog if he hadn’t been on a leash.
 If she had arrived five minutes earlier, she would have seen the whole show.
 If my nephew had gotten the job, he would have been set for life.
 Pearl wouldn’t have made that comment if she knew her brother was listening.
 The teacher would have assigned less homework if the class had finished their assignment.
Conditional Conjunctions
Conjunctions join words, phrases and clauses together smoothly. While the most common
conditional conjunction is “if,” other conjunctions can work as conditional
conjunctions. Common conditional conjunctions include if, because, when, since, unless,
assuming, and others.
Sentence Mood Results in Sentence Variety
The conditional mood lets the reader know that an action may or may not happen, depending
on the conditions beforehand. Changing the mood of your sentence is a great way to
communicate to your reader that an outcome is conditional – and it’s also a great way to vary
your writing. Check out more examples of sentence variety options to make your writing
more interesting and accurate for readers.