Conditional Sentences

Conditional sentences connect two things: a condition and

a result. Something happens as a result of something else, or
happens only if a certain condition is met.
• There are different structures for conditionals, including four
types known as zero, first, second and third conditionals.
• Here are some examples:
• If you heat water enough, it boils. Zero conditional
• If I go to the shops, I'll get some milk. First conditional
• If I won the lottery, I'd still carry on working. Second
conditional
• If I hadn't missed the bus, I wouldn't have met the love of my
life. Third conditional
Zero conditional
•
Used to refer to general truths, scientific facts and the
predictable results of particular actions. One thing happens and
because of this something else happens. In zero
conditionals if and when have the same meaning. 
• If you heat water enough, it boils.
• When he scores, he celebrates by making a heart shape with
his hands.
• When it’s raining, he stays indoors.
• Zero conditional
• If clause Result clause
if/when + present simple - present simple
• When I turn it on, it makes a funny noise.
• If you multiply ten by twelve, what do you get?
• Milk goes bad if you leave it out too long.
First conditional
•
Used when we want to talk about something that is likely to
happen in the future after a specific set of circumstances, the
condition. If is used is when the condition is possible and when is
used when the condition is certain to happen.
• If I go to the shops, I’ll get some bread. (I might not go to the
shops)

When I go to the shops, I’ll get some bread. (I’m definitely going

to the shops)
• First conditional
• If clause: Result clause:
if/when + present simple - will / 'll + infinitive without to /
imperative
• If it rains, you’ll get wet.
• If it rains, put your coat on.
Second conditional
•
Refer to an imagined present result of an unlikely or impossible
present condition.
• If I had the money, I’d travel around the world. (I don’t have the
money)

If I were you, I’d think about leaving him. (I’m not you)

Second conditional

• If clause:
if + past simple (exception: verb 'to be' takes 'were')
• Result clause:
would / 'd + infinitive without to
• If I knew what was wrong, I’d fix it myself.
• I’d be out on my bike if it weren’t raining so hard.
Third conditional
•
Refer to an imagined past result of something that didn’t happen
in the past. 
• If I had known you were coming, I wouldn’t have prepared the
cheese dish.
(I didn’t know you were coming. I prepared a cheese dish.)

If I had known then what I know now, I wouldn’t have wasted so

much time at university.
(I didn’t know then what I know now. I did waste a lot of time at
university.)
Third conditional

• If clause: Main clause:

if + past perfect -would / 'd + have / 've + past participle
• If I'd known it'd break, I wouldn't have tried to pick it up.

If you hadn't insisted on changing your shirt we wouldn't've

missed the bus.
• On this link you can find a review of conditionals:
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDoBdq0s8eY

Do the following quiz for further practice of conditionals:

• 1. (First conditional) If we __________________ (not / work) harder,
we __________________ (not pass) the exam.
• 2. (Third conditional) If the students __________________ (not be)
late for the exam, they __________________ (pass).
• 3. (Third conditional) If the weather __________________ (not be) so
cold, we __________________ (go) to the beach.
• 4. (Second conditional) If she __________________ (have) her laptop with her,
she __________________ (email) me.
• 5. (First conditional) If she __________________ (not go) to the meeting, I
__________________ (not go) either.
• 6. (Third conditional) If the baby __________________ (sleep) better last
night, I __________________ (not be) so tired.
• 7. (First conditional) If the teacher __________________ (give) us lots of
homework this weekend, I __________________ (not be) happy.
• 8. (Second conditional) If Lucy __________________ (have) enough time, she
__________________ (travel) more.
• 9. (First conditional) If the children __________________ (not eat) soon, they
__________________ (be) grumpy.
• 10. (First conditional) If I __________________ (not go) to bed soon, I
__________________ (be) tired in the morning.
• 11. (Second conditional) If I __________________ (want) a new car, I
__________________ (buy) one.
• 12. (Second conditional) If José __________________ (not speak) good French, he
__________________ (not move) to Paris.
• 13. (First conditional) If John __________________ (drink) too much coffee, he
__________________ (get) ill.
• 14. (Third conditional) If we __________________ (tidy) our flat, we
__________________ (not lose) our keys.
• 15. (Third conditional) If Luke __________________ (not send) flowers to his mother,
she __________________ (not be) happy.
• 16. (Second conditional) If the children __________________ (be) in bed, I
__________________ (be able to) have a bath.
• 17. (Second conditional) If you __________________ (not be) so stubborn, we
__________________ (not have) so many arguments!
• 18. (Third conditional) If Julie __________________ (not go) to Sweden, she
__________________ (go) to Germany.
• 19. (First conditional) If she __________________ (go) to the library, she
__________________ (study) more.
• 20. (Third conditional) If we __________________ (not have) an argument,
we __________________ (not be) late.
• 21. (Second conditional) If you __________________ (arrive) early, it
__________________ (be) less stressful.
• 22. (Third conditional) If I __________________ (not go) to the party, I
__________________ (not meet) Amanda.
• 23. (Second conditional) If Julie __________________ (like) chocolate, I
__________________ (give) her some.
• 24. (Second conditional) If Luke __________________ (live) in the UK, I
__________________ (see) him more often.
• 25. (Third conditional) If the children __________________ (not eat) all
that chocolate, they __________________ (feel) sick.
• 26. (First conditional) If they __________________ (not / arrive) soon,
we __________________ (be) late.
• 27. (Third conditional) If she __________________ (study) Mandarin,
she __________________ (go) to Beijing.
• 28. (Second conditional) If we __________________ (not be) so tired,
we __________________ (go) out.
• 29. (First conditional) If you __________________ (buy) the present, I
__________________ (wrap) it up.
• 30. (First conditional) If Lucy __________________ (not quit) her job
soon, she __________________ (go) crazy.
• Answers
• 1. (First conditional) If we don’t work harder, we won’t pass the exam.
• 2. (Third conditional) If the students hadn’t been late for the exam, they would have
• passed.
• 3. (Third conditional) If the weather hadn’t been so cold, we would have gone to the
• beach.
• 4. (Second conditional) If she had her laptop with her, she would email me.
• 5. (First conditional) If she doesn’t go to the meeting, I won’t go either.
• 6. (Third conditional) If the baby had slept better last night, I wouldn’t have been so
• tired.
• 7. (First conditional) If the teacher gives us lots of homework this weekend, I won’t be
• happy.
• 8. (Second conditional) If Lucy had enough time, she would travel more.
• 9. (First conditional) If the children don’t eat soon, they’ll be grumpy.
• 10. (First conditional) If I don’t go to bed soon, I’ll be tired in the morning.
• 11. (Second conditional) If I wanted a new car, I would buy one.
• 12. (Second conditional) If José didn’t speak good French, he wouldn’t move to Paris.
• 13. (First conditional) If John drinks too much coffee, he’ll get ill.
• 14. (Third conditional) If we had tidied our flat, we wouldn’t have lost our keys.
15. (Third conditional) If Luke hadn’t sent flowers to his mother, she wouldn’t have
been happy.
16. (Second conditional) If the children were in bed, I would be able to have a bath.
17. (Second conditional) If you weren’t so stubborn, we wouldn’t have so many
arguments!
18. (Third conditional) If Julie hadn’t gone to Sweden, she would have gone to
Germany.
19. (First conditional) If she goes to the library, she’ll study more.
20. (Third conditional) If we hadn’t had an argument, we wouldn’t have been late.
21. (Second conditional) If you arrived early, it would be less stressful.
22. (Third conditional) If I hadn’t gone to the party, I wouldn’t have met Amanda.
23. (Second conditional) If Julie liked chocolate, I would give her some.
24. (Second conditional) If Luke lived in the UK, I would see him more often.
25. (Third conditional) If the children hadn’t eaten all that chocolate, they wouldn’t
have felt sick.
26. (First conditional) If they don’t arrive soon, we’ll be late.
27. (Third conditional) If she had studied Mandarin, she would have gone to Beijing.
28. (Second conditional) If we weren’t so tired, we would go out.
29. (First conditional) If you buy the present, I’ll wrap it up.
30. (First conditional) If Lucy doesn’t quit her job soon, she’ll go crazy
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