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 four kinds:
- The Zero Conditional:
(if + present simple, … present simple)
If you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils.
This conditional is used when the result will always happen. So, if water reaches 100 degrees, it always boils. It’s a fact. I’m talking in general, not about one particular situation. The result of the ‘if clause’ is always the main clause.
For example: If water reaches 100 degrees, it boils. (It is always true, there can’t be a different result sometimes). If I eat peanuts, I am sick. (This is true only for me, maybe, not for everyone, but it’s still true that I’m sick every time I eat peanuts)
Click HERE for exercises.
- The First Conditional:
(if + present simple, … will + infinitive)
If it rains tomorrow, we’ll go to the cinema.
It’s used to talk about things which might happen in the future. Of course, we can’t know what will happen in the future, but this describes possible things, which could easily come true.
- If it rains, I won’t go to the park.
- If I study today, I‘ll go to the party tonight.
- If I have enough money, I‘ll buy some new shoes.
- She‘ll be late if the train is delayed.
- She‘ll miss the bus if she doesn’t leave soon.
- If I see her, I‘ll tell her.
First vs. Zero Conditional:
The first conditional describes a particular situation, whereas the zero conditional describes what happens in general.
Click HERE for doing some practice
- The Second Conditional:
(if + past simple, … would + infinitive)
If I had a lot of money, I would travel around the world.
First, we can use it to talk about things in the future that are probably not going to be true. Maybe I’m imagining some dream for example.
- If I won the lottery, I would buy a big house.(I probably won’t win the lottery)
- If I met the Queen of England, I would say hello.
- She would travel all over the world if she were rich.
- She would pass the exam if she ever studied.(She never studies, so this won’t happen)
Second, we can use it to talk about something in the present which is impossible, because it’s not true. Is that clear? Have a look at the examples:
- If I had his number, I would call him. (I don’t have his number now, so it’s impossible for me to call him).
- If I were you, I wouldn’t go out with that man.
How is this different from the first conditional?
This kind of conditional sentence is different from the first conditional because this is a lot more unlikely.
For example (second conditional): If I had enough money I would buy a house with twenty bedrooms and a swimming pool (I’m probably not going to have this much money, it’s just a dream, not very real)
But (first conditional): If I have enough money, I’ll buy some new shoes (It’s much more likely that I’ll have enough money to buy some shoes)
Click HERE for some exercises
- The Third Conditional
(if + past perfect, … would + have + past participle)
If I had gone to bed early, I would have caught the train.
It talks about the past. It’s used to describe a situation that didn’t happen, and to imagine the result of this situation.
- If she had studied, she would have passed the exam (but, really we know she didn’t study and so she didn’t pass)
- If I hadn’t eaten so much, I wouldn’t have felt sick (but I did eat a lot, and so I did feel sick).
- If we had taken a taxi, we wouldn’t have missed the plane
- She wouldn’t have been tired if she had gone to bed earlier
- She would have become a teacher if she had gone to university
- He would have been on time for the interview if he had left the house at nine.
Click HERE for some exercises