CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

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CONDITIONAL SENTENCES
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3 MAIN TYPES
First, second and third conditional
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First Conditional
If I see Andrew at the meeting, I'll give him
your message.
PRESENT SIMPLE
FUTURE SIMPLE
USE To talk about something that is quite likely
to happen in the future. It is very possible that
I will see Andrew at the meeting, in which case
I'll give him your message. The condition is
quite likely to be fulfilled. For presenting
future plans, real possibilities, steps in an
argument, points in a procedure, predictable
consequences, instructions.
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Second Conditional (Hypothetical)
What would happen if?
If my parents were alive, they would be very
proud of me now.
PAST SIMPLE
WOULD INFINITIVE
USE To talk about a present situation which is
impossible, a hypothetical situation. The
situation cannot be fulfilled because my parents
are not alive.
If she changed her job, she'd be much happier.
USE To talk about a future event which is
unlikely to happen. The speaker doesnt expect
her to change her job. That is, it is unlikely
that the condition will be fulfilled.
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Third Conditional
What would have happened if?

• If she had worked harder, she would have passed
  her exams.

PAST PERFECT
WOULD PERFECT INFINITIVE
USE To talk about something that might have
happened in the past, but didnt. She didnt work
hard enough and, consequently, she didnt pass
her exams. It also expresses excuses, regrets
and blame for past events.
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The zero conditional (factual)

• What happens if?
• If I stay out late, I always take a taxi home.

PRESENT SIMPLE
PRESENT SIMPLE
USE To describe something that is generally
true. The use of if here is very similar to when.
For presenting habits, general truths, rules,
typical patterns, correlations.
We can also use the past simple in the two
clauses.
If I stayed out late, I always got a taxi home.
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Conditional Sentences Variations in tenses

• First Conditional The if clause is usually in
  the present simple. However, we can also use
• Present continuous
• If he's still waiting for you, he'll be very
  angry.
• Present perfect simple
• If Rob's received your letter, he'll phone you.
• Present perfect continuous
• If it's been raining all night, you'll have to
  wear boots.
• Can If I can finish work early, I'll help you.
• Should If I should see him, I'll tell him the
  news.

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• The main clause usually has the verb will /
  shall. But we can also use
• Going to
• If Helen passes her exams, I'm going to buy her a
  present.
• Future continuous
• If we book this holiday, we'll be lying on the
  beach in two weeks time.
• Future perfect
• If they win the next match, they'll have won
  every match in the season.
• Imperative
• If you need me, call me.
• Can / could, may / might, should / ought to,
  must
• If you don't eat your dinner, you can't have an
  ice cream.

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Tense variations in conditional 2

• The if clause usually takes the past simple.
  However, it is also possible to use
• Past continuous
• If you were coming with me, Id give you a lift.
• Could
• If I could have the day off, Id go with you.
• Were / was to
• If you were to ask Steve, Im sure he would do
  it.

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• The main clause usually has the modal would
  infinitive. However, the modals could and might
  are also used and the infinitive can be in the
  continuous form
• If we had more money, we wouldnt be living here.
  
• If we had more money, we could go out more.
• If you asked Tony, he might do it for you.

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Tense variations in conditional 3

• The if clause is usually in the past perfect
  simple. However, we can also use the past perfect
  continuous or could perfect infinitive.
• If he had been travelling in the car, he would
  have been killed too.
• If we could have got a taxi, we would have come
  round to see you.

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• The main clause usually has the modal would
  perfect infinitive. However, we can also use the
  modals could and might perfect infinitive.
• If I had known there was no more work to do, I
  could have stayed in bed.
• If the ambulance had come sooner, he might have
  been saved.

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MIXED CONDITIONALS

• If-clauses can be mixed provided that they make
  sense within a context.

If-clause Main clause
Type 3 If she had worked harder at university, She would have a degree now. Type 2
Type 3 (she didnt work hard at university so she doesnt have a degree now. ) Type 2
Type 2 If I were faster, I would have won the race. Type 3
Type 2 (Im not fast so I didnt win the race.) Type 3
Type2 If they were studying all morning, they will be tired now. Type 1
Type2 (they were studying so they are tired now.) Type 1

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Words other than if
Unless I wont go out unless he comes too.
Even if Even if it rains, well go to the match.
If only If only I had money, I would go out more.
As/so long as You can use the car as long as you take care of it.
On condition (that) Ill lend you the car on condition that you take care of it.
Provided / providing (that) Ill lend you the car provided that you take care of it.
Assuming (that) Assuming that you take care of the car, Ill lend it to you.
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In questions.
Suppose / supposing (that) Suppose you had a lot of money, would you give up work?
What if What if you had a lot of money, would you give up work?
Imagine Imagine you had a lot of money, would you give up work?
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IMPLIED CONDITIONALS
Conditions are not always expressed in the form
of conditional clauses, particularly in spoken
English. They can be expressed in another way or
they may be evident from the context. The rules
for the verb usage are still followed in the
result clause (main clause). He committed the
crime, otherwise he wouldnt have been arrested.
(implied conditional) If he hadnt committed the
crime, he wouldnt have been arrested. I would
have stayed longer, but he didnt ask me to.
(implied conditional) I would have stayed longer
if he had asked me to.
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Inversion

• If the first verb in a conditional if clause is
  should, were or had, we can leave out if and put
  the verb at the start of the clause. We do this
  particularly in formal or literary English.
• Should any of this cost you anything, send me
  the bill (If any of this should)
• It would be embarrassing were she to find out
  the truth. ( if she were to find out)
• Had they not rushed to hospital, Dan would have
  died. (If they hadnt rushed)

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• We use if it was / were not for noun to say
  that one situation is dependent on another
  situation.
• If it wasnt / werent for the fireman, my dog
  would have died in the fire.
• If it hadnt been for my parents, I wouldnt
  have gone to university.
• We also use but for noun with a similar
  meaning
• But for Jims support, I wouldnt have got the
  job.

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• In real conditional sentence, we use
• If happen to,
• If should,
• If should happen to
• to talk about something that may be possible but
  is not very likely
• If you happen to be in our area, drop in and see
  us.
• If you should be in our area,
• If you should happen to be in our area,

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Polite requests

• We can use if will in requests
• If you will take your seats, ladies and
  gentlemen, we can begin the meeting.
• if you want to make a request more polite, you
  can use ifwould
• If you would take your seats,

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Now let's sing some conditionals!
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