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Conditionals: If + Present Simple, ... Will + Infinitive

The document summarizes four types of conditionals in English: - Zero conditional - for certainty or scientific facts using "if + present, present". E.g. "If you heat ice, it melts." - First conditional - for real future possibilities using "if + present, will + infinitive". E.g. "If it rains, I'll stay at home." - Second conditional - for unreal future possibilities using "if + past, would + infinitive". E.g. "If I won the lottery, I would buy a car." - Third conditional - for impossible past possibilities using "if + past perfect, would have + past participle". E.

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56 views5 pages

Conditionals: If + Present Simple, ... Will + Infinitive

The document summarizes four types of conditionals in English: - Zero conditional - for certainty or scientific facts using "if + present, present". E.g. "If you heat ice, it melts." - First conditional - for real future possibilities using "if + present, will + infinitive". E.g. "If it rains, I'll stay at home." - Second conditional - for unreal future possibilities using "if + past, would + infinitive". E.g. "If I won the lottery, I would buy a car." - Third conditional - for impossible past possibilities using "if + past perfect, would have + past participle". E.

Uploaded by

Dina Sulistiyanii
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CONDITIONALS

IF CLAUSE, + MAIN CLAUSE


(CONDITION) (RESULT)

MAIN CLAUSE, + IF CLAUSE


(RESULT) (CONDITION)

Zero Conditional

for certainty

If + present simple, .... present simple.

We use the zero conditional when the result of the condition is always true, like a scientific fact.
It’s talking in general, not about one particular situation. The result of the 'if clause' is always the
main clause. The 'if' in this conditional can usually be replaced by 'when' without changing the
meaning.

If you heat ice, it melts.

Take some ice. Put it in a saucepan. Heat the saucepan. What happens? The ice melts (it becomes
water). You would be surprised if it did not.

If Condition Result
Present Simple Present Simple
If you heat ice, it melts.

Here are more examples :

- If I miss the 8 o'clock bus, I am late for work.


- My boss gets angry if I am late for work.

First Conditional

for real possibility

If + present simple, ... will + infinitive


We are talking about the future. We are thinking about a particular condition or situation in the
future, and the result of this condition. There is a real possibility that this condition will happen.

If it rains, I stay at home.

It is morning. You are at home. You plan to play tennis this afternoon. But there are some clouds
in the sky. Imagine that it rains. What will you do?

If Condition Result
Present Simple Will + base form
If It rains, I stay at home

Here are more examples :

- If I have enough money, I'll buy some new shoes.


- She'll be late if the train is delayed.

Second Conditional

for unreal possibility

if + past simple, ...would + infinitive

The second conditional is like the first conditional. We are still thinking about the future. We are
thinking about a particular condition in the future, and the result of this condition. But there is
not a real possibility that this condition will happen.

If I won the lottery, I would buy a car.

For example, you do not have a lottery ticket. Is it possible to win? No! But, maybe you will buy
a lottery ticket in the future. So, you can think about winning in the future, like a dream. It's not
very real, but it's still possible.

If Condition Result
Past Simple Would + base form
If I won the lottery, I would buy a car
Here are more examples:

- If I met the Queen of England, I would say hello.


- She would travel all over the world if she were rich.

Third Conditional

for no possibility

if + past perfect, ...would + have + past participle

The first conditional and second conditionals talk about the future. With the third conditional we
talk about the past. We talk about a condition in the past that did not happen. That is why there is
no possibility for this condition. The third conditional is also like a dream, but with no possibility
of the dream coming true.

If I had won the lottery, I would have bought a car.

Last week you bought a lottery ticket. But you did not win.

If Condition Result
Past Perfect Would have +
past participle
If I had won the I would have
lottery, bought a car

Here are more examples:

- 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

EXERCISES

I. Write the correct forms.


1. I don't have any breakfast if I ............................... to school.
□go □ will go
2. Say hello to Lilly if you ................................. her.
□ see □ will see
3. We would have returned in time on condition that the sea ............................. so
stormy.
□ wasn't □ hadn't been
4. Unless you ..................................... enough, you won't win the race.
□ practice □ don't practice
5. If he orders coffee in a restaurant, he ....................................... cappuccino.
□ would have □ usually has
6. If we needed your help, we ........................... you know.
□ would let □ let
7. Where will we stay if the hotel .......................................... full?
□ will be □ is
8. Suppose you ....................................... in summer, would you apply for a job?
□ will graduate □ graduated
9. If the flight had been cancelled, how ...................................................... to Cairo?
□ had we got □ would we have got
10. I'd take a box of matches in case we ............................. to make fire.
□ wanted □ would want
II. Complete the mixed conditionals with the verbs in brackets.

1. I didn't invite them for dinner. But I .............................................................. if I was a


good cook. (not hesitate)
2. If we had bought a good map, we .................................. in the middle of nowhere
now. (not be)
3. If I wasn't afraid of flying, I ........................................................... you in California a
long time ago. (visit)
4. I'd have my driving licence if I ............................................ at the traffic lights. (stop)
5. If you had sold your business, you ...................................... life now. (can enjoy)
6. If I were you, I ................................................. the job after the pay drop. (quit)
7. I'd be a happy man if I ........................................ Marion when we were young.
(marry)
8. If we didn't trust them, we ............................................................... them to stay with
us last summer. (not ask)
9. He'd study at university if he ...................................... the entrance exam. But he
didn't. (pass)
10. Tina's French is quite weak. She would have helped you in Paris if her
French ...................... better. (be)

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