Function: basic conditional forms

Zero conditional: For general truths or consequences.

If you do exercise daily, your body becomes stronger. There is a
possibility of this
happening.
First conditional: For a sequence of a possible future action.
If you get here late, I’ll be in the garden setting up the chairs for the party.
hypothetical result
This would be
beneficial NOW.
Second conditional: For hypothetical situations in the present.
If everyone in the company spoke more than one language, we would get more business.
This can’t change
Third conditional: For hypothetical situations in the past. because the time
has already
passed.
If someone hadn’t handed in Jonny’s wallet, he would have lost everything.
If can also be replaced by words/phrases
like unless, until, before, after, as soon as, A conditional sentence is
when, in case to create other future time made up of two clauses:
the if hypothetical and the How do I make
clauses. The structure remains the same.
More on the form later...
result of that. Look. these structures?
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Conditional
Sentences
And other expressions of conditions
Zero Conditional if/when + present + present/imperative
if/when + past + past

We use the Zero or Real Conditional to talk about

things that are generally true in the present or in
the past, in particular laws and rules, or to give
instructions if a condition is met.

If I eat too much chocolate, I feel sick.

If you see a spider, run!

It gets cold here when the sun goes down.

If we called each other names, my parents grounded us for a

week.

The terms "present" and "past" are used instead of "present tense (simple or continuous)" and "past tense (simple or
continuous"), for the sake of simplicity.
First Conditional if/when + present + future simple/
modal verbs with future meaning

We use the First Conditional to talk about future

situations we think are likely or probable to
happen.

If it rains tomorrow, we won't go camping.

I can't go out if I don't finish my homework.

If you pay attention, you may see a shooting star.

They might arrive on time if there isn't much traffic.

Second Conditional if+ past simple + modal verb with
future-in-the-past meaning

We use the Second Conditional to talk about

present or future situations we think are
impossible or unlikely to happen.

I might work harder if they paid me better.

If you really wanted to help, you would be trying harder.

If you studied harder, you could do better at school.

If I were* you, I'd tell my parents the truth.

*We use "were" with all subject pronouns in the Second Conditional (Subjunctive mood).
Third Conditional if + past perfect + future-in-the-past
modal verbs + have + past participle

We use the Third Conditional to imagine a

different past, in which something did or didn't
happen, and we also imagine a different result.

You wouldn't have cut your head if you had been wearing a
safety helmet.

If I hadn't lost my job, I could have been promoted.

If she had seen anything, she would have told the police.
 Summary

Zero or Real First Second Third Mixed

possible or imaginary or
generally imaginary or imaginary or
Condition likely to less likely to
true impossible impossible
happen happen

present or present or present or

Result future past
past future past
 Function/Form:
conditional use/example/form
zero For general truths or consequences.
If you do exercise daily, your body becomes stronger.
If+ present, + present

first For a consequence of a possible future action.

If you get here late, I’ll be in the garden.
If+ present, + future form/modal verb/imperative

second For hypothetical situations in the present.

If everyone spoke a different language, we’d get more business.
If+ past simple/cont., + would/could/might + bare infinitive
For hypothetical situations in the past.
third
If someone hadn’t handed in Jonny’s wallet, he’d have lost everything.
If+ past perfect, + would have + past participle

The clauses can change

order, but we lose the
We often use the contracted
comma. Look at this
forms, especially when
example… Mixed
speaking.
I’ll be in the garden if you conditionals...
get here late.
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 Practice activities
Rewrite these sentences using the words in capitals as conditionals. Say which
conditional you are using.

1. Charlie stole the car. He’s now in prison. STOLEN

If Charlie hadn’t stolen the car, he wouldn’t be in prison now.

2.There is a job. To get the job, speak to the manager tomorrow. SHOULD
Frankie is looking for a new job.
Should Frankie want the job, she will need to speak to the manager tomorrow.

3.I regret arguing with my brother because now he won’t take me to the concert WOULD
this evening.
If I hadn’t argued with my brother, he would take me/be taking me to the concert this evening.
4.It might be difficult, but I could talk to the boss. Will he give me the time off? WERE
Were I/if I were to talk to the boss, would he give me the time off?

5.We didn’t visit the museum because neither of us like modern art. LIKED
If we liked modern art, we would have visited the museum.

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 CONDITIONAL SENTENCE
The Zero Conditional
We can make a zero conditional sentence with two present simple verbs (one in the 'if clause' and
one in the 'main clause'):

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

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.
II.
The 'if' in this conditional can usually be replaced by 'when' without changing the meaning.

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)
1. If people eat too much, they get fat.
2. If you touch a fire, you get burned.
3. People die if they don't eat.
4. You get water if you mix hydrogen and oxygen.
5. Snakes bite if they are scared
6. If babies are hungry, they cry
 The First Conditional
The first conditional has the present simple after 'if', then the future simple in the other clause:

if + present simple, ... will + infinitive

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.

For example:

1. If it rains, I won't go to the park.

2. If I study today, I'll go to the party tonight.
3. If I have enough money, I'll buy some new shoes.
4. She'll be late if the train is delayed.
5. She'll miss the bus if she doesn't leave soon.
6. 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.

For example (zero conditional): if you sit in the sun, you get burned (here I'm talking about every
time a person sits in the sun - the burning is a natural consequence of the sitting)
But (first conditional): if you sit in the sun, you'll get burned
(here I'm talking about what wil happen today, another day might be different)
 The Second Conditional
The second conditional uses the past simple after if, then 'would' and the infinitive:

if + past simple, ...would + infinitive

1. 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)

2. 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


If I were you, I wouldn't go out with that man.
The Third Conditional
We make the third conditional by using the past perfect after 'if' and then 'would have' and the past
participle in the second part of the sentence:
if + past perfect, ...would + have + past participle
It talks about the past. It's used to describe a situation that didn't happen, and to imagine the result
of this situation.
For example:

1. If she had studied, she would have passed the exam (but, really we know she didn't study
and so she didn't pass)
2. 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).
3. If we had taken a taxi, we wouldn't have missed the plane
4. She wouldn't have been tired if she had gone to bed earlier
5. She would have become a teacher if she had gone to university
6. He would have been on time for the interview if he had left the house at nine