1.

If:
 Type 0:
a) Form: If clause (Present Tenses, be going to), Main clause (Present Simple).
b) Usage: habits, repeated events, explanations, guidelines, advices, orders, instructions,
general truths, scientific facts…
c) Examples:
- If you boil water, it evaporates (fact).
- If it rains for three hours, streets in Ho Chi Minh city are in flood (repeated event).
- If Tom has just had dinner, he begins to yawn.

(completed action before the time of speaking).

(intention)
d) Note: If the sentence express general truths, you can replace “If” by “When”. It does not
change the meaning.

Example: If you heat ice, it melts into water = When you heat ice, it melts into water.

 Type 1:
a) Form: If clause (Present Tenses, be going to), Main clause (Present Modals: will, can, must…
+ Bare infinitive).
b) Usage: Present/Future Possibility.
c) Examples:
- If I am free next week, I will go to Korea and visit you.
- If you have done your homework, we can go to the concert now.
- If you are going to buy a new house, you must save money from now on.
are to
had better
 Type 2:
a) Form: If clause (Past Subjunctive*, Past Continuous Subjunctive**), Main clause (Past
Modals: would, might, could + Bare infinitive).
*Past Subjunctive: Simple Past: be -> were (for all persons).
**Past Continuous Subjunctive: were + present participle.
b) Usage: the possible result of an imagined situation in the present or future.
c) Examples:
- If I were a millionaire, I could buy a villa at UN Village (I am not a millionaire so I
can’t buy a villa at UN Village).
- If he were staying in Vietnam now, his mother would be very happy (He is in
England now and his mother is very sad because she misses him).
  Type 3:
a) Form: If clause (Past Perfect, Past Perfect Continuous), Main clause (Modal Perfect:
would/could/might + have + past participle).
b) Usage: when we imagine a different result in the past.
c) Examples:
- If our team had played better, we could have won. (We didn’t play well and we lost
the game).
- If you had locked the door carefully last night, buglars wouldn’t have broken into
your house. (You didn’t lock the door carefully last night and burglars broke into the
house).
2. Reduction of “If” in conditional sentences:
 Present Possibility (Type 1): Should + S + Bare infinitive , Main clause.
- Keep your feet dry or you will have a cold.
Should you not keep your feet dry, you will have a cold.
- If you are working, I can go shopping alone.
Should you be working, I can go shopping alone.
- If Tom has done his homework, he can play PUBG.
Should Tom have done his homework, he can play PUBG.
 Present Impossibility (Type 2):
 With “be”: Were + S + (to be) + Noun, Main clause.
- If I were a billionaire, I could buy a villa at UN Village.
Were I (to be) a billionaire, I could buy a villa at UN Village.
Were I a billionaire, I could buy a villa at UN Village.
- If he were staying in Vietnam now, his mother would be very happy.
Were he (to be) staying in Vietnam now, his mother would be very happy.
Were he staying in Vietnam now, his mother would be very happy.
 With verb:
- If I had more money, I would travel around the world.
Were I to have more money, I would travel around the world.
 Past Impossibility (Type 3): Had + S + Past participle, Main clause.
- If I had paid more attention to the lesson, I could have gotten higher
marks.
Had I paid more attention to the lesson, I could have gotten higher
marks.
- If he hadn’t been so slow, he wouldn’t have missed the bus.
Had he not been so slow, he wouldn’t have missed the bus.
 3. Unless: used to replace “If…not” or “except if”.
- If Tim don’t work hard, he can’t pass the coming exam.
Unless Tim works hard, he can’t pass the coming exam.
- You can’t buy that house, except if you save money from now on.
Unless you save money from now on, you can’t buy that house.

NOTE: Unless is not used :

+ In questions:

Ex: What should we do if Jack doesn’t come to the company today?

What should we do unless Jack come to the company today?

+ When we are talking about a feeling that results from something not happen:

Ex: I will be very happy if we don’t have any classes today (Fact: We are studing
Reading – Writing in the classroom).

I will be very happy unless we have any classes today.

+ When unreal condition comes before the main clause:

Ex: If he hadn’t helped me, I would have died.

I would have died, unless he had helped me.

4. But for = Had it not been for = Without = Were it not for + N/Gerund:
Ex:
- If he hadn’t helped me, I would still be in trouble now.
If it had not been for his help, I would still be in trouble now.
But
Without his help, I would still be in trouble now.
Had it not been for his help, I would still be in trouble now.
- If she weren’t honest, she wouldn’t have returned the money to its
owner.
Were it not for her honesty, she wouldn’t have returned the money to
its owner.
But for her honesty, she wouldn’t have returned the money to its
owner.
5. Or, Otherwise, Or else:
Ex:
- If you reveal my secret, I’ll never meet you again.
Don’t reveal my secret, or else I’ll never meet you again.
- If you don’t return the money to me, I’ll sue you.
Return the money to me, or I’ll sue you.
6. As long as = So long as = Provided that = Providing that
Ex:
If you return the money to me tomorrow, I’ll lend it to you.
As long as
So long as
Provided that
Providing that