M’hamed Bougara University/ Boumerdes

Faculty of Letters and Languages

Department of English

Teachers: Mrs. HADDOUCHE Hassina (Responsible)

Ms. ZERROUKI Nadia-------Mr. LOUNIS Youcef.

The Zero Conditional (Conditional type 0)

It is used to talk about permanent truths, such as scientific facts, and general habits.
Here are some examples:
If you heat water to 100°, it boils. If you eat a lot, you put on weight.
If it doesn’t rain for a long time, the earth gets very dry.

The First Conditional (Conditional type 1)

We use the first conditional to talk about a realistic situation in the present or future. → It is
possible and also very likely that the condition will be fulfilled. The structure of the first
conditional is as follows:

For example, according to the weather forecast, it might rain tonight. If it rains, I'll stay at home.
We use the first conditional when there is a real possibility that something will happen in the future.
• In a first conditional sentence, we can use when instead of if for things that we are sure will
happen: e.g. When she comes, I'll call you
Here are some examples:
If you’re free later, we can go for a walk. If they’re hungry, I’ll make some sandwiches.
If you’re not back by 5pm, give me a ring. If he studies hard, he’ll do well in the exam.
If we arrive late, we must get a taxi. He’ll call if he needs help.
Take a break if you’re tired.

Another way to make first conditional sentences is to use ‘unless’ which means ‘only if’ or
‘except’. As with ‘if’, the word ‘unless’ can never be followed by ‘will’ but only by the
present simple. For example:
* Unless you hurry up, you won’t catch the bus.
*I’ll carry on doing this work unless my boss tells me to do something else.
The Second Conditional (Conditional type 2)
We use the second conditional to talk about improbable or impossible situations in the present
or future. → It is possible, but very unlikely, that the condition will be fulfilled. Here is the
structure:
For example: At the moment, it is raining. If it was sunny, I would go out.
We use the second conditional when we imagine a situation or when there is very little or no
possibility that something will happen.
What would you do if you found a lot of money in the street?
If it wasn't dark outside, we could go out. (But in reality, it is dark outside, so we cannot go out).
*If I had more time, I would help you. (But I am not free at the moment, so I can't help you).
If I had more time, I’d exercise more.(But in reality, I don’t have more time, so I don’t.)
If I were rich, I’d spend all my time travelling. (But I’m not rich so I can’t.)
If he didn’t have to work late, he could go out with his friends.
What would you do if you were offered a job in Canada?
You wouldn’t have to walk everywhere if you bought a bike.

A common expression used to give advice has the second conditional structure. The expression
is ‘If I were you, I’d..’, meaning ‘in your situation, this is what I would do’. For example:
A: I’ve got a headache. B: If I were you, I’d take an aspirin.
A: I don’t understand this. B: If I were you, I’d ask your teacher for help.
A: This order won’t be delivered on time. B: If I were you, I’d phone the customer to let them
know.
The main difference between the first conditional and the second conditional
The main difference between the first conditional and the second conditional is about probability:
the first conditional is realistic, the second conditional is unrealistic.
Sometimes we can use both with the following difference in meaning.
If I see him, I will tell him. (I suppose I will see him, because we go to the same school.)
If I saw him, I would tell him. (I don't think I will see him because he is ill, for example, or we don’t
meet so often)
If I need your help, I'll call you. (It is probable that I will need your help.)
If I needed your help, I'd call you. (It is not very probable that I will need your help.)

Sometimes we must use either the first conditional or the second conditional to make it clear that
the situation is real or unreal.
If you get up late, you will miss your bus. (A real situation.)
If I came from your country, I would understand your problems. (An unreal situation - I am not
from your country.)
The Third Conditional(Conditional type 3)
We use the third conditional to talk about impossible situations, as in the second conditional,
in the past. → It is impossible that the condition will be fulfilled because it refers to the past. We
often use the third conditional to describe regrets. The structure is:

The third conditional sentences always refer to the past. We speculate about situations that
happened or did not happen in the past.
If I had won a million, I would have started a business of my own. (But I didn't win anything.)
If he had met her, he would have told her. (Unfortunately, he didn't meet her.)
If we hadn't practiced, we wouldn't have won the match. (But we practiced and won.)
Here are some examples:
If we had left earlier, we would have arrived on time.
If you hadn’t forgotten her birthday, she wouldn’t have been upset.
If they had booked earlier, they could have found better seats.
If I hadn’t learnt English, I wouldn’t have got this job.
What would you have studied if you hadn’t done engineering?
They wouldn’t have hired you if you hadn’t had some experience abroad.
You could have helped me if you’d stayed later.

ACTIVITIES ON CONDITIONALS
Exercise 1: Rewrite the following sentences in the right conditional form (0/1)

e.g. Running too fast makes me exhausted. ====If I run too fast, I get exhausted.

1-The mountains become white when snowing.

If ………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2-Not getting enough vitamins makes you suffer from anemia.
If ………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3-Not drinking enough water makes you dehydrated.
If…………………………………………………………………………………………………
4-Plants which don’t get enough water die.
If ………………………………………………………………………………………………
5-Missing the seven o’clock train makes you late for work.
If…………………………………………………………………………………………………
6- The disappearance of your headache depends on taking an aspirin.
If…………………………………………………………………………………………………
7- The closure of the factory means many people losing their jobs.
If ………………………………………………………………………………………………
8-Hurry-up or you will be late for the meeting.
If…………………………………………………………………………………………………
9-Work more hours and you will earn more money.
If…………………………………………………………………………………………………
10-Remember to get the tickets to be able to go to the opera.
If…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Exercise 2: Rewrite the following sentences in the right conditional form (2/3)

1-Linda is not here, otherwise she will help us.

If ………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2-You don’t try to give up smoking, this is why your health won’t be better.
If ………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3-Jenny does not know how to cook well, so she won’t make a delicious cake.
If…………………………………………………………………………………………………
4-I don’t know how to fix computers, that’s why I am not able to help you.
If…………………………………………………………………………………………………
5-James will not attend the class because he is ill.
If ………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6-I can’t tell Mary the truth, this is why she is angry.
If ……………………………………………………………………………………………….
7-Mary was upset because she had not passed the driving license.
If ………………………………………………………………………………………………
8-I didn’t bring the umbrella with me, that’s why I was wet.
If ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

9-Joe didn’t bring the map with him, that’s why he was lost.
If ………………………………………………………………………………………………..
10-My parents bought the house because they saved the necessary money.
If…………………………………………………………………………………………………
11-Lisa was so tired last evening, that’s why she didn’t go to Jane’s party.
If ……….……………………………………………………………………………………….
12-He didn’t do his homework because he didn’t have time yesterday.
If …………………………………………………………………………………..………

13- Peter didn’t travel to Paris last summer because he didn’t save enough money.
If ……………………………………………………………………………………..…….
14-Mike arrived on time because he caught the six o’clock train.
If ……………………………………………………………………………………………
15-I didn’t phone you yesterday because I didn’t have your phone-number.
If ………………………………………………………………………………………………
16-I didn’t tell my aunt the truth because I was afraid of her reaction.
If ……………………………………………………………………………………………..
17-I don’t feel well, otherwise I will come with you to the cinema.
If ………………………………………………………………………………………………
18-Jim doesn’t know the answer, that’s why he won’t win the prize.
If ………………………………………………………………………………………………
19-I didn’t win the contest because I didn’t know all the answers.
If ………………………………………………………………………………………………
20-She was upset because you forgot her birthday.
If ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

21-James revised his lessons very well and he passed his exams.
If ………………………………………………………………………………………………

22-I had no electricity at home because I didn’t pay the bill.

If ……………………………………………………………………………………………….

23-In your position, I will look for a better job.

If …………………………………………………………………………………………………