CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

 Conditionals describe a certain conditions

and their results.
 It has two parts:

The if clause states the condition,

and
the main clause states the
consequence/ result.
 The result can only takes place if acertain

condition is fulfilled.
 We can interchange the postion of the if

and the main clause.

 It dosen’t matter which comes first.

If- clause,(comma)+ main clause . OR

 1. ZERO CONDITIONAL

 It is used to talk abut general truths,

scientific facts, or habits.
 It describes conditions that are
always true.
 Bothe clause are in simple present.
Eg. If you put a stone in the water, it sinks.

If the sun sets, it becomes night.

If it rains the, grass gets wet.
I get a headache if somebody starts
smoking. (habit
 SENTENCE
 There are 4 types of conditional
sentences.
 They are classified according to the

degree of probability that they

express.
 Each type of conditional sentences are

formed by using different verb tenses

to show the difference in the degree
of probability.
 They can go from 100% certain to

completely impossible.
 CONT...
 It can also used to give the command/
instruction, advice with imperatives in the
main clause.
Example:
If she rings the doorbell, tell her to come
later!
Don’t drive a car if you are under 18.
If you get lost, call me.
If you go abroad, don’t forget your
passport. Advice
 CONDITIONAL SENTENCES TYPE 1
 It is possible and also very likely that the condition will
be fulfilled.
 It is used to express present or future intention or possiblity.

 There is high possiblity to fulfill the condition and its result to

happen.
If clause: If + simple present, present continous
or present perfect.
Main clause: simple future ( will, can or may +v1)
Use can/ may for permiion.
If I pass my exams, my parents will buy me a tablet.
If we save enough money, we can go on holiday
If you are working now, I will come back later. (Present
continous )
If you have written the letter, I will post it.( present perfect
Should I see her, I will give her your message.
( inversion)
 WE CAN USE “UNLESS” INSTEAD OF “IF NOT”.

Eg. Unless you study hard, you will not pass the exam.
If you don’t study hard, you will fail the exam
Eg2 I will not go to holiday unless I save some money.
=
I will not go to holiday if I don’t save money.

 We don’t use unless for impossible

condition.
 We don’t use unless and if together.
 CONT...
We use if and incase to talk about future
possiblities.
The two are completely different.
If is about what might happen
Incase is about precaution that we take now to
avoid problems in the future.
Things that we do to be prepared for sth that may happen/ may be
nedded in the future.
I will take my umbrella in case it rains.
(I will take it in now because it may rain later.)
I will take my umbrella if it rains.
(I will take it in at the time it starts raining.)
 AS LONG AS/ SO LONG AS /PROVIDED THAT / PROVIDING THAT/ ON CONDITION THAT

• When we need to impose specific

conditions or set limits /restrict on a
situation, conditional clauses (If) can begin
with phrases such as , as long as, so long
as, only if, on condition that,
providing (that), provided (that).
• As long as is more common in speaking;
so long as and on condition that are
more formal and more common in writing:
 CONT...
as long as/ so long as /provided l providing
that/ on condition that.....
Examples:
• You can play in the living room as long as you don’t make
a mess.
• I will lend you the money provided that you pay me back
next month.
• They may do whatever they like provided that it is within
the law.
• You can use my car as long as / so long as you drive
carefully.
• I will tell you what really happened as long as you keep
the secret.
• We will invest the money, only if you can prove
that it’s a safe investment.
•
 WHETHER OR NOT/ EVEN IF
We use whether or not when there are two alternatives,
and sth will happen in any of those two alternatives.
Eg. Even if you apologise, he’ll never forgive you.
wherher or not you apologise, he’ll never forgive you.
Or and otherwise
You have got to start studying, otherwise you will fail the
exam. =
if you don’t start studying you will fail the exam.
You had better send it express, otherwise it will take days.
We use Suppose /Supposing that at the beginning of a
sentence to invite someone imagine a situation.
Suppose /Supposing that= what would happen if /
imagine
CONT..
 3. SECOND CONDITIONAL (IMPROBABLE)
 We use it to express imaginary situations
in the present or future that are unlikely to
happen. i.e dreams or wishes.
 The If clause is in simple past and

 the main clause is would+ bare infinitive.

 We use this conditional to describe two

hypothetical situations.
1. Improbable (things that are
possible, but very unlikely that the
condition will be fulfilled in the
present or future.)
 If I studied hard, I would pass the exam.

Means I don’t think I study hard.

 CONDITIONAL SENTENCES TYPE 2

An idea that is imaginary or unreal (situation

never been true).
 If I were a bird, I would fly on the sky.( unreal

condition)
 If you were animal, which one would you be?

We can also use 2nd conditional to give advice

 A: I have got a headache

 B: If I were you, I would go to hospital.( advice)

We use “were” for the subject he/she/it.

Example:
If she were taller, she would play basketball.
If I were you I would think twice before I accept.
 CONT...

NB: The past tense in second conditional doesn’t

refer past time.
It is used to indicate the distance from the reality.
i.e to show that we are far from the reality.
So the form is the past, but the meaning is in the
present or the immediate future.
Eg. If she invited me in the party, I would go
to the party.
The party is in the future, but the simple past
indicates going to the party is very unlikely.
i.e The speaker dosen’t belive she will be invited .
4. CONDITIONAL TYPE III
• Used to describe unreal situation in the past. It is
used to express regret.
• It is impossible that the condition will be fulfilled
because it refers to the past. It is formed by
using:
past perfect tense in the if-clause and
would+ present perfect in the main caluse.
If you had been on time, we would not have missed
the plane.
We weren’t on time, so we missed the plane.
If you had given me your phone number, I would
have called you.
You didn’t give, so I didn’t call you.
If you hadn’t study harder, you wouldn’t have passed
the exam
MIXED CONDITIONAL
 It uses a combination of the 2nd and 3rd
conditionals.
 It used to talk about past condition and its

present result .
 The main clause is in 2nd condition and the if

clause is in the 3rd condition.

• The if clause is past perfect

• The main clause is would + V

If you had eaten your dinner, you wouldn’t be

hungry.
you didn’t eat your dinner, so you are hungry now.
 If you had planned things at start, we wouldn’t be in this
mess now.
 If he had been a nice person, he wouldn’t steal your

money.
INVERTED CONDITIONAL
 We can make conditional sentences without “If” by
changing or reversing the word order of the subject
and the verb in the if clause and omitting if
Type I: should+S+v1
 Should I see her at the party, I will give her your

message.
 If I see her at the party, I will give her your

message.
Type II: were+S
 If I were in your position, I would tell her the truth

 Were I in your position, I would tell her the truth

 Were you not my brother, I would call the police.

(negative)
NB Don’t say “Were not you” ...
INVERTED CONDITIONAL
Or were+s+to v1/not to v1 ....(the verb is not
were)
Were we to announce the truth, we would receive a
lot of criticism.
If we announced the truth, we would receive a lot
of criticism.
Type III: had+s+v3
 If
we’d arrived sooner, we wouldn’t have
missed the beginning.
=Had we arrived sooner, we wouldn’t have
missed the beginning.
Had we not arrived earlier, we couldn’t have
saved his life. (-ve)
NB don’t say “Hadn’t you...”
TRUE FACT / MEANING
 In finding the true fact from each conditional sentence,
we have to consider the following situation.
 Every positive statement in Conditional sentence will

be turned into negative statement in True Fact

Sentence.
 And every negative statement will be turned into

positive statement.
 The Simple Past Tense form in Conditional typeII will

become the Simple Present tense in the true fact

sentence.
 And the Past Modals in the Conditional Sentence will

become Present Modals in the True Fact Sentence

 The pas perfect form becomes simple past in true fact.
ACTIVITY

1. If
I ___ my entrance exams, I ___ the happiest person in the
world.
A) shall pass / would be C) passed /am
B) passed / would have been D) pass / will be
2. He is fat because he doesn’t take any exercise. If he ___
some exercise, he __ so fat.
A) took / won’t be C) will take / won’t be
B) takes / wouldn’t be D) took / wouldn’t be
3. Had scientists not invented medication, we____ affected
by Rabbis now.

A. would be B. would have been

C. would not be D. would not have been

CONT...

5.There will be a serious water shortage

__________soon.
A) unless it rains C) if it rains
B) unless it doesn’t rain D) if it will rain
6. Unless you __ all of my questions, I can't do
anything to help you.
A. answered B. answer C. would answer D. are
answering
7. We ____ the game if we'd had a few more minutes.
A. could have won B. won C. had won D. will win
8. If you _____to my advice in the first place, you
wouldn't be in this mess right now. A) Listen B. will
listen C. had listened D. Listened
9. Do you think pigs _____ if they had wings?
A, will fly B, would fly C. would have flown D. flew