Conditionals tense

3 Main Type of Conditional
First, second and third conditional

First Conditional
The formula : If + simple present + simple future
Examples :
If I see Andrew at the meeting, I'll give him your message.
PRESENT SIMPLE FUTURE SIMPLE
USE: To talk about something that is quite likely to happen in
the future. It is very possible that I will see Andrew at the
meeting, in which case I'll give him your message. The
condition is quite likely to be fulfilled. For presenting future
plans, real possibilities, steps in an argument, points in a
procedure, predictable consequences, instructions.

Second Conditional (Hypothetical)
PAST SIMPLE PAST FUTURE
If my parents were alive, they would be very proud of me now.
USE: To talk about a present situation which is impossible, a hypothetical
situation. The situation cannot be fulfilled because my parents are not alive.
‘What would happen if…?’
The formula : If + simple past + past future

Third Conditional
The formula : If + Past Perfect + Past Future Perfect
If she had worked harder, she would have passed her exams.
PAST PERFECT PAST FUTURE PERFECT
USE: To talk about something that might have happened in
the past, but didn`t. She didn`t work hard enough and,
consequently, she didn`t pass her exams.
It also expresses excuses, regrets and blame for past events.
What would have happened if…?

The zero conditional (factual)
‘What happens if…? ‘
If I stay out late, I always take a taxi home.
PRESENT SIMPLE PRESENT SIMPLE
USE: To describe something that is generally true. The use of if here is very
similar to when. For presenting habits, general truths, rules, typical patterns,
correlations.
We can also use the past simple in the two clauses.
If I stayed out late, I always got a taxi home.

Conditional Sentences: Variations in
Tenses
First Conditional: Theif clauseisusuallyinthepresentsimple. However,wecan
alsouse:
 Present continuous:
If he'sstillwaitingforyou,he'llbeveryangry.
 Present perfect simple:
If Rob'sreceivedyourletter,he'llphoneyou.
 Present perfect continuous:
If it'sbeenrainingallnight,you'llhaveto wearboots.
 Can: If I canfinishworkearly, I'llhelpyou.
 Should: If I should see him, I'lltellhimthe news.

The main clause usually has the verb will / shall. But we
can also use:
 Going to:
If Helen passes her exams, I'm going to buy her a present.
 Future continuous:
If we book this holiday, we'll be lying on the beach in two weeks`
time.
 Future perfect:
If they win the next match, they'll have won every match in the
season.
 Imperative:
If you need me, call me.
 Can / could, may / might, should / ought to, must
If you don't eat your dinner, you can't have an ice cream.

Variations of Conditional 2
The if clause usually takes the past simple. However, it is also
possibleto use:
 Past continuous:
If youwere coming withme, I would giveyoua lift.
 Could
If I could have the day off, I wouldgo withyou.
Were / was to:
If you were to ask Steve, I am sure he would do it.

The main clause usually has the modal would +
infinitive. However, the modals could and might are
also used and the infinitive can be in the continuous
form:
• If we had more money, we wouldn`t be
living here.
• If we had more money, we could go out
more.
• If you asked Tony, he might do it for you.

Tense Variations of Conditional 3
The if clause is usually in the past perfect simple.
However, we can also use the past perfect
continuous or could + perfect infinitive.
Examples:
If he had been travelling in the car, he would have been killed too.
If we could have got a taxi, we would have come round to see you.

The main clause usually has the modal would +
perfect infinitive. However, we can also use
the modals could and might + perfect
infinitive.
Examples :
If I had known there was no more work to do, I
could have stayed in bed.
If the ambulance had come sooner, he might
have been saved.

MIXED CONDITIONALS
 If-clauses can be mixed provided that they make sense
within a context.
If-clause Main clause
Type 3 If she had worked harder
at university,
She would have a degree
now.
Type 2
(she didn`t work hard at
university
so she doesn`t have a
degree now. )
Type 2 If I were faster, I would have won the
race.
Type 3
(I´m not fast so I didn´t win the race.)
Type2 If they were studying all
morning,
they will be tired now. Type 1
(they were studying so they are tired now.)

Words other than if
Unless I won`t go out unless he comes too.
Even if Even if it rains, we`ll go to the match.
If only If only I had money, I would go out more.
As/so long as You can use the car as long as you take care of it.
On condition
(that)
I`ll lend you the car on condition that you take care of it.
Provided /
providing (that)
I`ll lend you the car provided that you take care of it.
Assuming (that) Assuming that you take care of the car, I`ll lend it to you.

Suppose /
supposing (that)
Suppose you had a lot of
money, would you give up
work?
What if What if you had a lot of
work?
Imagine Imagine you had a lot of
work?
In questions….

Inversion• If the first verb in a conditional if clauseis should, were or had, we can
leave out if and put the verb at thestart of theclause. We do this
particularly in formal or literary English.
 Shouldanyof thiscost youanything,sendme thebill (If anyof this
should…)
 It wouldbe embarrassingwereshe to findout the truth.(…if she
wereto findout…)
Hadtheynot rushedto hospital,Dan wouldhavedied. (If theyhadn`t
rushed…)

We use if it was / were not for + noun to
say that one situation is dependent on
another situation.
 If it wasn`t / weren`t for the fireman, my dog
would have died in the fire.
 If it hadn`t been for my parents, I wouldn`t
have gone to university.
We also use but for + noun with a similar
meaning:
 But for Jim`s support, I wouldn`t
have got the job.

• In real conditional sentence, we use
If… happen to,
If … should,
If … should happen to
to talk about something that may be possible but
is not very likely:
 If you happen to be in our area, drop in and
see us.
If you should be in our area, …
 If you should happen to be in our area, …

Polite requests
We can use if… will in requests:
o If you will take your seats, ladies and gentlemen,
we can begin the meeting.
 if you want to make a request more polite,
you can use if…would:
o If you would take your money now , we can buy
the JYJ’s concert

Conditionals tense

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Conditionals tense