Conditional Structures English Grammar Teaching English

1. Conditionals
Gema’s Notebook
www,gemasnotebook.blogspot.com

2. Conditional sentences
• In Conditional structures, the “if clause” can come first or
second. When th “if clause” is first, we need a comma at the
end of the clause

3. ZERO
CONDITIONAL
• It is used to talk about things that always or generally happen.
It's a fact. General situations
• The 'if' in this conditional can usually be replaced by 'when'
without changing the meaning.
• Examples:
• If water reaches 100 degrees, it boils.
• 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)
• If people eat too much, they get fat.
• If you touch a fire, you get burned.
• People die if they don't eat.
• You get water if you mix hydrogen and oxygen.
• Snakes bite if they are scared
• If babies are hungry, they cry
Present Simple + IF + Present Simple
If+ Present Simple + Present Simple

4. FIRST
CONDITIONAL
• It is 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.
• Examples:
• If it rains, I won't go to the park.
• If I study today, I'll go to the party tonight.
• If I have enough money, I'll buy some new shoes.
• She'll be late if the train is delayed.
• She'll miss the bus if she doesn't leave soon.
• If I see her, I'll tell her.
If + present simple, ... will + infinitive
Will + infinitive ... if + Present Simple

5. SECOND
CONDITIONAL
It has two uses:
• 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)
• To talk about something in the present which is impossible,
because it's not true.
• If I had his number, I would call him. (I don't have his number now,
so it's impossible for me to call him).
• If I were you, I wouldn't go out with that man.
.
if + past simple, ...would + infinitive
Would + infinitive … if + Past simple
We can use 'were' instead of 'was' with 'I' and 'he/she/it'. This is mostly done in formal
writing

6. THIRD
CONDITIONAL
• With the third conditional we talk about the past. We talk
about a condition in the past that did not happen. That is why
there is no possibility for this condition. The third conditional
is also like a dream, but with no possibility of the dream
coming true.
• If I had won the lottery, I would have bought a car.
• Sometimes, we use should have, could have, might have
instead of would have, for example: If you had bought a
lottery ticket, you might have won.
• I would have invited Tara if she had been free yesterday.
• Their teacher would have been sad if they had not passed their
exam.
• Would you have stayed at home if It had rained yesterday?
• What would you have done if it had rained yesterday?
if + past perfect, ...would + have + past participle
would + have + past participle … if + past perfect

7. CONDITIONALS
• We can use could or might in the main clause instead of would.
• If I had more money, I could buy some clothes.
• We can use unless instead of if… not in any conditional
sentence.
• I can’t help my friends, unless I listen to her problems.
• Unless our team wins this match, we won’t be happy.
• I wouldn’t save my pocket money unless I wanted something special.

8. CONDITIONALS
• 1st Conditional:
• For future possibility.
• FORM: If + Present Simple/Present Continuous + Will/Won’t
• If you ask me, I’ll be happy to help you.
• 2nd Conditional:
• For present or future imagined situations and for giving
advice.
• FORM: If + Past Simple/Past Continuous + would/wouldn’t +
infinitive
• If I lived in the country, I’d do a lot more walking.
• When less certain, we can use might instead of would.
• If I had more money, I might take a year off work.
• 3rd Conditional:
• To talk about imagined situations in the past.
• FORM: If + Past Perfect Simple/Continuous + Would
have/wouldn’t have + Past Participle.
• If I had studied, I would have passed the exam.

9. Mixed Conditionals (1)
For imagined past conditions and probable results in the
present.
FORM: If + Past Perfect + Would/wouldn’t + infinitive
If I hadn’t gone to bed late, I wouldn’t be tired.
Mixed Conditionals (2)
To talk about situations that never happened because of
conditions which are true.
FORM: If + Past Simple/Continuous + would
have/wouldn’t have + infinitive