A EXCELENT WAY TO LEARN ABOUT"CONDITIONAL IF"

1. Clauses and Conditionals

2. What is a ‘conditional sentence’?
 A sentence discussing factual implications or
hypothetical situations and their
consequences.
 Full conditional sentences contain two
clauses: the condition and the result.
 Eg.) If I go to the mall (condition), I will buy a
pair of jeans (result).

3. Conditional Sentence
 The ‘result’ is the main clause and the ‘condition’ is a
subordinate (dependant) clause.
 The properties of the conditional clause (tense,
degree of probability) determine the properties of the
entire sentence.
 Conditional clauses usually begin with “if” or “unless”
– If you study, you will pass the exam.
– You won’t pass the exam unless you study.

4. Three types of “IF” clauses in
conditional sentences:
 Type 1: if + Simple Present, will-future
– Expresses something that is likely to happen
 Type 2: if + Simple Past, would +infinitive
– Expresses something that is not likely to happen
 Type 3: if + Past Perfect
– Expresses something that is impossible.

5. Type 1: if + Simple Present, will-future
 Type 1 expresses something that is likely to
happen.
 Eg. If I catch the bus, I will get to school on
time.
 The main clause can also be at the
beginning of the sentence:
 Eg. I will get to school on time if I catch the
bus.

6. Type 1: if + Simple Present, will-future
 Conditional sentences Type 1 refer to the future.
 An action in the future will only happen if a certain
condition is met.
 We don’t know for sure whether or not the condition
will be fulfilled, but the condition is realistic and
therefore likely to happen.
 It is likely that I will catch the bus and get to school
on time.

7. Type 2:
if + Simple Past, would + infinitive
 Type 2 expresses something that is unlikely
to happen.
 Eg. If I had the time, I would go to the show.
 The main clause can also be at the
beginning of the sentence:
 Eg. I would go to the show if I had the time.
 We usually use “were” instead of “was” in
Type 2.

8. Type 2:
if + Simple Past, would + infinitive
 An action could happen if the present situation were
different.
 We don’t really expect the situation to change – we
just imagine ‘what would happen if…’
 It is unlikely that I will find the time to go to the show.

9. Type 3: if + Past Perfect
 Type 3 expresses something that is
impossible.
 Eg. If I had finished my homework, I would
have gone to the party.
 The main clause can also be at the
beginning of the sentence:
 Eg. I would have gone to the party if I had
finished my homework.

10. Type 3: if + Past Perfect
 Type 3 conditional sentences refer to situations in
the past.
 An action could have happened in the past if a
certain condition had been fulfilled.
 We just imagine what would have happened if the
condition had been met.
 I wanted to go to the party but I wasn’t able to go to
the party because I hadn’t finished my homework.

11. Type “0”
 The “0” conditional is formed with both clauses in the
present tense.
 It is used to express a certainty, a universal
statement, a law of science, etc.
 Eg. If you heat water to 100 degrees celsius, it boils.
If you don’t eat for a long time, you become hungry.
If the sea is stormy, the waves are high.
 The “0” conditional is different from true conditionals
because the introductory ‘if’ can be replaced by
‘when’ or ‘whenever’.