Conditionals: ZERO, FIRST, SECOND

1. CONDITIONALS
Zero, first and second

2. Zero conditional
If it is a stormy
night, I get very
frightened

3. ZERO CONDITIONAL
If you don’t water flowers, they die.
If you have a headache, stop watching TV.
With zero conditional we express
a general truth, something that always happens or we
give advice.
If clause:
PRESENT TENSE
Main clause:
PRESENT TENSE
or IMPERATIVE
Zero conditional

4. First conditional

5. Match each situation with its
consequence
 You see an accident
 I travel to London
 You eat too much chocolate
cake
 She sees a snake
 I bring you a souvenir.
 You don’t feel very
well.
 You call an
ambulance.
 She is afraid.

6. KEY
 If you see an accident, you’ll call an ambulance
 If I travel to London, I’ll bring you a souvenir
 If you eat too much chocolate cake, you won’t
feel very well
 If she sees a snake, she will be afraid

7. FORM &USE
if clause main clause
IF + SUBJECT + PRESENT T., SUBJECT + FUTURE TENSE
If I miss the bus, I’ll get a taxi
 Other possibilities:
SUBJECT + CAN + INFINITIVE
If you miss the bus, you can get a taxi
IMPERATIVE
If you miss the bus, get a taxi
 Generally we use it to talk about possible future situations.
If I you tell her the truth, she won’t be angry

8. FUTURE TIME CLAUSES
 Sometimes we can use time expressions
instead of “if” to talk about the future:
 WHEN: I’ll get up when the doctor arrives
 AS SOON AS: She’ll go back to work as soon as
she feels better
 UNTIL: Don’t stop taking the pills until you’ve
finished the packet
 IN CASE: Take a coat in case it gets cold later
 UNLESS: She’ll probably come unless she’s
studying

9. Second conditional

10. FORM
if clause main clause
IF + SUBJECT + PAST, SUBJECT + WOULD + INFINITIVE
If I won the lottery, I’d buy a big house
 Other possibilities:
SUBJECT + COULD + INFINITIVE
If I won the lottery, I could buy a big house
 In conditionals you can use “were” with “I, he, she, it”
If I were rich, I’d buy a big house

11. USES
 We use it to talk about things in the future that are
hypothetical, improbable or imaginary.
If I met the Queen of England, I would say hello.
 We use it to talk about something in the present which
is impossible.
If I knew his
number,
I would phone him.

12. FIRST CONDITIONAL is possible, SECONDCONDITIONAL is
hypothetical
COMPARE 1ST AND 2ND CONDITIONAL

13. LIKELY OR UNLIKELY?
 A tiger walks into this room
 I win the lottery
 It rains this weekend
 It snows tonight
 This class finishes on time
 My teacher gives me some homework

14. LIKELY OR UNLIKELY?
 A tiger walks into this
room
 I win the lottery
 It rains this weekend
 It snows tonight
 This class finishes on
time
 My teacher gives me
some homework
SITUATION RESULT