explanation of first and second conditionals

1. CONDITIONALS

2. First conditional

3. Match each situation with its
consequence
 The weather is fine on
Sunday
 You see an accident
 The students get good
marks on the test
 I travel to London
 You eat too much chocolate
cake
 She sees a snake
 I bring you a souvenir.
 You call an
ambulance.
 You don’t feel very
well.
 We go to the beach.
 The teacher is
satisfied.
 She is afraid.

4. KEY
 If the weather is fine on Sunday, we’ll go to the
beach
 If you see an accident, you’ll call an ambulance
 If the students get good marks on the test, the
teacher will be satisfied
 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

5. USES
 Generally we use it to talk about possible future situations.
If I you tell her the truth, she won’t be angry
Especifically we use it for:
 POSSIBILITIES
You’ll miss the train if you don’t hurry!
 SUPERSTITIONS
If you break a mirror, you will have 7 years of bad luck!
 FUTURE PLANS
If you get me a ticket, I’ll go to the concert with you!
 WARNINGS AND THREATS
If you don’t come to my birthday party, I’ll never speak to you again

6. FORM
if clause main clause
IF + SUBJECT + PRESENT, SUBJECT + WILL +
INFINITIVE
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
 The if clause can come first or second.

7. Second conditional

8. USES
 We use it to talk about things in the future that are
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 had his number, I would call him.

9. 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
 The if clause can come first or second.
 In conditionals you can use “were” with “I, he, she, it”
If I were rich, I’d buy a big house

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