Conditional sentences explanation

1. Mª Mercedes Sánchez Villafranca.
2013
Conditional
Clauses

2. Mª Mercedes Sánchez Villafranca.
2013
What is a conditional ?
 A conditional sentence has two clauses:the
condition and the result or main clause.
 EX. If you study hard, you will pass the exam.
 The if-clause can come before or after the result
clause. If it comes before, it is separated by a
comma. If it comes after, no comma is needed.
 EX. You will pass the exam if you study hard.

3. Mª Mercedes Sánchez Villafranca.
2013
Present or zero conditional
 If + simple present, simple present
 Use: to describe real situations that can
happen at any time or an event that
always follows another. If can be replaced
by when.
 EX. When/If you heat ice, it melts.

4. Mª Mercedes Sánchez Villafranca.
2013
First Conditional (future or real
conditional)
 If + present simple, will+ bare infinitive.
 When you think something is likely to happen or you
want to talk about the results of a possible future
condition.
 EX. If you study hard, you will pass the exam.
 The If-clause refers to the future but using a present
tense.
 You can also use the present continuous in the if-clause,
and a modal or an imperative in the main clause.
 EX. If it’s raining tomorrow, they might not go for a picnic.
 EX. If you arrive late, don’t call me.

5. Mª Mercedes Sánchez Villafranca.
2013
Alternatives to if
 UNLESS (=if…not)
 EX. Unless you study hard, you won’t pass the exam.(If
you don’t study hard)
 IN CASE
 EX. Take the umbrella in case it rains.
(It might/ might not rain but you will be prepared)
 EVEN IF/ THOUGH (=emphasis)
 EX. Even if/though I become a millionaire, I will always
be a socialist.
 PROVIDED/ PROVIDING/AS LONG AS
 Ex. You can borrow my bike providing/provided you
bring it back at 11:00. (=you must give it back by 11:00)

6. Mª Mercedes Sánchez Villafranca.
2013
Second Conditional (Unreal,
hypothetical)
 If +simple past, would+bare infinitive.
We use the second conditional for:
 Future situations that are possible but unlikely.
 EX. If I won the lotto, I would buy a Ferrari.
 Also, for present situations that are unreal.
 EX. If we had the key, we would open the door.
 And to give advice, we use the expression:If I were you, …
Were is used with the first and the third person singular, although was is
also used in spoken English
 Could or might can be used in the main clause instead of would.
 EX. If they were friends, they could go out together.

7. Mª Mercedes Sánchez Villafranca.
2013
Alternatives to if
 We can also introduce unreal conditional clauses with:
 UNLESS (for unlikely conditions but not unreal
conditions)
 I wouldn’t ask you for help unless I needed it.
 *I wouldn’t be more active unless I had artritis. (=it doesn’t
exist)
 IMAGINE/ SUPPOSE (to ask about imaginary
situations)
 Imagine you were a fairy, what would you do?
 Suppose you had the opportunity, would you give her away?

8. Mª Mercedes Sánchez Villafranca.
2013
Third Conditional (Impossible)
 If + past perfect, would have+ p. participle.
 We use the third conditional to imagine situations or
actions in the past that we know are the opposite of the
facts.
 EX. If I had known that you were in hospital, I would have
visited you. =(that’s impossible now)
 Or talk about regrets from our past (often with could have)
 EX.If I had studied harder, I could have passed the exam. (=I
should have done it, but I didn’t)
 Could/ might +have + p. participle can be used in the
main clause instead of would have+ p. participle.
 EX.If I hadn’t broken my leg skiing, I could/ might have been a
footballer.

9. Mª Mercedes Sánchez Villafranca.
2013
Mixed Conditionals
 Mixed past to present conditional: we use them to talk about present
results of an imagined past action
If +past perfect, would/could/might+bare infinitive.(If+3rd, 2nd)
 EX. If I had missed the train, I wouldn’t be here now.
 Mixed present to past conditional: We use them to talk about imagined
past results or a present situation.
If + past simple, would/could/might + have+p.participle.(If+ 2nd, 3rd)
 EX. If I didn’t study, I couldn’t have passed the exam.
 EX. If you were a better student, you could have gone to university.
 Mixed present to past conditional: We use them to talk about present
results of a past action.
If + past simple, will + bare infinitive.(If+2nd, 1st)
 EX. If nobody phoned him, he won’t come to the meeting.

10. OTHER FORMAL CONDITIONAL STRUCTURES
Should you (with inversion)
Should + subject+ verb
ex: Should you require any further information, please contact us at our office in
Green Street.
Had you (with inversion)
Had+subject+verb
ex: Had the people not been informed, the situation would have been much
worse.
.
If+were to
We use this in formal situations when we talk about things that
might happen but which we think are unlikely.
ex: f I were to draft a proposal on the environment or social policy that one
would be unacceptable
.
Mª Mercedes Sánchez Villafranca.
2013

11. Mª Mercedes Sánchez Villafranca.
2013
The End